June 27, 2008

The Volleyball Festival produces more than 5,000 volleyball matches over a five-day period with all matches taking place in the Reno-Sparks area.

An Olympic-style opening ceremony that includes a performance by Jeff Werner kicks off the festival at Mackay Stadium at the University of Nevada, Reno campus on Sat., June 28. (please note – this is a ticketed event)

All volleyball matches are open to the public and admission is free except for the finals on Wed., July 2. The full schedule of events is available at www.volleyballfestival.com.

The festival concludes with a finals match at Lawlor Events Center. After the festival, the finals match will air on Fox Sports on a delayed broadcast.

This is the fifth year that the Volleyball Festival has taken place in Reno-Tahoe, and the 25th year that the event has been held overall.

The RSCVA estimates that the Volleyball Festival will generate up to 20,000 room nights at area hotels. An additional 1,600 beds at the University of Nevada campus will be utilized for the festival.

Approximately 680 teams competing from throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Approximately 7,000 players are participating. The age range of participants is from 12 to 18.

The following are court locations for the tournament:
• Reno-Sparks Convention Center, primary location with 74 courts
• Reno Events Center with 12 courts
• Grand Sierra Resort with 12 courts
• Bishop Manogue Catholic High School with 3 courts
• Mackay Stadium will be the home of the opening ceremony and Lawlor Events Center will be the home of the championship finals.

This year the Volleyball Festival will honor five Renaissance Girls, a designation that acknowledges young athletes who invest in their families, schools, and communities, and develop their social, emotional, intellectual, vocational and moral selves as well as their athletic selves.