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Birmingham-Hoover Chosen as Host of 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Contact(s)

Kristen Jacob Smith
Assistant Director of Online Properties and Media for Championships
317/917-6584


INDIANAPOLIS--- The NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Committee has selected the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area of Alabama to serve as the host for the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship.

Hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Alabama Sports Foundation, the 2011 NCAA Men’s College Cup will be played at Regions Park on Dec. 9 and 11. The state of Alabama will be hosting the Division I Men’s Soccer Championship for the first time.

“UAB, together with the cities of Birmingham and Hoover, put together a great championship bid,” said John Diffley, chair of the Division I Men's Soccer Committee and senior associate athletic director for administration at St. John’s University (New York). “We are excited to bring the event to a different part of the country and feel Regions Park will present an outstanding experience for the student-athletes and the fans. The committee is also confident everyone on the UAB and Alabama Sports Foundation staffs will be dedicated to making the championship a huge success.”

“We are honored that UAB has the opportunity to serve as the host school for the NCAA Men’s College Cup,” said Brian Mackin, athletics director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “This is the premier event in collegiate soccer and we’re excited to have a national championship coming to the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area. The NCAA Men’s College Cup will be a great platform to showcase our community and promote UAB athletics. We look forward to hosting a first-class event that the NCAA, student-athletes and soccer fans will be proud of and enjoy."

“The Alabama Sports Foundation is extremely excited to be part of such a prestigious event,” said Gene Hallman, executive director of the Alabama Sports Foundation. “Having served as a host city for the 1996 Olympic Soccer Tournament, World Cup Qualifiers, and numerous International friendlies over the past decade, we are confident that our strong local soccer community will embrace this tournament.”

“We are very pleased that the selection committee has chosen Hoover, Ala., as the location for the 2011 NCAA Men’s College Cup,” said Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos. “This soccer championship is a prestigious event that will bring thousands of visitors to our area and provide the opportunity to showcase our community and attractions. We look forward to partnering with UAB and the Alabama Sports Foundation on this event.”

The 2010 NCAA Men’s College Cup will be held in Santa Barbara, Calif., at Meredith Field at Harder Stadium on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara, Dec. 10 and 12.

For more information on the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, log on to www.NCAA.com/soccer.

    

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