Major NCAA Championships Coming to Oklahoma in Near Future

The NCAA on Wednesday released sites and years for more than 450 championship events and eight of them are heading to Oklahoma.

Chesapeake Arena will host first and second round games of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 2026.

It's the fifth time the arena has hosted first and second round games. The facility also hosted in 2003, 2005, 2010 and 2016.

“Bringing these NCAA events to Oklahoma City is a huge win for our community,” said Sue Hollenbeck, Director of Sports Business at the OKC Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The economic impact and national media coverage are significant for showing off OKC, as well as providing a unique fan experience that features all there is to do in OKC.”

The games are expected to make an estimated $8.2 millon economic impact on Oklahoma City.

OKC also hosted NCAA Tournament games in 1953 at Capitol Hill High School, and at the Myriad in 1977, 1994, and 1998.

Oklahoma State will be hosting four upcoming NCAA events: the 2022 Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, the 2023 Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center in Tulsa, the 2024 Men's and Women's Tennis Championships, and a 2025 Men's Golf Regional.

OSU had been scheduled to host the cross country and tennis events before the pandemic forced their cancellation.

“What a great opportunity for all of us here at Oklahoma State to host these events,” Athletic Director Mike Holder said. “Our facilities are some of the best around and I know that our people will make these events truly special for all involved.”

OSU Director of Tennis Chris Young was thrilled to get the tennis event back in Stillwater.

“We were very confident in our preparation for 2020 because we were going to add some unique things that would have enhanced the championship experience for players and fans alike,” Young said. “The committee saw the work we had put in and we’re thankful they thought enough of those efforts to give us another opportunity. I’m looking forward to putting on an event student-athletes will remember for the rest of their lives.”

The University of Oklahoma will host three upcoming NCAA events: a 2023 Women's Gymnastics regional, a 2023 men's golf regional, and a 2025 women's golf regional.