COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 30, 2014) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce the City of Indianapolis will host the 2016 USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships (GJNC) at the Indiana Convention Center. The event is scheduled to take place June 24-July 3, 2016.

The USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships attracts a capped field of 1,264 teams (as of 2014), over 15,000 athletes and over 30,000 spectators annually. The tournament crowns 30 champions in age divisions ranging from 11 to 18. The event, showcasing the top talent from across the nation, also draws hundreds of college recruiters looking for the next stars for their programs.

“Indianapolis is a great location to host our 2016 USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships,” USA Volleyball Senior Director Tom Pingel said. “The city is a great destination for amateur athletics, and volleyball has a rich history of successful tournaments with tremendous support from the local area.”

“Visit Indy is thrilled to host the 2016 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships, a premier event that will generate over $59 million in economic impact for Central Indiana,” said Chris Gahl, vice president of marketing and communications at Visit Indy. “We look forward to welcoming over 45,000 players, coaches and spectators with Hoosier hospitality.”

Now one of the largest convention centers in America, the Indiana Convention Center is connected by skywalks to more hotel rooms than any other city in the nation. Also linked to the center is a four-story urban shopping mall, surrounded by more than 200 restaurants and clubs, well-known sports venues, and a 10-block state park that features top museums, green space and a convenient canal walk. It’s the reason Sports Illustrated’s Peter King calls Indianapolis “the most walkable downtown in America.”

The Indiana Convention Center is located in the heart of the 12th largest city in the U.S., Indianapolis, Ind. Indianapolis ranks in the top 25 most visited cities in the country, with 26 million annual visitors. Indianapolis International Airport accommodates 150 flights each day, carrying 7.2 million yearly passengers to and from the Circle City.

The 2014 GJNC, which will have nearly 520 hours of video streaming of matches, is currently being held in Minneapolis June 24 to July 3. The 2015 GJNC edition will be held in New Orleans.