EDWARDSVILLE – Dozens of top-tier men’s and women’s professional volleyball duos will return to Edwardsville’s Plummer Family Park this September to vie for a share of $20,000 in guaranteed prizes at the second annual Midwest Open tournament. Three days of 2v2 competition are planned for September 25-27 on the six beach volleyball courts in Plummer Family Park, Edwardsville’s 83-acre sports complex at 3501 Sports Park Drive.
The Midwest Open is an AVP Heritage Contender event, part of the Association of Volleyball Professionals, the nation’s largest and longest-running professional beach volleyball tour. Qualifier matches will be held on Friday, September 25, while the main draw is set for Saturday and Sunday, September 26-27. It concludes with championship matches on the tournament’s final day.
“It was exciting last year to host the inaugural Midwest Open and to bring fast-paced, high-level volleyball matches for everyone to enjoy for free,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “We are thrilled to do this again, with the support of some terrific community partners, at our incredible sports park.” S.M. Wilson & Co. will serve as the presenting sponsor for the tournament, while Bacardi and Busey Bank have signed on as MVP sponsors. The DJ sponsor is GMB; sponsors for the six individual courts include Brown Lending, Byrne & Jones, Gameday Men’s Health, Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau and Narwhal’s Crafted. Byron Carlson Petri & Kalb, Edwardsville Bank, FastSigns, Republic Services and the Gori Law Firm are supporting the tournament as community sponsors.
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. The Midwest Open will feature 2v2 teams from across the country – and a few international locations, too – 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. The two semifinal losing teams in each division will be tied for third and each will receive $1,000.
In addition to an action-filled lineup of matches, the event will include food and beverage trucks, a DJ, a professional volleyball announcer, and more. To see the lineup so far and find details on team eligibility and registration, visit: www.themidwestopen.com. To explore opportunities to sponsor or partner with the City on this free community event, contact Sports and Recreation Superintendent Canee’ Brown at cbrown@cityofedwardsville.com.
