EDWARDSVILLE – As many as 48 elite men’s and women’s beach volleyball teams will converge on Edwardsville in September to vie for $20,000 in prizes in The Midwest Open, the City’s inaugural professional volleyball tournament.
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The two-day competition will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21, on the six beach volleyball courts that debuted this spring in Plummer Family Park, Edwardsville’s 83-acre sports complex. The Midwest Open is an AVP Next event, part of the Association of Volleyball Professionals -- the nation’s largest and longest-running professional beach volleyball tour.
VOLLIS, a beach volleyball lifestyle brand dedicated to hosting premier tournaments and growing the sport’s community culture, is serving as the tournament organizer in partnership with the City of Edwardsville.
“We are thrilled to showcase these elite players at Plummer Family Park,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “This is a unique opportunity for the public to experience high-level professional beach volleyball on our fantastic new six-court venue for free. We are excited to be able to host these kinds of premier competitions for the community and fans to enjoy.”
Byrne & Jones Construction will serve as the presenting sponsor for the tournament, while Busey Bank and Keith Short & Associates Trial Lawyers have signed on as gold-level sponsors. Additional sponsors include EXO Lounge, Gameday Men’s Health and Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, with more event partners expected to be announced soon.
The Midwest Open will feature a field of top-tier 2v2 teams competing for $10,000 in cash prizes in each of the men’s and women’s divisions. The top-finishing team in each division will win $5,000, while the second-place teams will receive $3,000. A third-place match will not be played; instead the two remaining semifinalists in both divisions will each receive $1,000.
Professional teams interested in participating in The Midwest Open can learn more and register at: https://vollisbeach.com/pages/the-midwest-open
For more information, contact Sports and Recreation Coordinator Sara Thomas-Concepcion at sthomas@cityofedwardsville.com. Visit the City’s website for more details: www.cityofedwardsville.com/midwestopen
