The Eastern Region National Qualifier for the 2022 National Collegiate Boxing Association’s (NCBA) National Tournament will be held on Friday, March 11 through Sunday, March 13 at the Bristol Sports Armory at 61 Center St. in Bristol, Conn. Sponsored by Ascension Athletics and hosted by the University of Connecticut Boxing Team and the Armory, the event will feature approximately 100 male and female college boxing athletes. Spectators are welcome and tickets can be purchased at the door.

“There are a total of 19 male and female weight classes, and between 15 and 20 bouts per day, each consisting of three (3) two-minute rounds,” explains the Tournament Coordinator Mike Campisano, who also is Head Boxing Coach at the University of Connecticut. “The Champion and Runner-Up of each bout will qualify for the NCBA National Tournament to be held on April 7-9 in Charlotte, NC. In addition, four Outstanding Boxer Awards will be presented to one upper weight male and one upper weight female boxer, and to one lower weight male and one lower weight female boxer.” The first bouts of each day will start on Friday, March 11 at 5 p.m., Saturday, March 12 at 1 p.m., and Sunday, March 13 at 11 a.m.

“This is only the second time that this regional Qualifier will be held in Connecticut and boxers are coming from the NCBA’s Eastern Region schools,” says Campisano. “The athletes are from: Pennsylvania State University; Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania; Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania; Trinity College in Hartford; The U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York; the University of Connecticut; the University of Hartford; the University of Massachusetts; the University of North Carolina; Kutztown University in Pennsylvania; and Norwich Academy in Vermont.

“We are pleased that this collegiate boxing event will be held in Northcentral Connecticut and wish the athletes and their families, the officials, and the spectators a terrific experience here,” explains Robert Murdock, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTmeetings), the State’s official meetings and sports event sales and marketing organization. “The event will be great for the Bristol and Southington area economy since, while here, visitors will stay local hotels, dine in local restaurants, shop, and enjoy nearby attractions.” The official host hotel is Homewood Suites Southington.

Daily spectator admission for the March 11-13 Eastern Region National Qualifier is: $10 adults; $5 students of any age with student I.D.; and free for kids ages 5 and under. Free parking at the Bristol Armory. Refreshments will be available for purchase. All information is on Facebook at the UCONN Boxing Team Fanpage.

The National Collegiate Boxing Association’s (NCBA) was formed in 1976 after a 16-year hiatus from college boxing (boxing previously was an NCAA-sanctioned event). The organization has three U.S. regions: East, Midwest and Southwest. Visit www.ncbaboxing.org.

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTmeetings) works in partnership with the state’s businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and their surrounding communities to market all of the state – convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues – as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conferences, conventions and major sports events.
Visit CTmeetings.org or call 860-728-6789.