Pac-12 venues include Huntsman Center

The Pac-10 Conference has selected the U to host the inaugural Pac-12 Gymnastic Championships at the Huntsman Center next March. The announcement came as the conference released venue locations for the 14 conference championship events taking place in the 2011-2012 school year.

Utah’s gymnastics program continually leads the nation in attendance, averaging more than 11,000 fans during the past two decades. Last year, the Huntsman Center set an NCAA record with an average of 14,213 fans per meet.

“The atmosphere in the Huntsman Center for Utah gymnastic meets is electrifying and will make the Pac-12 Championship a great experience for all of the teams involved,” head football coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement.

The location of the Pac-12 football championship game will not be determined until the end of the regular season. The team with the best conference record will host the championship game at its stadium.

The men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will take place in Los Angeles on March 7 through March 10. The Staples Center will host all four rounds of men’s games, along with the women’s semifinals and finals.

Other venues involving Division I sports at the U include the Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. for track and field, Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash., for women’s swimming and diving as well as men’s diving and Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool in Long Beach, Calif. for men’s swimming. The tennis championships will be held in Ojai, Calif., and Arizona State will host the cross country championships.

The Pac-10 officially becomes the Pac-12 on July 1 with the addition of the U and the University of Colorado.