Tracking championships: Huntsville throws weight into title events

HUNTSVILLE – The Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Huntsville Sports Commission have teamed to bring memorable events to the Rocket City.

There was, of course, the Southeastern Conference gymnastics championship that was looking for a home in the pandemic season of 2021 and Huntsville stepped in and put on a memorable event.

That’s just one example of the sporting variety that the Sports Commission and the Convention & Visitors Bureau have brought to Huntsville.

Moving forward, the duo of HSC Executive Director Mark Russell and CVB Sports Development Manager Joel Lamp released some of the championship events their organizations are pursuing through 2028.

The track at Milton Frank Stadium has been replaced, a site where RunningLane recently hosted a meet with 1,500 athletes, but more updates are ongoing that will make the facility more enticing. The area is being designated to allow steel tip javelin throws and other field event areas are being added outside the stadium in what has been parking space.

“We know we’ve got something going with cross country,” Lamp told 256 Today. “Once we get the throws area done, now we’re able to go after the big track events.”

Championship bids (2026-27 dates, 2027-28 dates)

• Bowling (April 9-10, April 14-15)
• NCAA Division I Cross Country Nationals (Nov. 21, Nov. 20)
• DI Cross Country Regionals (Nov. 13, Nov. 12)
• NCAA Division II Cross Country Nationals (Dec. 4, Nov. 20)
• DII Cross Country Regionals (Nov. 21, Nov. 6)
• NCAA Division III Cross Country Nationals (Nov. 21, Nov. 20)
• DIII Cross Country Regionals (Nov. 13, Nov. 14)
• NCAA Division II Football (Dec. 19, Dec. 18)
• DI Women’s Golf Regionals (May 17-19, May 15-17)
• DII Women’s Lacrosse (May 21-23, May 25-27)
• DIII Women’s Lacrosse (May 21-23, May 26-28)
• DI Men’s Soccer Dec. 11-14, Dec. 10-13)
• DI Women’s Soccer (Dec. 4-7, Dec. 3-6)
• DII Men’s/Women’s Soccer (Dec. 3-5, Dec. 9-11)
• DIII Men’s/Women’s Soccer (Dec. 3-6, Dec. 2-5)
• Beach Volleyball (May 7-9, May 5-7)

In July, one of the biggest events to grace the city corridors will be the USA Table Tennis Nationals.

The July 3-7 event will feature 700-plus table tennis players from “8-to-88’’ competing for national titles. The tournament also serves as the U.S. Olympic team’s final tuneup before the Paris Games.