National Championship Basketball returns to the Lakes Region.

The National Christian College Athletic Association announces an agreement with College of the Ozarks to host the Division One Men's and Women's Basketball Championships beginning in 2025 and going through 2027.

The school will host both eight team tournaments in all three years. The qualifiers will come from six regional tournaments plus two wildcard teams.

The school had an 18 year run hosting the NAIA Men's National Basketball Tournament between 2000-2017 and has also hosted the NCCAA Division One Women's Volleyball Tournament since 2018 except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Grace College in Indiana, the host site for over a decade of the Division One Championships, will host the event one final time in 2024. 

The complete release from the NCCAA is below:

The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announces an agreement with College of the Ozarks (CofO) as the host for the Division I Men's and Women's Basketball National Championships for the 2024-25 through 2026-27 academic years.
 
Dan Wood, NCCAA Executive Director said, “The NCCAA is very appreciative of the partnership we have with College of Ozarks and we look forward to their hosting of the 2025, 2026, and 2027 NCCAA DI Basketball Championships. From their long history of championship hosting, we know our student-athletes, coaches, and fans will be well-served through these events. Furthermore, the engagement of our participants within the Branson area via the Christian Service Projects will continue the #KingChasing efforts of the NCCAA.”

The championships will be held on the College of the Ozarks campus in the Keeter Athletic Complex. CofO has served as host of the NCCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball National Championship in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, while also previously hosting the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship.
 
The Keeter Athletic Complex features seating for 2,600 with over 800 chairback seats in the lower bowl. The facility also features four visitor locker rooms, two official’s locker rooms, a training room, and an additional gymnasium to facilitate team practices.
 
“We are excited to host the NCCAA DI Men’s and Women’s Basketball National Championships,” CofO Athletic Director Steve Shepherd stated. “We are thankful to the NCCAA for selecting us to host these two championships. Our campus and community will work hard to ensure an amazing championship experience for all participants, fans, families, and our community.”
 
College of the Ozarks is a unique institution of approximately 1,500 students, located on a 1,000-acre campus nestled in the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri. Christian values, hard work, and financial responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U®” experience. All students at the College work a 15-hour per week on-campus job and one 40-hour work week per semester in exchange for free tuition.
 
“College of the Ozarks is honored to host the NCCAA DI Men’s and Women’s Basketball National Championships beginning in 2025,” said CofO President Dr. Brad Johnson. “These tournaments will bring high-quality competition to the campus and many visitors to our local community as we host teams and fans from all over the country. We are thankful to the NCCAA for selecting the College and our vibrant community to host these high-profile championships.”
 
In addition to the hospitality provided by College of the Ozarks, the Branson/Tri-Lakes community is an amazing destination spot that serves millions of guests per year and offers a multitude of amenities, including hotels, restaurants, and family-friendly activities and entertainment.
 
Grace College, national tournament host since 2009 for the women and since 2012 for the men, is set to host the 2024 NCCAA Division I Men’s & Women’s Basketball National Championships in Winona Lake, Indiana.