FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Bill Simmons:
billsimmonsjr@mindspring.com (678) 591-4042
www.iivbt.com
http://www.facebook.com/iivbt
3RD
ANNUAL IRVINE INTERNATIONAL VOLLEYBALL
TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY ST/COMP
QUIKSILVER
RETURNS SEPT. 26 – OCT. 1, 2011
The largest
international professional men’s volleyball tournament in the U.S. is set for UC
Irvine, with six nations, seven teams and many Olympic-caliber stars competing
in this weeklong event.
WHAT: Orange County is one of the centers
for volleyball in the world. The 3rd Annual Irvine International Volleyball
Tournament will feature seven teams from six nations as they compete over six
days in the largest international professional men’s tournament in the U.S. The
two-time national champion UC Irvine men’s squad will be among the teams
battling for bragging rights in what has become a showcase of world-class men’s
volleyball talent on American soil.
WHO: The seven teams competing
in the 2011 Irvine International
Volleyball Tournament include:
1.
Argentina – Drean Bolivar
2. Beijing, China – BAIC Motor
3. Brazil – Sada
Cruzeiro
4. Korea – Korean Air Jumbos
5. Japan – Toray Arrows
6.
Shanghai, China – Tang Dynasty
7. USA – UC Irvine
WHEN:
September 26 to October 1, 2011
WHERE: Crawford Court, UC
Irvine
TICKETS: Daily tickets from $10; multi-day passes
available. Go to iivbt.com or ucirvinesports.com for more info (beginning
9/9/11).
WHY: The Irvine International Volleyball Tournament
has become one of the most prestigious men’s volleyball events in North America.
It brings some of the world’s most talented professional players to UC Irvine
and provides a level of play and training that has helped elevate the Anteater
men’s team into one of the elite Division 1 programs in America.
“I am
excited to see these top professional teams from around the world come to our
home court,” said UCI Men’s Head Coach John Speraw. “It is a great experience
for our men’s team and a rare opportunity for local fans to see volleyball at
its highest level.”
Moreover, Speraw believes this is a chance for his
team to grow.
“This is a great opportunity for our players to develop
experience
and maturity as well as increase their confidence level as we
build
on the momentum from last year and start our promising
2012
season.”
Located in the city of Irvine, UCI is the ideal setting
for a major
international tournament. One of the university’s initiatives is
to
expand its international profile, and this tournament aligns with that
mission. “UCI has students from around the world, with a high percentage coming
from Asian countries,” Speraw said. “This
tournament supports the
university’s global outreach initiative by
bringing in teams from many of our
students’ home countries.”
About the Irvine International Volleyball
Tournament
In just three years, the Irvine International Volleyball
Tournament has become the largest international professional men’s volleyball
competition to be held in the U.S. The tournament was founded by Head Coach John
Speraw and then Assistant Coach David Kniffin of UC Irvine’s two-time national
champion Men’s Volleyball Team. Held on the campus of UC Irvine in Irvine,
Calif., the tournament creates an athletic and cultural exchange between teams
from countries with a strong passion about the international sport of
volleyball. Speraw also wanted to expose visiting teams to the UC Irvine campus
and the international flavor that is now a hallmark of one of the most diverse
communities in the U.S. The tournament is also a rare opportunity for sports
fans in one of the world’s most active volleyball regions to see world-class
players compete here locally.
Event sponsors: ST/COMP Quiksilver, Churm
Media, Molten USA,
Bianchi Wines and Britta’s Café.
Read more: http://www.volleytalk.net/inde…hread=39711#ixzz1XJqEgn2q
