NCAA Division III Championship Website
La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is set to host the 2013 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The competition will take place at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sport Complex May 23-25.
It will mark the third time (1986, 1997, 2013) UW-L has hosted the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The 2013 championships will feature 820 (412 men, 408 women) competitors and 282 teams (142 men, 140 women). The three-day meet is the largest single site for number of competitors in any of the championships hosted by the NCAA Division III.
The meet features 22 events (11 for women; 11 for men) with action getting started at 2 p.m. May 23.
Tickets can be purchased prior to the championships each day. More information is available at
http://www.ncaa.com/tickets. Groups of 20 or more can pre-purchase for $5.00 per ticket by calling (608) 785-5178.
An all-session adult ticket price is $30.00 while a single-session is $12.00. Youth, student (with college ID) and seniors (60 and over) can purchase an all-session ticket for $20.00 with a single-session costing $10.00. Youth two and under are free.
Construction on the $16.6 million Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex began in June 2008 after the completion of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Track Meet, which has been held at UW-L since 1990. The 2013 WIAA State Track Meet is scheduled for May 31-June 1.
UW-L hosted its first event at the new facility May 14, 2009 with an NCAA Division III Track & Field Qualifying Meet. The Eagles hosted the 2013 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Outdoor Championships May 3-4.
The stadium is known as Roger Harring Stadium to recognize the accomplishments of the former UW-L football coach. Harring, who was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005, won three national championships and 15 conference titles at UW-L.
The sports complex was funded in large measure by private dollars and is a partnership between UW-L (faculty & staff, students and alums), local schools and the community. The stadium has approximately 6,250 seats, plus expanded locker rooms, restrooms, concessions and training facilities.
In addition to a football field and running track, the entire Veterans' Memorial Field Sports Complex is lighted and features a soccer field, recreation and intramural fields, a football practice field and other amenities.
An enhanced Veterans' Hall of Honor in the stadium celebrates, in a very public way, the contributions of America's veterans.
Originally owned by the city of La Crosse and named Fairground Football Field, the stadium was dedicated and renamed in honor of veterans from all wars in 1948. After the university bought the facility from the City of La Crosse for $1 in 1987, a major renovation was financed by the State Building Commission to improve the structure and exterior appearance of the stadium. The new facility was dedicated at a special program Sept. 12, 2009.
UW-L has hosted several other national competitions, including the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. The two-day tournament in 2011 at the La Crosse Center drew 8,750 spectators, the second-highest figure in championship history. The wrestling championships brought in approximately $600,000 per year to the La Crosse area.
UW-L hosted the 1995 NCAA III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships. The university has also served as the host of the 1989, 1997 and 2005 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships and the 1973, 1976 and 1981 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Men's Gymnastics Championships. UW-L hosted the 1965 and 1970 NAIA Men's Swimming Championships. UW-L has also hosted numerous games in the NCAA III Football Playoffs and matches for the NCAA III Volleyball Tournament.
