Ref. 2864

According to the National Junior College Athletic Association, the National Wrestling Tournament will officially take place in Des Moines in 2010. 
North Iowa Area Community College head wrestling coach Richard Fergola initiated the planning of the bid for the event. 

“NIACC is a strong supporter of the sport of wrestling.  I presented the idea of moving the national championships for the sole purpose of recognizing the NJCAA athletes and coaches in a much higher level.  We want the coaches and athletes of the NJCAA to feel like they are at the National Championships and most importantly promote the NJCAA on the highest level possible,” Fergola said.  “Moving the NJCAA National Championships to Iowa will move the NJCAA into a major wrestling limelight.”

The Des Moines Area Sports Commission and the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference worked together to bid on the location of the tournament.  During the Annual NJCAA National meetings in Colorado Springs, CO, the Des Moines Area Sports Commission proposed the wrestling tournament be in Des Moines.

The NJCAA championship events committee made the final decision to take the tournament to Des Moines on Feb. 24-28, 2010, at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. 

NIACC participates in the Iowa Community College Athletic Association and had three wrestlers win national titles individually as well as finished fourth as a team at the 2008 National Junior College Athletic Association Wrestling Championships in Rochester, MN.

The Iowa Community College Athletic Conference represents Regions XI in the National Junior College Athletic Association.  The ICCAC is a non-profit organization whose primary objective is to govern junior college athletics in Iowa. The conference was established in 1996 and is located in Ames. 

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