STEVE CARPENTER - Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The National Junior College Athletic Association has awarded Hutchinson Community College the 2022 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships for 2022, the national office announced on Wednesday.
The 2022 Championships will be May 19-21 at HutchCC's Gowans Stadium.
The 2022 Championships will be the seventh time Gowans Stadium and Hutchinson Community College have played host to the event where more than 700 student-athletes from all around the nation compete for individual and team championships.
Gowans Stadium was supposed to be the host site of the 2020 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, but the event was canceled because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
"Hutchinson Community College is excited to host the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2022," Blue Dragon Athletic Director Josh Gooch said on Wednesday. "We were prepared for the 2020 Championship and look forward to using those resources to host in 2022."
The NJCAA Outdoor Championships were in Hutchinson in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 1015 and last in 2017.
Gowans Stadium was renovated in 2006 with a state-of-the-art track surface and artificial playing surface. The Gowans Stadium video board was added in 2009, just before the site played host to its first NJCAA Track Championship.
The NJCAA Track and Field Championships are one of five NJCAA Championship events to have called Hutchinson home over the years.
The NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship has been in Hutchinson since 1949. The 2017, 2018 and 2019 NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championships were in contested in the Sports Arena as well and will return to Hutchinson in 2021.
In addition to the NJCAA Track Championships, Hutchinson also plays host to the annual Salt City Bowl football game. Back in the mid-1990s' Hutchinson played host to the NJCAA Division I Softball Championships at Fun Valley.
"The community of Hutchinson embraces hosting events for the NJCAA and we look forward to providing another first class Championship for all the student athletes, coaches and fans," Gooch said.
The 2021 Championships will be at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.