The Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track Championships Bring Business to Cookeville

The Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships will bring economic gains to Cookeville.

Mike Wilson directs athletics at Tennessee Tech.

Tennessee Tech will host the championships.

“There are eight men’s teams and twelve women’s teams all members of the Ohio Valley Conference,” Wilson said. “Approximately five hundred student-athletes will be here competing to win their individual races and their individual and their individual events Of course with the ultimate goals of winning a team championship. ”

Cookeville’s economy will gain from the event because of the number of people traveling to Cookeville, Wilson said.

“We were estimating probably two hundred seventy-five to three hundred hotel rooms for three nights. So that is an economic impact on the community,” Wilson said. “All the meals that they will eat here, fuel in the buses and of course that is not even including all the parents and fans that will be to cheer them on at Tennessee Tech Tucker Stadium.”

Tennessee Tech works with the Ohio Valley Conference to host the championship

“Its an honor to be able to host the 2018 Ohio Valley Outdoor Track and Field Championships,” Wilson said. “You know, Tennessee Tech and Cookeville love rolling out the red carpet for large sporting events and certainly this is the highlight of the track and field student-athlete season.”

Wilson said a lot of workers and volunteers help make the event possible.

“Tip of the hat to the Tennessee Tech Athletics Staff and the work that they are doing to prepare for the championships,” Wilson said. “And that we have lots of volunteers that will be helping over the course of the actual course of three days of the championships. ”

The Golden Eagles Women’s team won the 2018 Ohio Valley Indoor Track Championship. Wilson said he believes it the Golden Eagles can win another championship.

“Certainly we think we are positioned right now in the top one, two, three, four. But of course, it comes down to our student-athletes to perform to the best of their ability,” Wilson said. ” If everything falls into place, then maybe golden eagles can win a second track championship this year. ”

The championship has free admission.

The Ohio Valley Outdoor Track and Field Championships will take place Thursday, May 10, through Saturday, May 12.