The City of Brownwood, on March 11-14, will serve as the host for the NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship tournament, which will be held at the Historic Brownwood Coliseum, home of Howard Payne University.

The bid process to host the NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship tournament began in January 2024. Brownwood qualified as a finalist to host, and two representatives from the NJCAA flew to Brownwood from New York and North Carolina for a site visit of the Brownwood area, the Brownwood Coliseum, and the Brownwood Event Center, which was still under construction at the time. The NJCAA visited many local businesses in the area to gain a feel for the town atmosphere, and gave Brownwood the recommendation to host in 2026 and 2028, which was then approved by the NJCAA National Board of Regents.

In December 2024, the Brownwood National Championship Committee met for the first time. The Board consists of Robert Anders, Debbie Childs, Abram Choate, Stephen Lynn, Debbie Morelock, Matthew McCrane, Tatiana Figueroa, and Mitchell Dillard. The Board was created to coordinate all tournament operations with the NJCAA National Office via Zoom meetings, which include such things as tournament referees, video production set up, local sponsorship opportunities, hotel room blocks, Brownwood Coliseum operations, and hospitality efforts.

Robert Anders, Sports Coordinator for the City of Brownwood, said, “We are honored to host the NJCAA DIII Women’s Basketball Championship. Our staff and volunteers are already preparing to make this the best student-athlete experience possible, and we are counting down the days until we welcome these talented athletes to Brownwood.”

The NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship tournament will also feature a “Tip – Off Festival” which will be free and open to the public. Activities during the Tip-Off Festival will include meet and greets with the teams and players, food trucks, mechanical bull rides, mini train rides, and prizes for all in attendance.

The NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship Title Sponsor is the U.S. Air Force, Chick-fil-A is the Tournament Sponsor, and Ethos Pet Brands is the Welcome Event Sponsor. Hospitality Sponsors include Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Bruner Auto Group, Over The Rainbow Ice Cream, Sliger’s Market, and KOXE. Partner Sponsors are Citizens National Bank, Copper Brand, and Howard Payne University.

Justin Hoyt, Chair of NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming events in Brownwood. “We are excited for the opportunity to head to the heart of Texas and experience a new championship site. I’m confident Brownwood will provide our student-athletes with a first-class experience and create lasting memories for all involved.”

The Brownwood Event Center Complex, located across the street from the Coliseum, will host the pre-tournament Tip-Off Festival and also provide meeting spaces and hospitality areas for participating teams.

Brownwood Mayor Stephen E. Haynes said, “We’re thrilled to welcome the NJCAA DIII Women’s Basketball Championship to Brownwood. This is a chance to showcase our amazing city, facilities, and hospitality to visitors from across the nation, but most importantly, to celebrate the championship with our own community.”

Formed in 1938, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college, state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently, the NJCAA consists of 525 schools in 24 regions across 24 states, and is divided into three divisions. The NJCAA’s Division III was created in 1991.

A dozen teams from a tournament field of more than 70 nationwide, including 10 regions and eight districts, will converge on Brownwood to decide the national champion. NJCAA Division III institutions closest to Brownwood include Cedar Valley College, Mountain View College, and Richland College – all of which are located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and still alive in the tournament.

A tournament schedule for the Brownwood games will be announced once the field of 12 is finalized, but tickets for the tournament are on sale now and can be purchased at the following link: www.btxgov.info/njcaatickets

More information on the NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship can be found at  https://visitbrownwood.com/njcaa/

The official website of the NJCAA is www.njcaa.org