Rockford, Illinois Awarded 2016 National Championships
Posted: September 29, 2015 09:41 PM
Colorado Springs, Colo. (September 29, 2015)—The 2016 USA Ultimate National Championships have been awarded to the city of Rockford, Ill., the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States announced today.
The four-day tournament will take place Sept. 29 through Oct. 2, 2016 and will be co-hosted by the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and Ultimate Chicago.
Sportscore 2, a 24-field, nationally recognized athletic complex, will serve as the event’s competitive venue with Wedgbury Stadium hosting select semifinal and championship games live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN mobile app.
The 2016 edition will mark the event’s first appearance in the Midwest since its inception 36 years ago. Most recently, it was held in Frisco, Texas (2013-15) and Sarasota, Fla. (2000-12). The first national championships occurred in Atlanta, Ga. in 1980.
The season-ending elite-level tournament will host 48 teams and more than 1,300 athletes competing for a national title in one of three divisions – men’s, women’s and mixed. The annual championships mark the third leg of ultimate’s Triple Crown Tour (along with the U.S. Open and Pro Flight Finale) – the sport of ultimate’s most competitive and prestigious series of events.
"The Rockford Region is excited to host the 2016 USA Ultimate National Championships," said President and CEO of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau John Groh. "With more than 30 years of sports tournament experience, our staff and community know how to make this one of the best championship experiences ever for the athletes and fans."
The area also boasts competitive elite-level teams, including perennial national qualifiers Chicago Machine and Chicago Nemesis, currently ranked fourth and 21st in the nation in the men’s and women’s divisions respectively.
The Rockford Convention & Visitors Bureau hosted the 2015 USA Ultimate Division III College Championships at Sportscore 2 and will join forces with Ultimate Chicago, organizer of nationally recognized tournaments such as Chicago Heavyweights and Sandblast.
"Ultimate Chicago is ecstatic to be part of the 2016 National Championships," commented Gail Reich, the organization’s treasurer. "We are a long-standing non-profit that provides many leagues throughout the year for both youth and adults alike. Our ultimate community will be excited to both watch and support this fantastic, high-caliber event and cheer on our local teams. We’re thrilled that fans and players of all ages and ability are within a short drive of Rockford, making these championship very accessible. We are looking forward to working with the Rockford Area CVB to make this event a success."
The 2015 championships are set to take place this week (Oct. 1-4), where defending champions include Johnny Bravo (Denver, Colo.), Scandal (Washington, D.C.) and Drag’n Thrust (Minneapolis, Minn.).
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