The NCAA Division II Football Committee announced Thursday it selected the McKinney ISD Stadium and Community Event Center and The Lone Star Conference to host the 2018 Division II football national championship game.

The NCAA Division II football playoffs will begin Nov. 17 with the championship game held Dec. 15.

“As a committee, we had in-depth discussions regarding the expectations that we have for the venue that would serve as host for this premier Division II Championship,” Reid Amos, NCAA Division II Football Committee chair, said in a release from the NCAA. “Where we landed was a preference for a neutral site venue in an accessible location with 10,000-15,000 seats and outstanding amenities to provide our student-athletes with a truly unique championship experience.”

According to the NCAA release, McKinney was one of several bids that the committee received to host the championship game.

"We are very honored to host the Division II National Championship football game here at McKinney ISD Stadium,” MISD Director of Athletics Shawn Pratt said in a news release from the district. “We’ll be working in conjunction with the city of McKinney and the Lone Star Conference to make this a great experience for everyone involved. The championship is nationally televised by ESPN, and we’re excited about what it will bring to the city and to our district.”

The 12,000-seat MISD stadium held its first game Aug. 30 after district officials found concrete cracking in various locations throughout the stadium. MISD Superintendent Rick McDaniel said repairs will be made in mid-April 2019 after a regional soccer tournament held at the stadium.