NCAA reveals new venues for North Carolina events

The NCAA has selected seven new sites for championships relocated from North Carolina last month. The championships will now take place in these cities:

– 2016 Division I Women’s Soccer Championship, order College Cup, generic Dec. 2 and 4: San Jose, California (Avaya Stadium; West Coast Conference, host).
– 2016 Division III Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships, Dec. 2 and 3: Salem, Virginia (Kerr Stadium; Old Dominion Athletic Conference, host).
– 2017 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, first/second-rounds, March 17 and 19: Greenville, South Carolina (Bon Secours Wellness Arena; Southern Conference and Furman University, hosts).
– 2017 Division I Women’s Golf Championships, regional, May 8-10: Athens, Georgia (University of Georgia Golf Course; University of Georgia, host).
– 2017 Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships, May 22-27: Chattanooga, Tennessee (Champions Tennis Club; University of the South, host).
– 2017 Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship, May 26 and 28: Boston (Gillette Stadium; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, host).
– 2017 Division II Baseball Championship, May 27-June 3, Grand Prairie, Texas (The Ballpark in Grand Prairie; Angelo State University, host).

The NCAA opened the bid process for the championships following an August decision by its Board of Governors to relocate events originally awarded to cities in North Carolina. The board made the decision because of the cumulative actions taken by the state concerning civil rights protections.

NCAA sport committees received the prospective bids for the championships in September. They then reviewed the qualifying bids and submitted recommendations to the committees responsible for the final decisions: the Division I Competition Oversight Committee, the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee and the Division II and III Championships Committees. Bids were reviewed based on various criteria, including a site’s capacity to host championships on the dates specified and the ability to ensure a quality student-athlete experience. Host cities were also required to complete a questionnaire outlining how they will protect participants and spectators from discrimination.

“We appreciate our member institutions and the many cities across the country who were involved in the bid process for these championship sites,” said Joni Comstock, NCAA interim executive vice president of championships and alliances. “The sports committees were pleased with the quantity and quality of the bids received and are confident the selected sites will host championships that provide an outstanding experience for  student-athletes, membership and fans.”