Having already secured the U Sports women鈥檚 national basketball championship last season, the UVic Vikes on Wednesday announced their bid to play host to the 2019 and 鈥�20 men鈥檚 Canadian university basketball championship.
Vikes athletics and recreation have partnered with Bear Mountain Resort, the City of Langford, SportHost Victoria and Tourism Victoria to announce the move.
The tournament features the top eight university teams from across sa国际传媒.
鈥淭his is a highly competitive process and it would not be possible for us to bid on the opportunity without the incredibly strong backing from our community partners,鈥� Clint Hamilton, director of Vikes athletics and recreation, said in a statement.
The Vikes have played host to a U Sports national championship in six of the past seven years, the most recent being the cross-country nationals last month and both the women鈥檚 rugby and basketball championships last season.
Winners of eight national titles, the second most across all programs in sa国际传媒, the Vikes have welcomed the men鈥檚 basketball national championship just once in their storied past. Legendary coach Ken Shields led the locals to their third, of what would become seven consecutive titles, in the McKinnon Gym during the 1981-82 season.
Their new home at the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities has already housed the women鈥檚 national basketball championship and this year featured the Toronto Raptors鈥� intrasquad game.
鈥淚 have complete confidence that UVic, in close collaboration with our supportive community, will deliver a world-class national championship experience should U Sports choose our bid,鈥� added Hamilton, who expects a decision on the host city in the coming weeks.
