Chicago to Host U.S. World League Matches

ANAHEIM, California, April 28, 2007.- Top international men’s volleyball is coming this summer to the U.S. Olympic Committee’s 2016 Applicant City!

USA Volleyball has announced that Chicago, which the USOC recently named the U.S. Applicant City for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will host FIVB World League matches between the United States and Italy on June 15-16.

The matches will be held at the Convocation Center on the campus of Chicago State University, one of the venues used in Chicago’s proposal to become the host of the 2016 Summer Games.

“We are pleased to be bringing Chicago a preview of the kind of men’s volleyball it will see if it is chosen to host the 2016 Olympic Games,” said USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal. “Chicago is a great sports city and we hope to see plenty of fans at the Convocation Center.”

The Italian Men’s National Volleyball Team, ranked No. 2 in the world, has won the FIVB World League title eight times since 1990. However it has not won a medal since 2003, when it finished third. It finished sixth in 2006.

The United States and Italy will be joined in Pool B by France and Japan.

Team USA will face France in its opening World League matches on May 26-27 in Portland, Oregon. The following weekend it will play Japan on June 1-2 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.