Mid-American Conference and Cleveland Sports Commission To Host 2014 NCAA Women's Bowling Championship
CLEVELAND, Ohio (Nov. 1, 2012) – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) awarded the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission as the hosts for the 2014 NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship. The nation’s top eight teams, with ten student-athletes per team, will compete for a championship April 10-12, 2014 at Freeway Lanes in Wickliffe, Ohio.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for the city of Cleveland and the Mid-American Conference to host the 2014 National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference. “We have partnered with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission on a number of events and this will be another opportunity for the MAC to work with the Sports Commission to bring NCAA collegiate championship events to the Greater Cleveland area.”
In 2012, the MAC and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission hosted the National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship at the same venue. With the success of last year's Women's Bowling Championship in the city of Cleveland, the partnership of the MAC and Greater Cleveland Sports Commission were once again recognized and selected to host the 2014 Women's Bowling Championship.
“The NCAA has once again recognized the championship quality of the city of Cleveland,” Greater Cleveland Sports Commission President and CEO David Gilbert said. “The NCAA’s decision is further proof that Cleveland is a top destination for championship sporting events.”
Mid-American Confernece
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 11 members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in six (6) states – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. In addition a 13th school – the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass.-- is an affiliate member for football only.
Current MAC schools that hold full membership and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). Temple University (2007) competes in the East Division in football only. The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
About the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission prides itself on being one of the most distinguished Sports Commissions in the country, effectively leveraging sports events and activities to further economic development in Northeast Ohio. The philosophy of the Sports Commission sets it apart from others by operating as an economic and community development organization utilizing sports as a vehicle to forward other community agendas. The organization takes the unique approach of becoming a management and financial partner in each event with the goal of producing events that are more successful in Cleveland than other cities in which they have been held. Since 2000, the Sports Commission has been responsible for attracting over 125 sporting events, contributing to more than $385 million in economic activity.