The College of the Ozarks will continue to host the National Christian College Athletic Association Division 1` Volleyball Tournament for an additional three years.
In a release from the NCCAA, Point Lookout will begin the new three year extension in 2024. C of O is already scheduled to host this year's National Tournament in November.
The complete release plus additional information on the school's agreement to host National Basketball Championships beginning in 2025 is below:
The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announces an agreement with College of the Ozarks (CofO) to continue as host for the Division I Women's Volleyball National Championship for the 2024-25 through 2026-27 academic years.
Dan Wood, NCCAA Executive Director, said, “As an outstanding member of the NCCAA, College of the Ozarks has also been a great host of NCCAA events. We are thrilled to extend their host role for NCCAA DI Women’s Volleyball through 2026. The venue, location, and atmosphere are ideal for our event, but their staff is what makes the real difference for our teams’ and fans’ experience.”
The championship will be held on the College of the Ozarks campus in the Keeter Athletic Complex, which 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 thrilled to continue as host of the NCCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball National Championship,” CofO Athletic Director Steve Shepherd stated. “College of the Ozarks values our partnership with the NCCAA and we look forward to working together to make this championship a great experience for the student-athletes.”
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.
“We are pleased to have been chosen as the host for the NCCAA DI Women’s Volleyball National Championship through 2026,” said CofO President Dr. Brad Johnson. “Our campus community looks forward to extending Ozarks hospitality and a warm welcome to the athletes, coaches, parents, and others who will visit College of the Ozarks for this tournament, and to serving them while they are here. This is a great opportunity not only to showcase our talented athletes, but also to introduce new guests to a unique, American institution where students work, rather than pay, for their college education.”
College of the Ozarks was also selected as the host site for the NCCAA Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Championship Tournament beginning in 2024-25. The three-year agreement will run through the 2026-27 season. The College of the Ozarks Lady Bobcats brought the NCCAA national title to Point Lookout in the 2022-23 season.
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.