Fort Vancouver National Historic Site will once again be the host to a national cross country championship.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced Monday that its 2017 and 2019 men’s and women’s cross country national championships will be held on the Vancouver site. Vancouver last hosted in 2012.
As the host entity, the Cascade Collegiate Conference will receive one men’s and women’s automatic berth to the championship field in 2017 and 2019.
“The NAIA is excited about our Men’s & Women’s Cross Country National Championships finding a home in two great cities throughout the United States,” said Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO. “We look forward to seeing the Cascade Collegiate Conference and Mount Mercy University put on first-class events in the coming years.”
“We are thrilled to bring the NAIA men’s and women’s cross country championships back to the west and to the Historic Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington,” said Robert Cashell, Cascade Collegiate Conference Commissioner. “Not only does it provide a very unique experience for all the participants, the Pacific Northwest is really a runners mecca that has an allure and reputation as one of the best areas in the country for races.”
CCC member Southern Oregon will defend its 2016 men’s title at the Vancouver course, while 2015 women’s champion and 2016 runner-up Northwest Christian will look to maintain their elite status. This past year four CCC women’s teams; Northwest Christian (2), College of Idaho (6), Southern Oregon (7) and Oregon Tech (8) finished in the top 10. On the men’s side College of Idaho (4), Eastern Oregon (13) and Oregon Tech (19) joined champion SOU with top 20 finishes.
“We are very excited to welcome the NAIA Cross Country Nationals back to Fort Vancouver,” said Rosemary Cooke, director of business development for Visit Vancouver USA and Vancouver USA Sports. “The athletes, coaches, and spectators attending this national-level championship event will explore, shop and stay in our community, continuing the tradition of Vancouver USA as a regional sports destination.”
