Tupelo Lands Three Big Swim Meets

TUPELO, Miss—Tupelo has won bids to host the Mississippi Swimming, Inc. State Championships Short Course and Long Course swim meets in 2016 and the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) High School State Championship Swim Meet in 2015. All events will be held at the Tupelo Aquatic Center. Combined, these events will bring over 1,200 swimmers and their families to Tupelo.

“The facility is your selling point.  It is a fast pool with great space for swimmers and spectators,” said Wade Heggie, General Chair for Mississippi Swimming, Inc.

The Mississippi Swimming, Inc. State Championships Short Course will be held February 18-21, 2016 and the Long Course meet will be held July 21-24, 2016, both hosted by Shockwave, Tupelo’s competitive swim program that is dedicated to advancing the sport of swimming in Northeast Mississippi. The MHSAA High School State Championship Swim Meet will be held October 31, 2015.

“Our goal is to continue to raise the profile of Tupelo on the state, southern, and national scene and anything we can do to continue to help will be a priority,” said Amy Kennedy, Tupelo Aquatic Center Director. “To win these championship meets in a competitive field is an honor.”

Tupelo had the honor of hosting the Mississippi Swimming, Inc. State Championships Short Course meet in both 2014 and 2015 and the Long Course meet in 2014. Likewise, the MHSAA High School State Championship Swim Meet was held here in 2014. Combined, these meets generated an economic contribution of over $475,000.

“The comments I received from the event last year were very positive,” said Lonnie Tillman, MHSAA Associate Director. “For a lot of the students it was their first time to visit Tupelo. The Aquatic Center is a first class facility and the championships were outstanding.”