The 2011 U.S. Open Squash Championships, the most prestigious squash tournament in the country, October 1-6, will be hosted by Drexel University at the newly renovated Daskalakis Athletic Center in downtown Philadelphia, PA.
Offering $175,000 in prize money, the tournament will host both the Men’s and Women’s Championships for only the second time in the event’s history, having been held simultaneously for the first time in 2010 at the Pritzker Pavillion in Chicago’s Millennium Park.
The tournament will attract the best squash players in the world to Philadelphia. The event will be streamed on www.psasquashtv.com and the broadcast of the semifinals and finals will reach 250 million households worldwide. In the United States, ESPN3 will also broadcast the semifinals and finals of the Men’s Championships online reaching 60 million households.
U.S. SQUASH and Drexel University will partner closely in hosting the Championships, Drexel offering extensive experience with major events, having hosted to the 2008 USA Table Tennis Olympic Trials, playing host to the 2013 Division I, II and III Men’s Lacrosse Championships as well as sponsoring 16 Division I varsity athletic programs.
“Drexel University is delighted to hostthe 2011 U.S. Open Squash Championships in Philadelphia, the cradle of liberty and the home of many of the game’s most storied players and historic squash venues,” said John Fry, President of Drexel University. “Drexel University is founded on equality and competitive opportunity in venues that extend beyond academics, including the frontiers of entrepreneurship, technological innovation and athletics. The championships will be hosted in an urban collegiate athletic facility that will attract a diverse fan-base. We are truly honored to be the host of this remarkable championship.”
“Drexel University is the proud home of SquashSmarts, an award-winning model for after school co-curricular enrichment for elementary school children in Philadelphia,” said Dr. Eric Zillmer, Director of Athletics at Drexel University. “Our commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles through the sport of squash has uplifted a generation of historically underserved urban youth. Bringing the 2011 U.S. Open to Drexel University and the city of Philadelphia will give these youth reason to continue their investment in squash and pursue their dreams to transform their lives.”
“We are thrilled to have the U.S. Open Squash Championships coming to Philadelphia,” said Larry Needle, Executive Director, Philadelphia Sports Congress. “It’s another example of Philadelphia as a diverse and dynamic sports destination, and we are most grateful to Drexel University for stepping up time after time as a host.”
U.S. SQUASH CEO Kevin Klipstein added, “We are extremely excited for the U.S. Open to return to Philadelphia, a city with a deep history in the sport and an outstanding squash community. Partnering with Drexel University will allow us to take the U.S. Open to an entirely new level, developing it into what we fully anticipate to be the best squash tournament in the world for fans and players alike.”
Qualifying matches for the Men’s and Women’s divisions will take place at area clubs on September 29th and 30th. Tickets for the 2011 U.S. Open Squash Championships are expected to go on sale later this spring.
