BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- After announcing its football and basketball championships move to Houston, Texas, the Southwestern Athletic Conference relocated its soccer tournament to the city. The 2013 SWAC Soccer Tournament will be held at the Houston Amateur Sports Park from November 7 – 10. The announcement was made on the day of the league's press conference formally celebrating its championship campaigns in Houston.
"We are pleased to join with the Houston Amateur Sports Park in moving the soccer championship to the city of Houston, said SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp. The city of Houston has played host to many professional soccer events. The support of the city's soccer fans, businesses and community, coupled with a world-class facility in the Houston Amateur Sports Park, can only result in a tournament with a meaningful experience for our student-athletes."
The Houston Amateur Sports Park is in its second year of operation and the offices at the park opened October 2012. It consists of six fields, five of which are Bermuda grass and one which is turf.
In addition to being the premier park in Houston, it has a seventh field which is the training field for the MLS Houston Dynamo. The facility hosted major tournaments including: Copa Univision, Futbolito, and Copa Alianza. For a consecutive year, it will welcome back the U.S. Soccer Development Finals.
The Houston Amateur Sports Park fields soccer, football, flag football, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby, and Ultimate Frisbee. It is also the home facility for the University of St. Thomas, Houston Women’s Soccer Association, Houston Football Association, Houston Athletic Rugby Club, Space City Ultimate Frisbee, and the training site for the Houston Aces.
The Southwestern Athletic Conference becomes the first NCAA Division I conference to host its soccer tournament and championship at HASP.
"The Houston Amateur Sports Park is very excited to host the Southwestern Athletic Conference soccer championship," said Adrian Moses, HASP General Manager. "It is our first Division I intercollegiate tournament at the park and we look forward to building a lasting relationship with the conference."
The SWAC held its soccer tournament the past two seasons at the Johnny Downs Soccer Complex in Alexandria, Louisiana.
"We would like to thank the Johnny Downs Soccer Complex for hosting the Southwestern Athletic Conference soccer tournament the past two years," added SWAC Assistant Commissioner for Championships, LaKitha Murray. "Houston Amateur Sports Park is a great facility that will assist us in providing the best championship experience for our student-athletes. Houston has embraced the sport of soccer and we (SWAC) want the fan base to share that experience."
The SWAC's soccer tournament agreement with the Houston Amateur Sports Park is set on a year-to-year basis.
Southwestern Athletic Conference
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), established in 1920, is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., which is comprised of historically black universities in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for its 18 sports (8 - men, 10 - women) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
COURTESY SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA RELATIONS
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