COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL COACHES TO CONVERGE ON COLUMBUS

EARLY BIRD EXTRAVAGANZA TOURNAMENT DRAWS 174 TEAMS

The best girls volleyball players from the East and Midwest, scores of college coaches and 174 teams will gather for the ASICS Early Bird Extravaganza tournament Feb. 19-21 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

The ASICS Early Bird Extravaganza is the premiere early-season recruiting tournament east of the Mississippi River. It features teams comprised of girls 14-under (16 teams), 15-under (24 teams), 16-under (46 teams), 17-under (40 teams) and 18-under (48 teams). College coaches will attend to the tournament to finalize 2006 recruiting classes and scout players who will be high-school players in 2006.

The tournament, held in Columbus since 2003, is hosted by East Coast Volleyball, Inc., a company that has hosted volleyball tournaments since 1982 designed to expose high-school volleyball players to college coaches and, in turn, academic and athletic scholarships.
      
“We are proud to again host the ASICS Early Bird Extravaganza in 2006,” said Linda Shetina Logan, executive director of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. “Hosting this prestigious tournament is one of the many reasons Columbus is fast becoming one of the top volleyball destinations.”
      
The ASICS Early Bird Extravaganza is one of several large amateur volleyball tournaments that will be held at the convention center this year. Other events include the Mizuno Hoosiers Mideast Qualifiers (260 teams) in late March and the Ohio Valley Regional adult and junior championships in April and May, with the junior championships attracting more than 920 teams. All told, amateur volleyball tournaments will generate more than $11 million in visitor spending in Columbus this year.

The Greater Columbus Sports Commission was founded in June 2002 to attract professional, amateur, collegiate and youth sporting events to Columbus.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Brent LaLonde                                                
Greater Columbus Sports Commission                        
614-562-0940 (cell)                
BLaLonde@ColumbusSports.org                        
www.ColumbusSports.org                        

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