IHSA keeps wrestling, football in Champaign

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors voted to extend a pair of state final contracts at the University of Illinois’ facilities in Champaign-Urbana at the Board’s most recent meeting. The IHSA Football State Finals and IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals will remain at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall, respectively, through the 2014-15 school term. The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Champaign County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Champaign County Sports Commission all worked in concert on the contract extensions and will all continue to have a role in the planning and implementation of both state finals. “We have enjoyed a long and productive relationship with the University of Illinois and the Champaign-Urbana community,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “The University of Illinois, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Sports Commission have the staff, resources and expertise to continue to host our events in a first-class fashion just as they have done in the past, which made this decision a very easy one for our Board. We look forward to crowning our football and individual wrestling state champions in Champaign for the next five years and beyond.” The IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals have been housed at Assembly Hall since it opened in 1967, making it the longest active hosting streak for an IHSA sport or activity. Memorial Stadium first hosted the IHSA Football State Finals in 1999, when an NCAA playoff game conflict at Illinois State University forced a change in venue. The University of Illinois has hosted the championship football games every season since, as Memorial Stadium won the hosting bid later that school year. The IHSA Board of Directors also approved several recommendations from the Advisory Committee, which include: eliminating the Slam Dunk Competition from the boys state basketball series due to low participation numbers, and in regular season boys and girls soccer matches that remain tied after the first 80 minutes, the match will be ruled a draw if overtime and/or penalty kick measures weren’t agreed upon prior to the start of the match.  

IHSA keeps wrestling, football in Champaign

contract extensions, county sports, illinois division, intercollegiate athletics, sports commission