INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 14, 2020) – Colorado State University Pueblo has been selected to host the 2023 and 2025 NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the recently renovated Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl. The announcement came Wednesday from the NCAA, as the association made more than 450 selections for host sites of championships being held between 2022-2026 among all three divisions. 
 
"CSU Pueblo is honored to host the largest championship sponsored by NCAA Division II," said CSU Pueblo Director of Athletics Dr. Paul Plinske. "Outstanding athletes from all over the country will visit Pueblo in 2023 and 2025 to compete in these championships. This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the city of Pueblo, but will also provide an economic boom to our community. This is consistent with Vision 2028, the strategic plan of CSU Pueblo. We are very excited to provide a top-notch championship at a first-class venue."
 
The DeRose ThunderBowl hosted the 2012 and 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, but this time the facility will host with a resurfaced track. The ThunderBowl completed upgrades in the spring of 2020 that totaled more than a million dollars worth of renovations, which included resurfacing the original track from when the facility was opened in 2008. 
 
The 2023 championship event is slated for May 25-27, while the dates for 2025 are yet to be determined. Nearly 900 student-athletes and coaches will attend each championship, with thousands more University officials, event workers and spectators expected to converge on Pueblo for the three-day championship event. 
 
"Thank you to Dr. Plinske and Assistant Athletic Director Michael Diaz for their extensive work on submitting the bid," said Matt Morris, CSU Pueblo Head Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach. "We are passionate about hosting in 2023 and 2025 and really excited to see this event have a huge economic impact on the Pueblo community. We are excited about hosting a national championship event and showcasing some of the best facilities in the nation. This announcement has a major impact on our men's and women's programs, as we can look forward and work toward not only hosting, but representing CSU Pueblo at the 2023 and 2025 championships."
 
CSU Pueblo is also slated to host the 2021 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the spring. 
 
CSU Pueblo men's cross country and track and field returned as an intercollegiate sport in 2014-15 and quickly rose to the one of the top programs in NCAA Division II. The ThunderWolves finished fourth in 2017-18 and 2018-19 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Program of the Year standings. The programs also tout a combined nine individual national championship honors since 2018. 
 
Since 2015, the women's track and field program has recorded program best finishes at the national championships and has celebrated one national champion and 26 All-American awards. 
 
MORE ABOUT THE BID PROCESS
 
The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA's 90 championships. The sites were selected by the respective NCAA sports committees and approved by the divisional competition oversight and championships committees.
 
The NCAA sports committees made the nearly 450 selections of host sites based on criteria that included the ability to create an outstanding experience for student-athletes, along with adherence to NCAA sport-specific bid specifications.
 
Specifications can include, but are not limited to, providing optimal facilities; ease of travel to the location and ample lodging; and adherence to NCAA principles, which include providing an atmosphere that is safe and respects the dignity of all attendees.
 
- PACK -