Louisville to Again Host National Wheelchair Basketball Association National Championship Tournaments
The 66th National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) National Tournament will be held in Louisville, Ky., April 4-6. This is the second time Louisville has hosted the NWBA sporting event, in which more than 1,000 athletes and 300 coaches representing 82 teams from across the country will compete.
Divisions competing include Championship Division, Division III, Junior Prep Division and Junior 10’ Division (NIT and Varsity). The Championship Division and Division III consist of adults, including co-ed teams. The Junior 10’ Division (NIT and Varsity) features high school and middle school athletes, and Junior Prep Division features middle school and grade school athletes.
Division game times are as follows; all games will be played at Kentucky Expo Center, South Wing.
April 3 – 5, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Adult men and coed playoff games. Junior Division playoff games
April 5, 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Junior Division Championships
(Junior- NIT, Junior- Varsity, Junior Prep Divisions)
April 6, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Adult Championships
• 9 a.m. – Division III
• 11 a.m. – Women’s Division
• 1 p.m. – Championship Division
New this year is an Armed Services Salute Game on Friday, April 4, at 12 p.m. The game will feature individuals from Fort Knox and Fort Campbell who were injured in the line of duty. Other participants include Wounded Warriors, NWBA players who are veterans and current and former National Team Players.
A celebrity wheelchair basketball game will also be held on April 4, at 1 p.m. It will feature Paralympic athletes and include the following local VIPs and celebrities:
‒ Cleo Battle, Executive Vice President, Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau
‒ Dawne Gee, WAVE-3 Evening News Anchor and WAVE Country Host
‒ Angie Fenton, Entertainment Correspondent, WHAS-11’s “Great Day Live!”
‒ Chip Heuser, Heuser Health / elite pole vaulter
‒ Will Heuser, Heuser Clinic / TV personality, Big Brother 14
‒ Tom Lane, WDRB Sports Anchor
‒ Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director, Department of Public Health and Wellness
‒ Jeff Ramsey, Lite 106.9
‒ Eddie Ray, New Country Q103.1
‒ Karl Schmitt, Executive Director, Louisville Sports Commission
‒ Kent Spencer, WHAS-11 Sports Anchor
‒ Kent Taylor, WAVE-3 Sports Anchor
Tickets are $5 per day, or $15 for the entire tournament and can be purchased at the door.
Local sponsors of the event include Frazier Rehab Institute, KentuckyOne Health, Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau, Louisville Sport Commission and Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation.