2013 Fall Sports Festival

The Smith River Sports Complex (SRSC) will host the NCAA Division III USA South Conference's Fall Sports Festival Championships on November 8th and 9th, 2013.

Men's and Women's Soccer will play at the Smith River Sports Complex while Women's Volleyball will take place in William F. Stone Hall on Patrick Henry Community College's (PHCC) campus.

There will be four Men's Soccer, four Women's Soccer and eight Women's Volleyball teams coming to the area to play for the USA South Fall Sports Festival Championships.

This tournament is the culmination of Conference play and the champions in each sport receive a bid to the NCAA tournament. The regular seasons have been very competitive in all three sports coming to Martinsville. Also, The Conference is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and we are proud to continue our "Five Decades of Champions and Graduates" commemoration with our fall championships in Martinsville.

"I look forward to seeing our best teams and student-athletes in action," said Rita Wiggs, Commissioner of the USA South Conference when asked what they look forward to each year. "There are going to be some great games and matches. I really hope the citizens in this community will come out and experience the competition."

The USA South Conference teams will travel to Martinsville from Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. Featured teams are: Averett University,Covenant College, Ferrum College, Greensboro College,Huntingdon College, Lagrange College, Mary Baldwin College, Maryville College, Meredith College, Methodist University, N.C. Wesleyan College, Piedmont College and William Peace University.

The teams will arrive Thursday, November 7th and will have the opportunity to practice. Later that night, the SRSC will host an awards banquet at the National Guard Armory in recognition of the 2013 USA South fall season.

The Women's Soccer semifinals are set to start at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. at SRSC while the Men's Soccer semifinals will begin at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Also on Friday, at PHCC, the Volleyball quarterfinal matches will be at 1, 3, 5, and 7 p.m.

On Saturday, the Men's and Women's Soccer Championships will be played at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively. The special olympics will be honored at the start of the women's championship game at 5 p.m. Over at PHCC, Volleyball will play both the semifinal and championship rounds on Saturday. Semifinals will start at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. with the championship starting at 6 p.m.

"The playing fields at the Smith River Sports Complex are first class and our teams really enjoy playing there," Wiggs replied when asked why the USA South Conference enjoys returning to the SRSC and the Martinsville-Henry County area. "All of the folks at the Complex have been so friendly and helpful through the years and we look forward to working with them and seeing them each fall."

Wiggs also commends PHCC by saying, "Last year Patrick Henry Community College welcomed us to their facility and we experienced another area of the city and county. The community has embraced our student-athletes and we are most appreciative. It feels like a homecoming for us each fall."

Tickets for each day will be $5 dollars for adults and $2 dollars for senior citizens or children and $8 weekend passes will be available. Any youth under age 18 that is part of a local soccer or volleyball team (travel, high school or middle school, etc.) can wear his or her jersey and receive free admission to the Fall Sports Festival.

Coca-Cola is the presenting sponsor of the 2013 Fall Sports Festival. All sponsors & partners who supported this event are: Patrick Henry Community College, www.VisitMartinsville.com, Comfort Inn, Martinsville & Henry County Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA of Martinsville - Henry County, Quality Catering & The Gallery, 37 East,  Mi Ranchito, Autos by Nelson, So Lo Company, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Southern Virginia Properties and the Special Olympics of Virginia.

To find out more on the USA South Athletic Conference visit www.usasouth.net. For information on the event or purchasing tickets, please call the Complex at (276) 638-5200 or visit www.SmithRiverSportsComplex.com.