Hutch: The spirit of the DI men's basketball tournament
72nd anniversary of men's basketball tournament in Hutchinson
Charlotte, NC - In the world of collegiate basketball, the terms "NJCAA" and "Hutch" are nearly synonymous. For over seven decades, the latter – shorthand for Hutchinson, Kansas – has played host to the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. In fact, Sunday, March 22nd, 2020 marks the 72nd anniversary of the first national tournament tip-off in this town of America's Heartland, the 73rd overall.
The first NJCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Tournament was held in 1948 in Springfield, Missouri. This inaugural NJCAA men's basketball championship faced challenges: teams backed out due to travel costs and attendance numbers were low. Despite the determined efforts of tournament hosts, Springfield was simply not the right fit for the championship. The future of the tournament looked bleak. 
The vision of Charles Sesher, Athletic Director at Hutchinson Junior College, would save the future of the NJCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. With the help of the local American Legion Post, Sesher brought the 1949 NJCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament to Hutchinson and made his vision a reality.
When Sesher's Blue Dragons did not earn an automatic qualification to Hutchinson's initial run at hosting the tournament, the success of the tournament was in question. However, unfortunate circumstances led a tournament berth for the Blue Dragons. Ricker College of Maine was unable to travel to Hutchinson due to travel costs. The Blue Dragons reveled at the opportunity to compete for a national title in front of a hometown crowd.
With a local team to cheer on, the people of Hutchinson filled the stands in support of the tournament. Hutchinson made a historic run through the tournament and fell only to Tyler Junior College in the Championship final 66-64. The 1949 Cinderella run sparked unprecedented success for the Blue Dragons – three national championships and 48 all-time wins at the tournament. The rest is history.
Since then, the community of Hutchinson, Kansas has given its full support to the NJCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Over the decades, hundreds of coaches and thousands of players have made the journey to Hutchinson to compete for an NJCAA national title. Some of the biggest names include Spud Webb, Walter Berry, and Shawn Marion.
It is not just the historic names that have made the NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship Tournament so special. The community support, tournament atmosphere, and countless stories of dedication and achievement are the factors that set this tournament apart from others. Year-after-year, local fans pack the seats inside the Hutchinson Sports Arena to watch first-class basketball. Countless volunteers give their time year-round for this five-day championship to provide a first-class tournament experience to student-athletes from across the country.
At the end of the day, the magic of the NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship lies within the people who make the tournament possible and the incredible stories that emerge from the tournament.
Through very difficult circumstances, the 2019-20 season did not end as hoped. A champion will not be crowned in 2020. No one will cut the nets inside the Hutchinson Sports Area. However, the infamous NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship will undoubtedly return stronger than ever in 2021 to the town where its spirit lives: Hutch.
