Turnstone and Visit Fort Wayne will host the 2024 National Wheelchair Basketball Association Women’s and Military Division Wheelchair Basketball National Championships from April 26-28 at the Plassman Athletic Center.
“We are honored to welcome the NWBA to Fort Wayne in 2024 and know that Turnstone Center will deliver an elite experience for athletes and attendees, setting Fort Wayne in the sights of more event organizers of this caliber to bring their tournaments to our community,” said Jazmin Zavala, Visit Fort Wayne sports sales manager.
This is the first time the nationals will take place in Indiana with more than 300 athletes and a total of nearly 800 attendees from the United States expected to visit. Turnstone has previously hosted six NWBA regional tournaments.
“Turnstone and the city of Fort Wayne have created an exceptional environment for elite athletes to showcase their talents,” said Mike Mushett, chief executive officer at Turnstone. “Our community is renowned for its hospitality, and it has embraced adaptive sports with enthusiasm. Witnessing some of the best wheelchair basketball our country has to offer in Turnstone’s Plassman Athletic Center Fieldhouse will be a highlight of the season.”
The 2024 women’s event is set to be the largest women’s wheelchair basketball tournament in the organization’s history. Next April will be the second year the NWBA will crown a national champion in its military division.
Plassman Athletic Center offers 190,000-square feet of adaptive event space and features four full-sized basketball courts. Visit Fort Wayne and Turnstone Center will host the USA Boccia 2023 National Championships, August 3-6 at the Plassman Athletic Center.
“We are thrilled to announce that Women’s & Military Wheelchair Basketball Championships will be held in Fort Wayne in 2024,” said Matt Pierre, NWBA Board of Directors and National Tournaments Evaluation Team member. “The team in Fort Wayne — Visit Fort Wayne and Turnstone — put together an impressive bid and are committed to elevating our championship events to the next level. Coming off our first-ever Military National Championship and our largest Women’s National Championship, we are excited to build upon this momentum and believe our members will love the experience that will be offered.”