WICHITA, Kan.— The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference is pleased to announce the City of Great Bend and the Great Bend Recreation Commission has renewed the agreement with the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and will host its 2016 and 2017 KCAC Baseball and Softball Championship Tournaments. All baseball and softball tournament games will be played at the Great Bend Sports Complex, Wednesday, May 4 - Saturday, May 7, 2016, and Wednesday, May 3 - Saturday, May 6, 2017.

“The City of Great Bend is very excited to be given the opportunity to host the KCAC tournament for an additional two years,” Great Bend City Administrator Howard Partington said. “The ten schools represent their communities very well and we welcome them to our sports complex. We look forward to the continued partnership with the KCAC schools and are proud of our facility and equally excited that collegiate schools want to use it!”

Five KCAC baseball teams will compete in a double elimination tournament starting May 4.  The tournament will conclude May 7 with the victor earning an automatic bid into the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. Twenty yards away from the baseball tournament, eight KCAC softball teams will play up to 15 games during the conference tournament, scheduled for May 4-6.  The winner of the conference tournament will earn automatic entry into the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round.

“Last year was a great success,” Great Bend Mayor Mike Allison said. “The hotels were full, the restaurants were full and we were using the Sports Complex just like we hoped! We want to extend a warm welcome to the KCAC ball teams again this year, we were happy to host your teams and look forward to another successful year.”  

The KCAC first partnered with the City of Great Bend for the 2014 KCAC Baseball and Softball Championships at the Great Bend Sports Complex, which includes: three softball fields, one premiere baseball field, one dual use field, batting cages, bullpens, Musco Lighting, Daktronics scoreboard technology, wireless internet, shaded areas, meeting space, umpire locker room, ample parking, Imagination Playground, and dedicated athletic training space.

“The Great Bend Recreation Commission is proud to co-host this prestigious KCAC tournament,” Executive Recreation Director Diann Henderson said. “Last year’s tournament was a great experience for Great Bend and the visiting KCAC teams. We look forward in bringing the excitement of collegiate KCAC baseball and softball back to the Great Bend Sports Complex for another two years!”