NIC, Spokane bid on mat tourney

The North Idaho College wrestling team has gone halfway across the country to win 13 national titles. Beginning in 2007, the Cardinals hope to keep piling up championships, but not as many travel miles.

NIC, in conjunction with the Spokane Regional Sports Commission, has submitted a bid to host the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament for a three-year run beginning in 2007 at the new Spokane Convention Center that is under construction.

NIC athletic director Al Williams and a SRSC representative will make a presentation at the annual NJCAA meeting in Charlotte, N.C., in late March. Rochester, Minn., which has hosted the tournament since 1999, and an undisclosed bidder are also under consideration, Williams said.

“It would help promote wrestling in the community and allows us to have a home-match advantage, and that’s a big boost in wrestling,” Williams said. “We have a better following than most schools. It would be tremendous for recruiting, for parents and fans of our kids and it would be good for the sport.”

The NJCAA requires six mats available for use simultaneously, a minimum of 2,000 seating and a separate practice facility, Williams said. He explored options in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, but much of the roll-out bleacher seating at area gyms would be gobbled up by having six mats on the floor.

Williams said Gonzaga University’s Martin Centre (the old Kennel) was an ideal site, but the wrestling tournament takes place during basketball season. Parking would have been an issue if GU were playing at the nearby McCarthey Athletic Center.

“This is the next best option,” Williams said. “The Spokane Regional Sports Commission wants to bring as many functions here as possible. They were more than happy to help out.”

The new convention center would probably seat 2,500, which could be expanded to 4,000 if needed, for the wrestling tournament, Williams said.

Williams likes Spokane’s chances, though the tournament has usually been held in the Midwest. Prior to Rochester, where NIC will chase its 14th national title this weekend, the event was held in Bismarck, N.D. It’s also been at College of Du Page near Chicago and in Worthington, Minn.

Calls to the NJCAA office Monday were not returned.

The NJCAA Tournament would conflict with the Idaho high school state tournament, but not with Washington’s and Montana’s. Roughly 38 teams and 250 wrestlers are competing in Rochester this week. Each team typically brings an additional 1-4 people, including coaches, trainers or administrators.

“Rochester doesn’t get a ton of fan support,” NIC coach Pat Whitcomb said. “With GSL wrestling and the interest around here, you’d get a bunch of people.”

Williams wouldn’t divulge specifics of the bid because he doesn’t want competitors to know the figures. The NJCAA gives bidders the option of a guarantee bid or a percentage of the gate.

“We’re offering guaranteed cash up front, and that takes the uncertainty out of it for them,” Williams said. “We’re taking all the risk. The profits would be shared (with the SRSC) and we’re still negotiating those percentages. Rochester has done a good job, but that’s why we did our homework and why we’ve put in a strong bid.”

Rochester used to hold the tournament at the downtown Civic Center, which was within walking distance of hotels that housed the participants. But a new facility was built roughly 10-15 minutes outside of town, requiring teams to scramble for transportation.

“They’re going to say they’re used to having it in the Midwest and if you look at the map it’s just as close for teams from Seattle and New York,” Whitcomb said. “Realistically, a plane flight is a plane flight. Who cares if you have to fly another hour or two? Getting into Spokane is easier than getting to Rochester. You have to fly to Minneapolis and drive for an hour and 15 minutes.”

Added Williams: “If we can help (schools) with some hotel costs, I think they’ll be receptive to coming out here. We’re a wrestling power. Northwest Wyoming won it last year and we won it 2003. It’d be nice to have some (NJCAA) events out here.”