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MSHSAA to Keep Basketball, Wrestling In Columbia, Track Stays in Jeff. City
BY JIM WIENERS
The Missouri State High School Activities Association announced earlier this summer in its web site, mshsaa.org, that the State Basketball and Wrestling Championships will remain in Columbia while the State Track and Field Championships will remain in Jefferson City, through 2013.
MSHSAA said that after evaluating proposals from entities throughout the state the association’s Board of Directors decided unanimously to accept a joint proposal from the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the University of Missouri to keep the Basketball and Wrestling Championships at the University of Missouri. The State Basketball championships have been in Columbia since 1992 but have been held at the Mizzou Arena since 2005 after moving from the Hearnes Center. Wrestling has been in Columbia since 1975 but has moved from the Hearnes Center to Mizzou Arena in 2006.
The MSHSAA Board of Directors wanted to make a change in the weekend for Classes
One, Two and Three in their state tournament and have approved further study on the first day of the three-day weekend. That study included the possible use of two venues, particularly the first day of the state tournament, including the Mizzou Arena and Hearnes Center.
Other site proposals were not revealed including St. Louis area. Prior to moving the Wrestling venue from Hearnes Center to Mizzou Arena there was a proposal that included possibly using the Family Arena in St. Charles but MSHSAA decided on Mizzou Arena.
Likewise the MSHSAA Board unanimously accepted a joint proposal from the Jefferson City CVB and Lincoln University to keep the Track and Field Championships at Lincoln University. The State Track and Field Championships have been at Dwight T. Reed Stadium since 1977 and have been the sole host for all classes of Boys and Girls State Track and Field since 1979.
Several years ago the University of Missouri wanted to host State Track and Field on their Columbia campus but the MSHSAA has decided on staying at Reed Stadium.
Over a year ago MSHSAA moved the State Girls Volleyball Championships to Kansas City’s historic Municipal Auditorium and will host the tournament through 2010. Municipal Auditorium, in downtown Kansas City was built in 1936 and has hosted NCAA Division I final fours, the Big XII (12) Women’s Tournaments and the NAIA Division I Men’s Tournaments. Municipal Auditorium is the home of University of Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroo Basketball.
Prior to the move to Kansas City the MSHSAA Girls Volleyball Championships were
held at the University of Central Missouri’s Multipurpose Building from 1988 to 2007. From 1980 to 1987 it had been held at two sites in Kansas City, Avila College and Hickman Mills High, as well as Springfield-Kickapoo, Waynesville and Parkway South.
Baseball, which moved from Columbia to Springfield’s Meador Park in 2007, will remain at Meador Park until 2011 after the MSHSAA Board looked at proposals from Springfield and St. Joseph. The Championships moved to Springfield in 2007 to allow Mizzou to host the NCAA Division I Regionals. Prior to 2007 the MSHSAA Baseball championships were at Simmons Field/Taylor Stadium since 1978.
