NAIA Announces Extensions to Championship Hosts Affected by COVID-19

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced it will extend championship agreements for seven of its championship host sites affected this past year by COVID-19.

The extensions were announced to assist further the relationship between the NAIA and its host cities. Women’s basketball (Sioux City, Iowa), women’s wrestling (University of Jamestown, Jamestown, N.D.), men’s and women’s bowling (Lawrence Tech University, Sterling Heights, Mich.), men’s and women’s tennis (Mobile, Ala.), baseball (Lewis-Clark State, Lewiston, Idaho), outdoor track and field (Gulf Shores, Ala.) and men’s golf (Mesa, Ariz.) came to an agreement on a one-year extension.

Of these sites, Lewiston, Idaho has second-longest run of consecutive championships hosted with the NAIA Baseball World Series (since 2000). “LC State is excited for the opportunity to host through 2025,” mentioned Brooke Henze, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Athletics Director and World Series Tournament Director. Through the years, Henze has been at the forefront of one of the most successful championships in the NAIA. Sioux City, Iowa holds the distinction of the longest-consecutive championships hosted of the group as the host of the NAIA DII Women's Basketball National Championship since 1998.

”Our host sites put in a tremendous amount of work executing NAIA championships and we value their dedication,” said NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr. “Extending their host contracts an additional year is an effort to negate any impacts from the unforeseen cancellations last winter and spring due to COVID-19.”

Below is a full list of championships and hosts and the year that was added to their existing agreement.

Women's Basketball
Tyson Events Center
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City
Add'l Year Added 2025

Women's Wrestling
Harold Newman Arena
Jamestown, N.D.
University of Jamestown
Add'l Year Added 2022

Men's and Women's Bowling
Five Star Lanes
Sterling Heights, Mich.
Lawrence Technological University
Add'l Year Added 2022

Men's and Women's Tennis
Mobile Tennis Center
Mobile, Ala.
Mobile Area Tennis Association
Add'l Year Added 2024

Baseball
Harris Field
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewis-Clark State College
Add'l Year Added 2024

Outdoor Track and Field
Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium
Gulf Shores, Ala.
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission
Add'l Year Added 2022

Men's Golf
Las Sendas Golf Club
Mesa, Ariz.
Benedictine University at Mesa
Add'l Year Added 2023

ABOUT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS (NAIA)

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. NAIA members provide more than 77,000 student-athletes with opportunities to play college sports, earn $800 million in scholarships and compete in 27 national championships. www.naia.org | @NAIA