Hyundai California Community College Football Championship Presented by Blue Diamond Growers to Return to Visalia in 2001

Sacramento, CA . . . The California Community College Commission on Athletics (COA) today announced that the Hyundai California Community College Football Championships Presented by Blue Diamond Growers will return to Mineral King Bowl Stadium in Visalia, California on December 8, 2001 and be hosted by College of the Sequoias (COS)

The championship game will feature California's top ranked teams, as determined by the COA and the California Community College Football Coaches Association Power Rankings.

"The 2000 event was one of the finest showcases ever sanctioned by the COA and we are delighted that the community of Visalia stepped up again this year to host the event," said COA commissioner Joanne Fortunato. "The economic investment was an attractive element of the Visalia bid but, as importantly, the support given to the COA by the local operating committee was an equal factor in the decision-making process."

Visalia's Mineral King Bowl Stadium was the site of the 2000 Hyundai California Community College Football Championship, where City College of San Francisco defeated Bakersfield College, 31-13, to win its second consecutive state title. The contest was played before a raucous crowd of 6,250 and a statewide television audience. Blue Diamond Growers and the Visalia Area Sports Association will once again serve as presenting sponsors of the title game.

"The entire COS staff considers hosting this game a privilege and we are excited about winning the bid to draw the game back to Visalia in 2001," said College of the Sequoias Athletic Director Al Branco. "The 2000 game was a great experience for the community of this region and it allowed us to showcase our community to the thousands of fans attending the game."

For the latest information on the Hyundai California Community College Football Championship presented by Blue Diamond Growers, as well as news and updates of all 23 COA sanctioned sports, visit www.coasports.org.