ABERDEEN, S.D. – Every spring, the Northern State University Barnett Center – and the entire Aberdeen community – is packed with athletes and fans from around the region.
March is tournament time for NSU and Aberdeen, and this year it was even busier than usual.
This year, Northern and the Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau were able to successfully bid the NCAA Men’s Central Division Basketball Tournament. The event took place at Wachs Arena inside the NSU Barnett Center starting Saturday, March 13.
“This is a first for Aberdeen,” explained Aberdeen Area CVB Executive Director Casey Weismantel. “With the addition of wrestling and the SDHSAA State B Basketball tournament, it made Aberdeen quite busy for a few weekends.”
Northern also hosted the NCAA Super Region Wrestling Tournament, held at Wachs Arena the last weekend in February. Also, the State B high school tournament returned to Wachs Arena this year, starting March 18, after being canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
“All of these events were positive for NSU and Aberdeen,” Weismantel said.
NSU Athletic Director Josh Moon said Northern was thrilled to be able to host these highly successful events.
“Athletics is often called the ‘front porch’ of a university – the first thing people see when they arrive on campus or enter this community,” he said. “These events are an excellent example of what our amazing facilities can do: be an economic driver for this region, showcase our campus to prospective students and families, and bring high-level sporting events to Aberdeen for our fans.”
Moon said Northern received tons of positive feedback from folks who came from all over the Midwest for the two NCAA events.
“They were awestruck at how well the events were run and the quality of facilities we have a Northern,” he said. “With the addition of Dacotah Bank Stadium and Koehler Hall of Fame Field this fall, we are excited to continue to expand our event offerings moving forward.”
Economic Benefit
In terms of the economic benefit they provide, the CVB uses a formula based on factors such as ticket sales and hotel rooms rented to calculate an estimated impact. Based on information provided by NSU Athletics and the Aberdeen School District, the CVB estimates that the three events generated an approximate economic impact of more than $700,000.
The benefit to the economy is significant, and it’s clear that these events – which draw people to Aberdeen from around the region and state – provide positive impacts that extend well beyond the borders of campus.
Said Weismantel, “Anytime you can bring in an event that allows for an overnight stay, the community of NSU and Aberdeen both benefit.”
New Tournament
Now, Northern will be hosting even more events. Small College Basketball announced on Monday the creation of the Small College Basketball Champions Classic. The event will launch on Nov.18 and 19, 2022, at Wachs Arena, and will consist of four NCAA Division II teams, four NCAA Division III teams and four NAIA teams.
The teams, match-ups and game times will be announced at a later date, but the focus will be on bringing elite, national level teams from all three divisions of small college men's basketball.
For more information about this new tournament and other events at the NSU Barnett Center, visit NSU Athletics online.
About Northern State University
Northern State University is a student-centered institution that provides an outstanding educational experience, preparing students through the liberal arts and professional education for their future endeavors. A regional university, Northern offers rigorous academics; diverse civic, social and cultural opportunities; and a commitment to building an inclusive environment for all points of view. Northern also offers a broad-based athletics program, sponsoring 15 NCAA Division II intercollegiate varsity sports that compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC). The university strives to enrich the community through partnerships such as its Educational Impact Campaign, which opened a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; new athletic and recreation fields; and, soon, an on-campus regional sports complex. With the $55 million campaign, NSU has been the recipient of more than $120 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.