MOUNT VERNON – Cornell College will host the 2013 Division III Wrestling Championships March 15-16 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, the NCAA announced last week. 

Cornell planned to host next year’s Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, site of the event from 2008-10 which Cornell partnered with Coe and the Iowa Conference as tournament hosts. Officials were forced to switch venues due to construction delays at the downtown arena.

There was discussion the 2013 event would be at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Other sites were also considered. 

“Logistically, we were going to have to staff the Championships if they were in Des Moines, so this works out much better for us,” said Cornell Associate Director of Athletics Dick Simmons, a member of the NCAA Division III Wrestling Committee. 

Simmons was Tournament Director of the past three Wrestling Championships held in Cedar Rapids. He’ll take on the same role the next two years. The 2014 event, also hosted by Cornell, will move back to the renovated U.S. Cellular Center.

“We’re excited to keep the Championships in Eastern Iowa and Cedar Rapids,” Simmons said. “Mat space will be tighter, but things will open up the way we have redesigned it.”

The 4,000-seat multi-purpose Ice Arena, located adjacent to Veterans Memorial Stadium, is home to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League. The arena is a temporary home to the new Cedar Rapids Titans indoor football team.

Simmons said seating shouldn’t be an issue in the smaller Ice Arena. “The place will be pretty full, but we won’t be turning anybody away.” 

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse hosted the 2012 and 2011 Championships at the La Crosse Center.