Smith River Sports Complex to host 32 teams in the Commonwealth Cup

The Smith River Sports Complex (SRSC) and Without Limits Ultimate are proud to announce that the 2017 Commonwealth Cup will be this weekend, February 25-26 in Axton, Va. The season kick-off tournament will bring 32 women's college ultimate frisbee teams to Martinsville-Henry County to bid for the Commonwealth Cup title.

The Commonwealth Cup will be the first tournament in a series of 15 events over the next 16 weekends at SRSC. The final event before a short summer rest period for SRSC will be the Delores Sullivan Kick for a Cure on June 16.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to kick off our 2017 tournament schedule with one of our biggest tournaments of the year," SRSC Director of Operations and Marketing Houston Stutz said. "Events like this one continue to prove we have one of the finest facilities on East Coast and our community should be proud that these athletes enjoy returning to our area year after year."

The event will bring 32 college teams from 10 states and D.C. Teams will be visiting the Martinsville-Henry County community from: D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

"The field site's location means that it is within driving distance for a number of teams coming from all over the East Coast and Midwest," Michelle Ng, the event organizer, said. "Teams have indicated that they really appreciate the quality of the fields at the Complex, and I know that the athletes feel welcome in Martinsville every time they visit."

Ng and Without Limits, which hosts six major tournaments around the country each season, has hosted over a dozen events at the Smith River Sports Complex since 2011. Of the major tournament sites, ranging from places such as Orlando, St. Louis, Atlanta and Austin, Martinsville is the only location that hosts multiple tournaments each season. The Commonwealth Cup has now been hosted at SRSC for seven consecutive years.

"The facilities at SRSC are awesome," Ng said. "The fields are among the best I've ever used. The courtyard is a great place to hang out and the restrooms are conveniently located. The staff is also wonderful at making sure that everything is ready to go for the weekend which makes my job as an organizer easier."

Rain or shine the games will be able to go on this Saturday and Sunday with pool play beginning on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. The final round of games on Saturday is slated to begin around 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, winners from each pool will compete in bracket-style competition that begins at 9 a.m. The championship game will begin at 1 p.m. with other consolation matches beginning as late as 3 p.m.

Admission is free to all games and the public is encouraged to come join the excitement of ultimate while rooting on their favorite college team.

Following the Commonwealth Cup, SRSC will be hosting the Bassett High School Bengal Bash Preseason Soccer Jamboree on March 4 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

For more information or a full SRSC schedule or schedule of Commonwealth Cup games, please call 276-638-5200, ext. 2, or email hstutz@SmithRiverSportsComplex.com. Also be sure to follow the Smith River Sports Complex on Facebook and Twitter @SmithRiverSport for the latest news around SRSC.

List of Commonwealth Cup Competing Teams

1. University of Maryland
2. University of Virginia
3. MIT
4. University of Delaware
5. University of North Carolina
6. University of Pittsburgh
7. University of North-Carolina Wilmington
8. Penn State University
9. George Mason University
10. College of William & Mary
11. University of Pennsylvania A
12. University of Pennsylvania B
13. University of Virginia B
14. University of North Carolina B
15. Columbia University
16. University of New Hampshire
17. James Madison University
18. Virginia Tech University
19. Case Western Reserve University
20. Boston College
21. Oberlin College
22. Oberlin College B
23. Columbia University B
24. Catholic University of America
25. University of Dayton
26. Wake Forest University
27. Georgetown University
28. Towson University
29. University of Pittsburgh B
30. Princeton University A
31. Virginia Commonwealth University
32. Ohio Wesleyan University