DECATUR, Ala. – Decatur, Ala., will host the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) cross-country championship for the next three years (2023-2025) at Oakville Indian Mound Park.
Decatur Morgan County Tourism (DMCT) hosted the 2022 GCAC Cross Country Championship at Oakville, which officials say caught the whole community’s attention.
“We’re always looking for new and exciting adventures,” says DMCT director of sports development Don Dukemineer. “So, we did last year and then afterward and kinda said we might like to do this for a couple of years. So, we put together a three-year bid and now we’re announcing we’re hosting through 2025.”
According to the news release, the three-year deal brings “excitement to the area while allowing GCAC members to experience the community and learn more about Decatur.”
“That’s what we really focused on with this bid, is having them to experience the community, not just coming in here and running and then leaving,” says Dukemineer.
Under the leadership of commissioner Dr. Kiki Barker Barnes, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference transformed its process for securing championship locations. Don Staley, CEO of Southeastern Network of Athletic Professionals Sports Tourism (SNAP), joined the GCAC as a consultant and created a bidding process for all championships. With one year under its belt hosting the GCAC at Oakville Indian Mound Park, DMCT officials knew they wanted to host it again.
“We could not be more happy to be back here in this community where our institutions, where our student-athletes were welcomed,” says Baker Barnes. “Our opportunity to work with student-athletes in this community and inspire young people I think is the other thing that makes this partnership really special.”
The area is well-known for its cross-country events, making it a prime location for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ (NAIA) only HBCU (history black colleges and universities) conference to host its championships.
Dates for the next three races are as follows: Oct. 20, 2023, Oct. 18, 2024, and Oct. 17, 2025
“This three-year commitment by Danielle Gibson, Don Dukemineer, and the Visit Decatur team, is another example of a community that believes in the mission of HBCUs,” said Staley.
