After spending most of the last decade in Georgia, the NAIA Swimming & Diving National Championships will head to Elkhart, Indiana for at least the next two seasons. The Elkhart Health and Aquatics Center opened in 2019 with a 10-lane, 66-meter competition course, including a diving well, and off-deck spectator seating for up to 1,200 people.
Bethel University in nearby Mishawaka, Indiana will be the official host of the event.
“Bethel University is honored to host the NAIA Swimming & Diving National Championships,” said Tony Natali, Bethel (Ind.) Director of Athletics. “We have a top-of-the-line facility and will provide a great student athlete experience to all those that qualify. We look forward to working with the NAIA to provide a Championship that will be first class and a memorable experience for all the athletes and spectators.”
The NAIA Championships have been hosted in Columbus, Georgia every year dating back to 2015.
“We want to thank the Columbus Sports Council for their years of hard work as the host of this championship,” said Austin Bennett, NAIA Director of Championships. “We are excited to bring these events to Elkhart and to crown champions in the pool there for the next two years.”
The move will give the NAIA a bigger seating capacity – the Columbus Aquatic Center had room for about 900 spectators.
Hosting the NAIA Championships comes with a number of financial and logistical implications, including providing all personnel necessary to host the championship; per diems and courtesy vehicles for NAIA National Office representatives, officials, and meet coordinators; marketing the event; and paying for awards.
Hosting the meet comes with a minimum $5,500 rights fee paid to the NAIA.
The official request for bids listed anticipated participant counts for both years at 325 athletes and 900 fans. The organization has already begun the bidding process for the 2027 and 2028 championships as well.
The St. Thomas (Florida) men and Keiser University women won their respective NAIA titles in 2024. For St. Thomas, that was the first-ever men’s national championship in school history, breaking a 5-year Keiser streak. The Keiser women won their third-straight title.
Future Championship Dates
- March 5-8, 2025 – Elkhart, Indiana
- March 4-7, 2026 – Elkhart, Indiana
- March 3-6, 2027 – TBD
- March 1-4, 2028 – TBD
NAIA Swimming & Diving Championships Hosting History
- 2025-26: Elkhart Health & Aquatics Center, Elkhart, Ind.
- 2022-23: Columbus Aquatic Center, Columbus, Ga.
- 2020: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
- 2016-19: Columbus Aquatic Center, Columbus, Ga.
- 2012-15: Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, Okla.
- 2009-11: St. Peters Rec-Plex, Lindenwood University, Mo.
- 2007-08: Palo Alto Natatorium, San Antonio Convention & Visitors Beareau, San Antonio, Texas
- 2005-06: St. Peters Rec-Plex, Lindenwood University, Mo.
- 2003-04: Lawrence Indoor Aquatics Center, Lawrence, Kan.
- 1999-02: Simon Fraser Aquatics Center, Simon Fraser University, B.C.
excited to be the host school!!
edit: nevermind, realized it’s 2 different Bethels….
Upgrades people, upgrades!
Ahh I love it when Tennessee joins the discussion
Go Dawgs
And the 2015 championships were in Oklahoma City as well
2020 nationals were in Knoxville, TN and there were no championships in 2021 due to COVID
Actually no championship in 2021 because the NAIA didn’t listen the Swimming/Diving Executive Committee in Summer 2020 that UT would likely not host the 2021 meet. Then instead of going with a host that would accommodate, went with Columbus who announced when teams were traveling to their conference meet, that Nationals would not take place.
Thanks…NAIA records are incorrect :-(. Will update.