2:22 p.m., March 30, 2007--The University of Delaware will host the 2007 U.S. Team Handball Open National Championships from Friday-Sunday, April 6-8, in the Delaware Field House and the Carpenter Sports Building. All matches are free and open to the public.

The tournament comes to UD through the efforts of UD's Sports Management Program, the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO), the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware hotel, UD Conference Services and the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“Matt Robinson, associate professor of health, nutrition and exercise sciences, worked with the DEDO to establish an MBA executive assistant position whose duty would include attracting and recruiting sporting events to the state of Delaware,” Timothy DeSchriver, associate professor of health, nutrition and exercises sciences, said. “The first event that the student, Matthew Russell (a graduate student in the Lerner College of Business and Economics), was able to secure was the U.S. Team Handball Open National Championships.”

DeSchriver said that as part of the agreement between UD, DEDO and U.S. Team Handball, UD's sports management program will serve as the event's local management organization. Seven sports management majors in DeSchriver's Sport Event and Facility Management (HESC 438) class are serving in areas that include hospitality, event promoting/marketing, player social events, trophies/awards, concessions, merchandising and the development of an event program.

“We are hosting a U.S. national championship in an Olympic sport, and several members of the U.S. national women's team will be competing in the event,” DeSchriver said. “This is an outstanding opportunity for sports management students and an opportunity to showcase UD to visitors from across the United States.”

More than 350 athletes will participate in the tournament. Top teams, including U.S. Olympians, will compete in men's elite, men's open and women's open division play, with finals slated for Sunday afternoon.

“This is an opportunity to see a sport being played at its highest level by some of the best athletes in the country,” DeSchriver said. “It's a new sport to most people, and it should be very exciting to view.”

Games are scheduled as follows.

Friday, April 6

9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-9 p.m., Delaware Field House; and
10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-8 p.m., Gym 2, Carpenter Sports Building.

Saturday, April 7

9 a.m.-9 p.m., Delaware Field House; and
9 a.m.-noon, Gym 2, Carpenter Sports Building.

Sunday, April 8

8 a.m.-3 p.m., Delaware Field House.

For more information, call (302) 831-2737 or visit [www.usoc.org/11597_51732.htm].