NCAA Press Release Archive

Fifth NCAA Division II National Championships Festival Commences in Louisville

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Contact(s)

John Spugnardi
Bellarmine University
Sports Information Director
502/452-8000

Cameron Schuh
NCAA
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117

LOUISVILLE, KY. --- The NCAA, in conjunction with Bellarmine University and the Louisville Sports Commission, announces the start of the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championships Festival, an Olympic-style event, today in Louisville, Ky.

The Division II National Championships Festival will feature 70 teams and more than 800 student-athletes vying for championship titles in men’s and women’s cross country; women’s field hockey; men’s and women’s soccer; and women’s volleyball.

This is the fifth national championships festival hosted by Division II, which is the only NCAA division to host a multiple championship festival.

As the host institution for the fall festival, Bellarmine University will utilize Knights Hall and Owsley B. Frazier Stadium as the practice and competition venues for volleyball and soccer respectively. In addition, University of Louisville’s Trager Stadium will serve as the field hockey venue and E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park will serve as the cross country venue.

“The Division II National Championships Festival is a wonderful opportunity for student-athletes to compete for an NCAA title, support peers in other sports, and enjoy a national championship atmosphere at the highest level,” said Mike Racy, NCAA vice president of Division II. “We are excited for our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans to have the opportunity to experience the wonderful community of Louisville.”

Student-athletes competing at the festival will have the opportunity to be a part of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as attend other championships to offer support for their peers participating in other competitions. There will also be social activities for the student-athletes at the end of each day’s competition.

For more information on the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championships Festival and schedule of events, log on to www.NCAA.com/diifestival.

Division II held its first festival in spring 2004 in Orlando, Fla., and conducted a fall festival in November 2006 in Pensacola, Fla. The spring 2008 and winter 2009 festivals were both held in Houston.

The goals of the Division II National Championships Festival are to enhance the student-athlete college experience; create more awareness and exposure for Division II sports; and increase attendance by hosting multiple championships in one location. Student-athletes will be housed in centrally located hotels, allowing for an athlete-village type atmosphere.

NCAA Division II is one of three membership divisions at the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a volunteer organization comprising more than 1,200 institutions, conferences and affiliated organizations. Division II is a group of institutions, conferences and affiliated organizations that serve more than 75,000 student-athletes nationwide, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The emphasis for the student-athlete experience in Division II is a comprehensive program of learning and development. The Division II approach provides growth opportunities through academic achievement, learning in high-level athletic competition and the development of societal attitudes in service to the community. The balance and integration of these different areas of learning provide Division II student-athletes with a path to graduation while cultivating a variety of skills and knowledge for life ahead. For additional information on Division II efforts, visit www.ncaa.org.

Bellarmine University was founded in 1950 by the Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville. It merged with Ursuline in College in 1968 and became coeducational and independent. Today, Bellarmine offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 50 subject areas and has an enrollment of more than 2,800 students. Competing in intercollegiate athletics with the nickname Knights, Bellarmine fields 18 varsity-level athletic teams that compete at the NCAA Division II level, and one team (men’s lacrosse) that competes at the NCAA Division I level.

The Louisville Sports Commission is a not-for-profit organization committed to attracting and hosting national and international sporting events that have a positive economic impact on our community, enhance the image of the greater Louisville area and improve the quality of life for area residents and sports enthusiasts.