ORLANDO, Fla. – (July 10, 2019) The 46^th Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior National Volleyball Championships, hosted at the Orange County Convention Center, welcomed 45,000 participants and 2,805 teams from around the world on June 16-28, 2019. The 12-day event boasted an attendance of more than 110,000 guests and is recognized as the world’s largest volleyball event and competition.

Headquartered in Orlando, AAU is dedicated to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs, while setting the standard for amateur sports in the United States. Locally, the organization hosts many prominent events across all sports, including football, basketball, baseball, track and field, and many others. This year, the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championship games were live streamed through Ballertv.com and select championship matches via WATCHESPN.

“Thanks to the tremendous relationships we have built throughout Central Florida, including the Orange County Convention Center, Walt Disney World Resort and Visit Orlando, this experience has become one of the best events in the world, at the best vacation destination in the world,” said Dr. Roger J. Goudy, President/CEO of the AAU. “We are thrilled to welcome thousands of athletes and their families each year to take part in this opportunity of a lifetime, not only for just the athlete but their families as well.”

Orange County’s senior leadership and Convention Center executives are pleased with AAU’s continued success in Orlando and the more than $108 million economic impact the tournament brings to the community.

“We appreciate the strong partnership between the Amateur Athletic Union and the Orange County Convention Center,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “This collaboration has enhanced this event to become the largest volleyball tournament in the world. I am proud that we can continue to be a premier destination for the AAU to host its events.”

AAU is contracted to return to the Orange County Convention Center through 2020.

“We’re thrilled to welcome back AAU and the Junior National Volleyball Championships,” said Jessie Allen, the Center’s Interim Executive Director. “When it comes to combining youth sports with an unforgettable experience, no one does it better than The Center of Hospitality.”

Additionally, as part of the AAU Cares initiative, AAU partnered with the Side-Out Foundation to raise money for breast cancer research. For the third year, the Junior National Volleyball Championships was an official Dig Pink Dig-A-Thon location and event participants were encouraged to wear pink.

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About Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
The AAU was founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in amateur sports. During its early years, the AAU served as a leader in international sport representing the U.S. in the international sports federations. After the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU has focused its efforts into providing sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the grass roots level. The philosophy of "Sports for All, Forever," is shared by nearly 700,000 participants and over 150,000 volunteers.

About the Orange County Convention Center
The Orange County Convention Center is the second-largest convention facility in North America and provides approximately $3 billion in economic impact to Central Florida annually. In recent years, the Convention Center has averaged nearly 200 events, including 115 conventions and tradeshows that attract more than 1.5 million attendees to the region each year. For more information about the Orange County Convention Center, visit www.occc.net.