2014 & 2015 NAIA National Wrestling Championships

The NAIA informed our committee Wednesday night that Topeka was being awarded the 2014 & 2015 NAIA National Championships. It was officially announced this morning at the Kids State Championships and below you can read the official press release by the NAIA.

I just want to thank our group of individuals that started this journey four years ago and we finally did it! I am excited to be a part of this outstanding group of individuals and I am looking forward to a year of preparing. The Kansas wrestling community is best in the country in my opinion and I know, as we told the NAIA, that the Kansas wrestling community will ban together to make the next two years NAIA Championships, the best event ever! Thank you to the members of our committee, Randy Hinderliter, Mark Stanley, Pat Kelly, Bob Gonzales, Larry Lady, Theresa Yetmar, HR Cook, Allison Connell, Jeff Alderman, Jennifer Muse, Kevin Smith and Mike Juby! Also, thank you to Jason Ford (NAIA Championship Director) and your staff for selecting Topeka, KS and giving us this great opportunity!
NAIA Brings Wrestling Championships to Topeka, KS. http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=206980760

Congratulations!! Thanks so much to all involved in making this happen. Obviously a determined group that represents Ks. Wrestling very well. Very exciting news.
Stan Kmiec

Great news for KS Wrestling!

Great news Coach Fergola! Way to go committee! At a national level, Division I is getting weaker. At the same time and JUCO, NAIA, and Divsion II are getting stronger! It seems like once a month a new college wrestling program is added!

Yes indeed, Great News!
Yes agreed, the Kansas Wrestling community rocks and is well deserving of this recognition.
Big Props to Fergola and the committee. Thanks for your efforts.
Congratulations Kansas!

This is a big deal!! I've always thought it would be cool to for Kansas to try and host NJCAAs too, maybe in Wichita or Hutch even at the Sports Arena! Pratt CC would be the closest program that could serve as host. Could also Co-host it with LCC or another KS Juco.

I would be curious to know what the attendance numbers are for some of these tournaments. We know D1 does well but I want to know if the others are money makers.

I don't know how much overall money is made but I can tell u that I took myself and 2 others to naia nats 2 years ago and for the week it cost me about 250.00 for tickets for all sessions. Which for 2 adults and a kid seemed outrageous. But was a good time and good wrestling

But was it sold out or what did the numbers look like for attendance?

The Jacobson Center seats 3500. And the last 2 years we have gone it has not been sold out. I believe this year we paid $45 for the 2 day pass for an adult and $15 for a 2 day pass for our kids under 14. I'm going to guess 2000 in attendance but I,m also not a great estimator. The teams sit in the stands also so hard to tell how many were in attendance.

2000 is a very solid attendance number. I haven't been to an NAIA National Tourney but I will make sure to be in Topeka.

NAIA Official Announcement

I would like to thank the numerous local area youth, high school and collegiate athletes that showed up in support at today’s press conference. Also, thank you Rick Peterson of the the Topeka Capital Journal for your continued superior reporting of wrestling events in Kansas.

Excellent Job!