CITY OF ORLANDO AND ORANGE COUNTY TO HOST TEN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM 2022-2026

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 14, 2020) – The NCAA announced today that Greater Orlando will host 17 championship events from the fall of 2022 through the spring of 2026, 10 of which will be hosted in the City of Orlando and Orange County. Under the streamlined bidding process, 86 of the NCAA’s 90 annual championships (preliminary and finals sites) were up for bid simultaneously over the four-year bid cycle, resulting in the NCAA awarding more than 450 host sites during today’s announcement. More than 3,000 bids were submitted from 46 states and Washington DC, which included 68 bids from Greater Orlando.

Highlighting the NCAA’s site selection announcement is the Division I, III and III Men’s & Women’s Tennis Championships being hosted at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona in 2023. It will mark the first time in NCAA history that men’s and women’s championships in all three divisions of the same sport are held at the same time in the same venue. UCF will serve as co-host for DI, Rollins College for DII, and Oglethorpe University (GA) for DIII.

Another notable highlight is the return of the First-and-Second Rounds of the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship to the Amway Center in 2023, co-hosted by UCF. The Amway Center most recently hosted the First-and-Seconds Rounds in 2017 and 2014, as well as in 2004 (Amway Arena).

The 2024 Division II Spring National Championships Festival also returns to Greater Orlando, last hosted in the region in 2004. The Spring Festival will see six NCAA championships awarded – Men’s Tennis, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Women’s Golf, Women’s Lacrosse and Softball. Two of the DII Spring Festival venues are located in Orange County: Showalter Stadium (Women’s Lacrosse), and Orange County National Golf Club (Men’s and Women’s Golf).

“Today’s NCAA announcement regarding the selection of Orlando as the home of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships and multiple Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships at USTA National Campus further solidifies our reputation as one of the nation’s premier sports destinations and validates the ongoing investment into our rapidly growing sports infrastructure,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “We are greatly appreciative of all of our local and regional partners, including the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, who continue to play a vital role in the growth of the sports industry in our region.”

“These are exciting times as Central Florida was once again awarded multiple NCAA Championships today. This only reinforces how the Orlando area is one of the nation’s premier sports destinations,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. “I am eager to once again put our world-class and diverse hospitality and events industries on display, as we prepare to welcome back the NCAA. Not only do sports unite us, these events will bring millions of tourism dollars into our local economy to support our local workers and businesses.”

“Congratulations to the Greater Orlando Sports Commission for its work in ensuring that Orlando continues to qualify as the top destination in the country for intercollegiate championship events,” said Danny White, Vice President & Director of Athletics at UCF. “The NCAA announcement of these future site selections is proof of that—and UCF looks forward to its role in making those events memorable ones for student-athletes, coaches and spectators.”

“Amway Center is a state-of-the-art arena that was specifically designed to host high-profile events like this,” said Orlando Venues Chief Venues Officer Allen Johnson. “We had great success hosting NCAA basketball championships in 2014 and 2017 so we look forward to welcoming them back along with all the energy and excitement they deliver.”

“We’re thrilled that the USTA National Campus has been chosen to host all three divisions of the NCAA Tennis Championships in 2023,” said Tim Cass, General Manager, USTA National Campus. “As one of the preeminent tennis facilities in the world, the campus is the ideal site to showcase the nation’s top collegiate programs and student-athletes in the Central Florida community and beyond.”

NCAA championship events attract spectators and families throughout the state of Florida and from across the United States, driving significant impact to hotels, restaurants, and attractions in the Greater Orlando community. Until COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the NCAA’s spring 2020 championships, GO Sports had hosted at least one NCAA national championship or regional championship every year since 1996.

For the complete list of NCAA championship events awarded to the Greater Orlando region, click here.

 About Greater Orlando Sports Commission

GO Sports is a private, non-profit organization established to attract and manage sports-related events, conferences and activities that drive positive economic development in the City of Orlando, Lake County, Orange County, Osceola County, and Seminole County. Founded in 1993, the organization has hosted or co-hosted more than 1,450 events in the Greater Orlando area with a total economic impact exceeding $1.9 billion in spending within the community. For more information, please visit GreaterOrlandoSports.com.