Columbia International University to Host Track & Field National Championships Through 2024 5/27/2022 4:34:20 PM Greenville, SC: The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announces an agreement with Columbia International University (CIU) to host the Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years. The championships will be held at CIU's Track & Field Complex in Columbia, South Carolina. “We are thrilled that Columbia International University will be hosting our Outdoor Track & Field Championships at their facility that opened in 2019," said NCCAA Executive Director Dan Wood. "Our student-athletes and spectators will be hosted well by CIU's staff and we appreciate the support of the entire CIU community.” Each year in May, these championships will feature student-athletes from across the country competing in 22 events. Men’s and women’s events will be held over the course of a three-day period. Student-athletes and coaches will also have the opportunity to impact the local community through a Christian Service Project (CSP). Details of the CSP will be released closer to the event date. Director of Athletics Darren Richie stated, "CIU is entering its tenth year as a member of the NCCAA, and we are excited to have the opportunity to host one of their national championships here in Columbia. Our athletic teams have benefited from several fantastic NCCAA National Championship experiences, and we hope to create that same experience for the NCCAA track & field programs that will be on our campus over the next two years." Built in 2018, the CIU Track & Field Complex boasts a state-of-the-art eight-lane multi-color Mondo Track and houses a well-maintained throws area adjacent to the track with a hammer & discus cage and a shot put area. On top of its track & field-specific components, the facility features a large video board, concession stand, restrooms, and a 600-seat grandstand with a press box. Dr. Mark Smith, Columbia International University President, said, "Columbia International University is thrilled to offer our new Olympic-quality track for use by the NCCAA for the 2023 & 2024 Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. We look forward to welcoming like-minded colleges & universities from around the country to these great facilities. This is just another step for the university in raising up the next generation of Christian leaders through college athletics."