KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) recently awarded the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) host conference status for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship. The HAAC receives two automatic berths and one additional host berth into the longest continuous national collegiate tournament in any sport dating back to 1937.
This is the first-time for the HAAC to serve as host conference of this historic national championship event and showcase its member institutions on a national stage in an area of the country that is home to numerous alumni and NAIA basketball fans. This also marks the first-time since 1991 that HAAC teams will compete in Kansas City under the Division I banner. The HAAC recently declared participation in Division I men's basketball and will compete in the 72nd Annual Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship
March 18-24, 2009, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
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The press conference will address the following areas: HAAC first-time to serve as host conference of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship and what it means for its members to compete locally in an event coined college basketball's toughest tournament, the opportunity to improve the financial impact of the tournament, 2009 tournament goals and length of host conference agreement.
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NAIA and HAAC Division I Men's Basketball Media Event
Who: Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO, LARRY Lady, HAAC Commissioner, and Dr. Bonnie Humphrey, HAAC President.
What: The NAIA and HAAC will make announcements concerning the HAAC's first-time status as host conference of the 72nd Annual Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.
When: Wednesday, October 1, at 10:00a.m. Morning refreshments will be served beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the press conference will begin promptly at 10a.m. The speakers and other members of the HAAC will be available for interviews beginning at approximately 10:30a.m.
Where: The press conference and photo opportunity will take place at the NAIA national office located at 1200 Grand Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri.
Visuals: HAAC and NAIA leadership will be in attendance and available for interviews/photos
Contacts: Staci Schottman, NAIA Directore of Public Relations and Communications: 816-595-8116 (work), 816-210-4739 (cell), sschottman@naia.org or Jeff Lady, HAAC Sports Information Director, 913-568-5340 (work), jefflady@haacsports.com