NJCAA Division 1 National Track and Field Championships makes its mark in Monroe

MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD)– The National Junior College Athletic Association Track and Field Division 1 National Championships, which was held this past weekend at the University of Louisiana Monroe’s Brown Stadium, led to a significant economic impact of $1,125,014.97 for Ouachita parish.

According to officials, the event saw 838 athletes and their families, filling 2,440 hotel room nights and driving increased business to restaurants, shops, and local attractions. This event was the first NJCAA National Championship held in Ouachita Parish. According to officials, the championship consisted of 58 schools from 21 states competing for a national title.

It was an exciting weekend with athletes from Community Colleges from throughout the United States. Many of the competitors were international students, making the exposure for our community extremely wide reaching. The competition was strong and lively creating a great atmosphere on ULM campus. The student athletes, coaches, families, and fans were able to enjoy the great food and hospitality of our area. We enjoyed seeing all the collegiate buses throughout town making a large economic impact on our hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We appreciate the numerous volunteers and officials that made the event operate smoothly. The team at Discover Monroe-West Monroe put in many hours to assure the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I National Track & Field Championship was an excellent experience for all those involved. We look forward to the opportunity to host more track events of this caliber in our area,

Alana Cooper, Discover Monroe-West Monroe President/CEO

For more information, you can visit the website at Monroe-westmonroe.org or njcaa.com.