COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Nova Southeastern University has partnered with USA Volleyball to host the prestigious 2016 NORCECA Women's U20 Continental Championship on July 26-31 at the Don Taft University Center.
 
This is the first international volleyball tournament that NSU will host. Head volleyball coach Jennifer King, in conjunction with NSU Administration, has spent months working with USA Volleyball to bring this event to NSU.
 
"Hosting the NORCECA U20 Championship is a great opportunity for Nova Southeastern University to showcase world class volleyball for the community," said King. "We are excited to share our beautiful campus and all that we have to offer with the international delegations and spectators."
 
Earlier this year, NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation) awarded the United States hosting rights to the event, which is contested biennially in every even-numbered year. The tournament winner will qualify for the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Women's U20 World Championship.
 
"USA Volleyball is excited to host this great event and bring it to Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida," said Lizzy Briones, USA Volleyball coordinator of High Performance and the staff liaison to the U.S. Women's Junior National Team.
 
Based on the 2016 qualified field, the countries scheduled to compete are:
•          United States (host)
•          Costa Rica
•          Cuba
•          Dominican Republic
•          French St. Martin (ECVA champion)
•          Guatemala (AFECAVOL vice-champion)
•          Haiti (CAZOVA champion)
•          Mexico
•          Puerto Rico
 
Team USA won the most recent NORCECA Women's U20 Continental Championship, beating Cuba in straight sets in the championship match in Guatemala. The U.S. Women's Junior National Team has won the event six out of the nine editions, including five of the last six tournaments.
 
The tournament schedule, as well as how to purchase tickets, will be announced at a later date.
 
About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree levels. A private, not-for-profit institution with more than 26,000 students, NSU has campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, while maintaining a presence online globally. For more than 50 years, NSU has been awarding degrees in a wide range of fields, while fostering groundbreaking research and an impactful commitment to community. Classified as a research university with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is 1 of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private, not-for-profit institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education's criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information about NSU and realizingpotential.nova.edu for more information on the largest fundraising campaign in NSU history.

About USA Volleyball: Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the disciplines of beach volleyball, indoor volleyball and sitting volleyball in the United States. USA Volleyball has over 325,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,300 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $31 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men's and women's senior national team programs for beach, indoor and sitting volleyball; youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education, certification programs and grassroots development across all disciplines. USA Volleyball has a rich tradition of success as evidenced by winning an Olympic medal in every Olympic Games since 1984, three Paralympic medals since 2004 and capturing numerous World Cup, World Championship and Continental Championship titles. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game. For more information please visit www.usavolleyball.org.

About NORCECA: The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) is an incorporated, non-profit organization responsible for all volleyball activities that take place in its zone.  NORCECA is the continental confederation that represents its thirty-five (35) member countries at the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) level.  The Confederation is responsible for, among other things, the staging of Olympic and World Championship zone qualification tournaments, as well as continental championships for both men and women in Indoor and Beach Volleyball.  In 2003, NORCECA celebrated its thirty-fifth (35th) anniversary.