Rochester to host a total of nine NCAA events in years 2022-2026

Rochester will play host to nine upcoming NCAA events over the next few years. The NCAA has announced their championship host destinations for 2022-2026, and Monroe County will be hosting three National Championships and six Regional Events.

The bids for these events were produced by the Rochester Sports Commission, the sports development arm of Visit Rochester, and the local colleges hosting individual events, which includes St. John Fisher, Nazareth and Roberts Wesleyan Colleges.

Of note, there were five total championships awarded in New York State, and Rochester was awarded three of those five championship events.

“Sporting events in Monroe County play a major role in bringing new visitors to our community, and in turn contributing to the overall economic impact that tourism has here in Monroe County,” said Don Jeffries, president & CEO, Visit Rochester. “As we look to the future, it is encouraging to know that we have major events booked in our community over the course of the next six years. I am tremendously proud of the hard work of the Rochester Sports Commission and our collegiate partners in securing these future NCAA Championship events. Our team is eager and excited to welcome these student athletes, their coaches and families to Rochester in the future.”

The bid for these championship events was very competitive. For only the third time in its history, the NCAA undertook a site selection process where most of its championships were put out for bid at the same time. The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA’s 90 championships. The sites were selected by the respective NCAA sports committees and approved by the divisional competition oversight and championships committees.

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello commented, “Monroe County’s colleges and universities are an important part of our community. Not only do they serve as major employers for our local workforce, our colleges and universities also bring in thousands of people to our community every year, helping to generate tourism dollars and improving our local tax base. I join our community in celebrating today’s announcement that together with the Rochester Sports Commission, St. John Fisher and Nazareth Colleges have been chosen to host future NCAA Championships, and that Roberts Wesleyan has been chosen to host regional finals. I know that all of these institutions will represent our community well.”

Below are the championships that will take place in Rochester, broken down by Finals and Regionals:

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

  • 2023 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships, St. John Fisher College

  • 2025 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships, St. John Fisher College (Midvale Country Club and Irondequoit Country Club)

  • 2025 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships, Nazareth College

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP REGIONALS

  • 2022 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, Roberts Wesleyan College (Bowl-A-Roll Lanes)

  • 2023 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, Roberts Wesleyan College (Bowl-A-Roll Lanes)

  • 2024 NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, Roberts Wesleyan College  

  • 2024 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, Roberts Wesleyan College (Bowl-A-Roll Lanes)

  • 2025 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, Roberts Wesleyan College (Bowl-A-Roll Lanes)

  • 2026 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, Roberts Wesleyan College (Bowl-A-Roll Lanes)

The NCAA Championship events are expected to draw thousands of athletes, coaches and fans to Rochester and Monroe County over the next several years, and will generate a combined economic impact of approximately $2.8 million.

The Division III Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held May 25-27, 2023. The event will welcome an estimated 1,300 athletes and coaches, and will take place at St. John Fisher College.

The Division III Men's Golf Championships will be held May 18-23 and will include 43 teams plus coaches and families. This competition is hosted by St. John Fisher College and will take place at Midvale Country Club and Irondequoit Country Club.

The Division III Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships will be held March 14-15, 2025 at Nazareth College, and is expected to draw 800 athletes and coaches.

"Hosting the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships provides Nazareth with a great opportunity to showcase our great facility," said Nazareth Athletic Director Pete Bothner. "We think that the Golisano Training Center is one of the best venues in the country to host this great event. We are excited about this opportunity."

These events would not be possible without the strong relationship and partnership between the Rochester Sports Commission and area colleges. The partnership between the Rochester Sports Commission, and local colleges like St. John Fisher, Nazareth and Roberts Wesleyan, is instrumental in attracting these types of events, and also provide Rochester with a competitive advantage during the bid process. 

Tourism and sporting events are big business in Monroe County. The economic impact of the tourism and hospitality industry in Monroe County is more than $1 billion, prior to the pandemic.

ABOUT VISIT ROCHESTER
Visit Rochester is the official tourism promotion agency for Greater Rochester and Monroe County. Visit Rochester is a membership organization with over 400 members representing, lodging, retail, restaurants, services, and community organizations. Working together with our members and partners, our mission is to sell and market Greater Rochester as a preferred destination in order to grow and maximize visitor spending and to enhance the economy. To learn more go to visitrochester.com