NAIA Outdoor Nationals Moves to Fresno Pacific for 06 and 07

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/story/1 ... 2013c.html

Fresno lures NAIA track finals

By Lamar Lopez / The Fresno Bee

(Updated Tuesday, July 26, 2005, 6:58 AM)

NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships
Where: Fresno Pacific's Cockerham Track
When: May 25-27, 2006, and May 24-26, 2007

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will be at Fresno Pacific University for the next two years, the Fresno Sports Council and the NAIA announced Monday.


About 1,000 athletes are expected to compete at the school's Cockerham Track next May 25-27 and May 24-26, 2007.

"I'm going to warn you now this is Memorial Day weekend, so please plan your barbecues accordingly," NAIA championships event coordinator Ruth Feldblum said.

Feldblum estimated the championships could pump as much as $1 million into the local economy in spending on travel costs, hotel stays, meals and entertainment in the first year alone.

Fresno Pacific athletic director Dennis Janzen, a member of the Fresno Sports Council board of directors, said: "As the [Fresno Pacific] athletic department is expanding, I think this just makes sense. It fits in well with the direction our program is going."

Fresno was selected over Indianapolis. Previous hosts include Louisville, Ky., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Tulsa, Okla.

"We looked at a lot of different cities and Fresno really stood out because it's the total package," said Feldblum, noting local athletic facilities, hotel space and support from the sports council and the mayor's office.

"It just became clear very quickly that Fresno has the right people to put together a phenomenal experience for the athletes, for the fans and for the community."

It didn't hurt that Fresno Pacific, which hosted the NAIA women's national volleyball finals in 1999, also is a center for the organization's "Champions of Character" program, stressing the ideals of respect, integrity, servant leadership, responsibility and sportsmanship.

"This is actually one of our largest national championships," said Feldblum, a former track standout at Syracuse. "With Fresno Pacific becoming one of our program centers, it's a perfect fit for the event."

The standard contract to host the track championships â€â€

[rainbowgirl28]

First thing I am doing when I go to Fresno next week is checking out if FPU has a lip on their box...