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Posted by
Corey Westra
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Thu, Apr 23, 2009
- [
Baseball
] - Viewed 984 times
 Sioux City's Lewis and Clark Park The Sioux City Sports Authority is proud to announce that Sioux City, Iowa, has been selected by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in Kansas City, Missouri, as a host site for one of nine NAIA Opening Rounds for the 2009 AVISTA-NAIA World Series. The opening round will take place at Lewis and Clark Park on May 12-15.
The 2009 NAIA Baseball Opening Rounds will feature 45 teams placed in nine five-team sites. Each opening round site winner will advance to the AVISTA-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, and join Lewis-Clark State for the 10-team World Series May 22-29. The Great Plains Athletic Conference is serving as the host conference for the Sioux City Opening Round. One GPAC representative will participate in the opening round at Lewis and Clark Park. The GPAC receives two automatic bids into the NAIA tournament field of 45. One bid is the conference regular season champion, with the second bid being the conference tournament champion. Should the regular season champion win the postseason, the postseason runner-up will receive the second automatic bid. Preference will be given to a Sioux City institution (Briar Cliff or Morningside) should they qualify via the conference. In the event that both Sioux City schools could receive a GPAC bid, the first one that qualified will play in Sioux City. There is no automatic host bid. If neither GPAC institution in Sioux City qualifies, the closest GPAC institution that qualifies will be selected.
Each opening site will feature of five-team, double elimination bracket. Selection of teams, seeding and bracketing is determined by the NAIA. The tournament brackets will be announced on May 8. Tentative Schedule of Events:
May 11 - Welcoming Team Barbeque at the Lewis Bowl South Annex, 6PM May 12 Games - 10AM, 1PM, and 4PM May 13 Games - 10 AM, 1PM, and 4PM May 14 Games - NOON and 3PM May 15 Game - NOON (Championship) *All times subject to change "This is another tremendous opportunity for Sioux City to host a NAIA Championship Event," said Corey Westra, GPAC Commissioner and President of the Sioux City Sports Authority. "The Sioux City Sports Authority wishes to thank the Missouri River Historical Development (MHRD) Board for their generous grant to help support attracting this event". "Four of the five teams that will be coming to Sioux City will be from around the country, so this is an opportunity to showcase our community once again," commented Westra. "Those four with a local team makes for a great event and great baseball at Lewis and Clark Park." "It's fitting the ‘Road to Lewiston' come through Sioux City which is right on the Lewis and Clark Trail," added Westra. Here are the nine NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round tournament sites (as listed by their current group designation): Group A - Lubbock Christian University (Texas) Sioux City was recognized as a Top Sports Travel Magazine as a Top Sports Destination earlier this year. Sioux City is currently host to the NAIA Women's Division II National Basketball Championship and the NAIA National Volleyball Championship. Sioux City has also hosted the NAIA Baseball World Series (at Lewis and Clark Park), the NAIA Wrestling Championships, and the NAIA Women's Golf Championships. For more information, including sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, please contact Corey Westra at 712.226.4722 or Jamie Miller at 712.333.3981. |
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