The 18th annual Cactus Classic Invitational, presented by Mizuno, is set to take place this weekend at the Tucson Convention Center, January 19-21, 2013.

The Cactus Classic will feature competition divisions for 18-and-under, 16-and-under, 14-and-under, and 12-and-under junior volleyball teams all under one roof playing 358 scheduled matches.

Close to 100 junior volleyball teams from Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Hermosillo, Mexico are expected to compete in the three day tournament. The Cactus Classic Invitational is a part of the USA Volleyball’s (USAV) National Championship series by being one the nation’s first Ranking Tournaments for qualification at USAV Junior National Qualifiers.

The annual event is hosted by the Club Cactus Volleyball Association along with Tucson Sports and generates an estimated economic impact of $1.3 million dollars in downtown Tucson.

“The goal of this event is to create a unique and competitive environment for Southern Arizona volleyball teams,” stated tournament director Bill Lang. “This is an opportunity for local volleyball teams to play in a national ranking event against teams from out-of-town without having to travel very far. It is a premiere event for the younger players in the area and it really helps promote our sport in Tucson.”

The event is open to the public and competition begins each day at 8 am and continues to 8 pm. The tournament championships are scheduled for 2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm on Monday.

In addition to the junior volleyball action, the Cactus Classic will also be hosting the volleyball matches for the City of Tucson’s 29th Annual Senior Olympic Festival.

On Sunday, the Arizona Sizzle, a professional USA Volleyball League team, will host a special exhibition volleyball match at the TCC. The match is also open to the public and admission is free.

For more information and to keep updated on the tournament, please visit the Cactus Classic Invitational website at http://www.clubcactusvolleyball.com/cactusclassic.

From news release.

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