Wichita has been selected as the host city for the NIRSA Championship Series for the next three years, beginning in 2019. The series gives college recreational sports participants an opportunity to compete and connect with peers from other schools, and could bring more than 1,000 athletes from across the country to Wichita.

Wichita State University (WSU) and Visit Wichita will host NIRSA’s National Basketball Championships from 2019–2021. The event in 2019 will take place on April 12-14 at Wichita Hoops.

“Wichita State University is excited to host the 2019, 2020 and 2021 NIRSA National Basketball Championships,” said Austin Sanderson, competitive sports coordinator at WSU and tournament director for Wichita’s NIRSA series. “We look forward to welcoming players, programming staff, officials, volunteers, and fans to Wichita – and providing them with a great overall experience. Considering Wichita’s central location, we have an opportunity to host some of the larger tournaments over the next few years.”

The championships are estimated to generate more than $1.5 million in local economic impact over the three years hosted in Wichita.

“Wichita is ecstatic to be selected as the host for the NIRSA National Basketball Championships,” says Josh Howell, Sports Sale Manager at Visit Wichita. “We are thrilled to welcome thousands of athletes, coaches, and families to the city and cannot wait to show our visitors why Wichita is a premiere sports destination.”

While WSU is the host university, teams will be competing at Wichita Hoops.

“Wichita Hoops is a 113,000 sq. ft. facility that includes 12 basketball courts, a viewing mezzanine and two concession stands. This facility was built with the primary purpose to host tournaments such as the NIRSA Championship Series National Basketball Championships,” said Sanderson. “Wichita Hoops is sure to impress.”

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About Wichita State University:

The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling about 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master's and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas.

About Visit Wichita
Visit Wichita markets the Greater Wichita area and advocates for the city as a destination, increasing travel and tourism as a key economic driver for the city, county, region and state. Visit Wichita is led by president and CEO Susie Santo, and in 2017 travel and tourism contributed more than $1.1 billion in economic impact to the greater Wichita area.

About NIRSA

NIRSA is a leader in higher education and the advocate for the advancement of recreation, sport, and well-being. The organization believes that collegiate recreation is a significant and powerful key to inspiring wellness in local, regional, and global communities.