Emporia will be hosting the Kansas 5A State Basketball Championships next year.
Emporia Recreation Center Director Tom McEvoy received the official word Friday that White Auditorium will be the official host of the 5A tournament in 2019. McEvoy says while he was optimistic they would receive a tournament, he still had a few nerves while awaiting the decision.
Emporia is no stranger to being the site of a state tournament having hosted a number of classifications over the years. And with the number of host sites being cut from eight to six next year with the elimination of division 2 for classes 4A and 1A, McEvoy says he believes that experience gave the Kansas High School Activities Association a lot of confidence in Emporia.
This announcement capped off a spectacular week for the Rec Center. Friday evening Rec Center officials held a special dedication ceremony for the newly renovated Flint Hills Optimist Baseball Fields, a project which began in 2017.
According to McEvoy the official hosting agreements should be sent out by the end of this month.
