Columbus awarded 12 NCAA events
Chimes outside Nationwide Arena were ringing 1 o’clock Tuesday and competing with the voices inside the Greater Columbus Sports Commission’s offices nearby. The NCAA was announcing host cities for tournaments and championships for the four years starting with the 2018-19 academic year, and Columbus was awaiting the fates of 47 bids.
Then from one room: “We got volleyball!” And another: “Basketball in ’19! And ’21!” followed by an incredulous, “What?” from another.
When the shouting died down and the list was tabulated, Columbus had been awarded 12 events during the span. Headline events include the first and second rounds of the 2019 Division I men’s basketball tournament and the Division I women’s
volleyball finals in 2021, both at Nationwide Arena, and the final three rounds of the Division II women’s basketball tournament at Ohio Dominican in 2019 and 2021.
“We have a lot to celebrate and I think it’s people that get us over the goal line because we aren’t selling the mountains or the beaches,” said Linda Logan, executive director of the sports commission. “To us, our Super Bowls are represented in these events.”
This is the second four- year cycle during which the NCAA has sought championship bids all at once. In 2013, Columbus submitted bids for 30 events and was awarded nine.
At Ohio State, Columbus will also host Division I women’s golf regionals in 2021 and men’s regionals in 2022, Division I men’s lacrosse quarterfinals in 2022 and men’s volleyball and rifle national championships in 2021.
Capital University will host the Division III women’s basketball and volleyball finals in 2020. Wayne Webb Columbus Bowl will host the women’s bowling national championship in 2022.
“I’m really excited about having Division I women’s volleyball coming back,” said Jeremy Leifel, director of business development for the sports commission. “That was one I think our community really rallied behind.”
Columbus will not host Division I men’s basketball regionals after submitting bids for 2020- 22 but will host the first two rounds for the fifth time in 15 years. The 2018 women’s Division I Final Four will be here but bids to host regionals at St. John Arena from 2019 to ' 21 were not selected.
The NCAA awarded men's basketball tournament games and other events to North Carolina, effectively ending a boycott that helped prompt the state to repeal parts of a law that limited protections for LGBT people. Two weeks ago the NCAA said it had "reluctantly" agreed to consider North Carolina again for hosting duties. It had stripped North Carolina of seven championship events for the past sports season and said it could relocate more events if there wasn't a change in the "bathroom bill."
Gov. Roy Cooper signed a compromise bill March 30. The compromise was reached days after the NCAA said the state was down to its final days to get something done about the law. Bids were originally to be announced in December but got pushed back by the NCAA while waiting for potential action in North Carolina.
Since then, Columbus hosted the Division I women's volleyball championships and the Division II women’s basketball finals and was selected to do so again.
“It really worked in our favor because we got to let them see what a great sports city we are for those two sports in particular,” Logan said. “It’s that feeling of Christmas all over again.”