US Squash Open

U.S. SQUASH and Drexel University will host the 2011 U.S. Open Squash Championships, the most prestigious squash tournament in the country, from October 1 through 6 at the newly renovated Daskalakis Athletic Center (33rd and Market Streets).  Delaware Investments is the title sponsor for this year's tournament.

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 semi-finals and finals will reach 250 million households worldwide. In the United States, ESPN3 will also broadcast the semi-finals and finals of the Men's Championships online reaching 60 million households. Squash is played by 15 million people in more than 150 countries.

U.S. SQUASH and Drexel will partner closely in hosting the Championships, Drexel offering extensive experience with major events, having hosted 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 host the 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 Drexel University President John Fry. “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.”

Director of Athletics at DrexelDr. Eric Zillmer said, “Drexel University is the proud home of Squash Smarts, an award-winning model for after school co-curricular enrichment for elementary school children in Philadelphia. 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 and the city of Philadelphia will give these youth reason to continue their investment in squash and pursue their dreams to transform their lives.”

Executive Director of the Philadelphia Sports Congress Larry Needle said, “We are thrilled to have the U.S. Open Squash Championships coming to Philadelphia. 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 said, “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 29 and 30. Tickets for the 2011 U.S. Open Squash Championships are expected to go on sale later this spring.

About U.S. SQUASH
U.S. SQUASH is the national governing body and membership organization for the sport of squash in the United States and is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. U.S. SQUASH is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

U.S. SQUASH owns and operates tournaments including the United States and North American Opens as well as all other United States National Championships. U.S. SQUASH also selects and manages the U.S. National Teams that compete internationally, maintains the official ratings and rankings system for the U.S., and invests in programs to grow participation in the sport at every level. U.S. SQUASH’s vision is for all people to have the opportunity to enhance their health and well being through the sport of squash.

About Delaware Investments
A member of Macquarie Group, Delware Investments is a diversified asset management firm with more than $155 billion in assets under management as of 6/30/2011. Through a team of talented investment professionals, the firm manages assets across all major asset classes for a wide range of institutional and individual investors.

About Drexel University
Founded in 1891, Drexel is the nation’s 14th largest private university and is ranked second among national universities in the U.S. News list of “Up-and-Comers.” Drexel is widely recognized for its focus on experiential learning through its cooperative education program and translational research initiatives.