April 27, 2006

COLUMBIA, Mo.--The NCAA Division I Track & Field committee announced Wednesday that the University of Missouri has been selected to host the 2007 NCAA Mideast Regional Championships to be held at Audrey J. Walton Track Stadium in Columbia on May 25-26, 2007. The 2007 season will mark the fifth year of the NCAA-regional system and Missouri will be hosting the meet for the first time.

"I felt thrilled and honored that the NCAA awarded this regional to us," said Head Coach Dr. Rick McGuire. "We're really proud of the Audrey J. Walton Track facility, and we love to host championship meets. Coaches and teams love to come to Columbia. We provide them a great environment. There are only four of these in a year, and we're very pleased to be hosting an NCAA Regional Championship."

The Mideast region is one of four track and field NCAA regions and is made from the Division I universities in the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Missouri is the only school in the Big 12 Conference that competes in the Mideast Region. The Mideast Region houses many of the schools from the ultra-competitive SEC and Big Ten Conferences.

An estimated 1,500 athletes will qualify and participate in the meet in hopes of gaining entry into the NCAA Outdoor Championships, scheduled to be held in Sacramento, Calif., in 2007.

"This will be a great event for the City of Columbia," said Don Laird, President of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. "Not only will the teams and athletes be able to see and enjoy our town, but our local businesses will be able to benefit as well."

The NCAA committee also announced the sites of the other regional championships for 2007: Midwest - Des Moines, Iowa, Drake Univ.; West - Eugene, Ore., Univ. of Oregon; East - Gainsville, Fla., Univ. of Florida.

Missouri will host the NCAA Track & Field regional for the first time in school history. Audrey J. Walton Stadium was the site of the 1998, 2000, and 2002 Big 12 Track & Field Championships as well as NCAA First and Second Round women's soccer matches in 1999 and 2003.

This season's NCAA Mideast Regional Championships will be held in Knoxville, Tenn., on the campus of the Univ. of Tennessee.

NCAA Events hosted by Missouri

March 2009           Wrestling               NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)

March 2008           Wrestling               NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)

May 2007              Track & Field        NCAA Mideast Regional

March 2006           Diving                     NCAA Zones

December 2005  Volleyball               NCAA First/Second Rounds

May 2005               Softball                  NCAA Regional

March 2005           Wrestling               NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)

December 2004  Volleyball               NCAA First/Second Rounds
March 2004           Wrestling               NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)

November 2003   Soccer                   NCAA First/Second Rounds

April 2003              Gymnastics          NCAA South Central Regional

November 1999   Soccer                   NCAA First/Second Rounds

November 1990   Cross Country      NCAA District VI

March 1986           W. Basketball       NCAA First/Second Rounds

November 1982   Cross Country      NCAA District VI

Hosts Sites of the NCAA Mideast Track & Field Regional

2003       Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio

2004       LSU, Baton Rouge, La.

2005       Indiana, Bloomington, Ind.

2006       Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.

2007       Missouri, Columbia, Mo.