Tupelo to Host 2014 MHSAA High School State Swim Meet

TUPELO, Miss. (Press Release) — Tupelo will host the 2014 Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) State Swim Meet at the Tupelo Aquatic Center November 1. More than 300 swimmers will participate in the championships, which are sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi.

“The staff of the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau has worked hard for the past several years to build a partnership with the MHSAA. That relationship, coupled with the new swim facility in Tupelo, helped lay the groundwork for this opportunity,” said Lonnie Tillman, MHSAA Associate Director. “The MHSAA is excited about conducting a state championship event in Tupelo. There is no doubt the Tupelo Aquatic Center will provide long-term benefits for both the MHSAA and its schools.”

The MHSAA State Swim Meet will be the third state championship held at the new Tupelo Aquatic Center in 2014. Both the Short Course Mississippi Swimming State Championship (February 2014) and Long Course Mississippi Swimming State Championship (July 2014) were awarded to the center.

“It is truly an unbelievable feeling to be able to host the top three state championship swim meets in 2014,” said Amy Kennedy, Tupelo Aquatic Center Director.

Qualifiers from the North and South will meet October 18 in Flowood and Biloxi to qualify for the state championship meet. Competitors will be divided into two classifications: Class II (includes 6A and 5A schools) and Class I (includes 4A, 3A, 2A, and 1A schools). Separate team championships are determined for boys and girls, with four races in every final championship event (two boys, two girls). Tupelo boys and girls are both defending state champions in Class II. Madison St. Joseph boys and St. Andrews girls are defending Class I champions.

“Tupelo is ready to welcome MHSAA and the schools who will participate in the state championship swim meet,” said Seth Gaines, Sales Manager for Sports with the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to showcasing our first-class venue for the competition, as well as our outstanding restaurants, hotels, and attractions for participants to enjoy while here.”