Wednesday, December 11, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - GNAC member schools Montana State University Billings and Western Oregon University will host the next four NCAA Division II West Regional cross country championships.

The NCAA Wednesday announced 523 sites have been awarded as hosts for 82 of its 89 championships for the 2014-18 seasons, making it the largest collection of host site announcements in association history.

MSUB will host the the 2014 cross country regional championships on Nov. 22 and the 2016 regional championships on Nov. 5 at Amend Park in Billings. 

The 2015 regionals will be held Nov. 7 at the Ash Creek Preserve cross country course in Monmouth, while the 2017 meet will be Nov. 4 at Ash Creek.

At the end of the four-year period, the GNAC or one of its member schools will have hosted the regional in six of the previous seven years.

Previous hosts have included Western Washington (1998, 2001, 2004 and 2010), Northwest Nazarene (2007) and the conference office in 2011 and 2013.

The NCAA received a total of 1,984 submissions for the 523 championships.

The sites were selected by the respective sport committees, made up of coaches and administrators from NCAA member schools and conferences, and ultimately approved by the appropriate divisional championships cabinets or committees.

Previously, selection announcements varied by sport. This new process gives the NCAA and host sites more time to plan each championship experience.

In addition, it creates efficiencies across championships allowing for better coordination and planning by the NCAA and its hosts.