More than 500 collegiate athletes will converge at the Conroe ISD Natatorium in Shenandoah on March 18 to compete over four days in the 2015 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship. The event will include 57 men's teams and 54 women's teams.

"Over the last year, staff has been working together to plan all aspects of the event, including a banquet for athletes, coaches and NCAA officials, food for each day of the event, managing ticket sales, and recruiting volunteers and negotiating hotel rates," Shenandoah Mayor Gary Watts said.

In 2013, the last year the city was home to the event, the natatorium held more than 2,000 attendees, including athletes, coaches, officials and families. Area hotels, including those in Shenandoah, The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe and Tomball, had 5,636 hotel room stays, which helped bring visitors to the area, according to the city.

Watts said the event had an economic impact of $1.5 million. That same year, Shenandoah was awarded the 2015 and 2017 championships in an extensive bidding process.

Shenandoah is the only city in Texas with the rights to use the NCAA logo through this partnership, Watts said.

"We are proud to continue a tradition that showcases swimming and diving sports in south Montgomery County," he said.

"There is a long history of support for aquatics in this area, which is also the birthplace of Olympic gold medalist Laura Wilkinson. A number of new records were set at the championship in 2013."

Among those competing are current NCAA record holders Celia Oberholzer of Kenyon College, Kirsten Nitz of Wheaton College and Damon Rosenburg of Denison University, Watts said. Oberholzer holds the record for women's 100 backstroke, Nitz for women's 100 meter butterfly and Rosenburg for men's 100 breast stroke.

"In Shenandoah, we emphasize hospitality and we have worked for several months to offer a convenient host hotel for the NCAA as well as direct them to the wide range of dining options and other nearby attractions," Watts said. "We look forward to introducing them to Shenandoah as well as the surrounding area."

All-session passes are $50 for reserved seating and $25 for student seating. Admission for children age 2 and under is free. Single-session passes and the finals are available.

For more information regarding the event, contact the Shenandoah Convention and Visitor's Bureau at 281-292-5953.

Tickets

Single-session passes are available through March 21.

Preliminaries:

$8 for adults

$6 for students/senior citizens

Finals:

$10 for adults

$8 for students/senior citizens

Schedule

March 18–21

9 a.m.–9 p.m. daily

CISD Natatorium, 19133 David Memorial Drive, Shenandoah, 936-709-3901, www.athletics.conroeisd.net