On February 23-24, New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba will welcome the 2008 Big Apple International Indoor Tournament to Riverbank State Park. The tournament annually attracts many of the top men's and women's field hockey teams from the US and Canada. Competition will begin at 8:00am on both days and the women's and men's championship matches will be played on Sunday, February 24 at 4:30pm and 5:00pm, respectively. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

"Field hockey has steadily grown in popularity in New York City due to outstanding events such as the Big Apple International Indoor Tournament," said Commissioner Podziba. "Bringing together the top indoor field hockey teams offers New Yorkers the opportunity to see some of the sport's premier athletes in action."

2007 men's and women's champions RYE FHC and University of Maryland (also the 2005 & 2006 NCAA Div. I Champions) will return to defend their respective Big Apple International Indoor Tournament titles. The University of Maryland women's team is looking to win their third consecutive title and is once again favored to win. The 2008 tournament field was chosen from over 50 applicants. The eight men's teams and 12 women's teams selected comprise the strongest field of participating teams since the inception of the event more than ten years ago.

"We would like to thank Riverbank State Park and its staff, for their continued support and for allowing us the continued use of this world class facility," said Nigel Traverso, Tournament Director.

The tournament, organized by Big Apple Hockey Inc. (BAHF), is sanctioned by the United States Field Hockey Association - the national governing body for the sport of field hockey. For more information about the Big Apple International Indoor Tournament, please visit www.bigapplehockey.com.

BAHF, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization, formed to promote and increase public awareness of the sport of field hockey in the New York and Tri-state areas through visibility and participation. It is the mission of BAHF, Inc. to foster the spirit of competition, exposure, development and participation in the sport of field hockey.

The New York City Sports Commission is the mayoral agency charged with attracting, facilitating and promoting professional, amateur and/or scholastic sports events in New York City. In recent years, the Sports Commission has played a role in creating or developing many sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series™ Champions Week, the BMC Software NYC Cycling Championship, the AVP Brooklyn Open, the NAUTICA NYC Triathlon, the NYC Half-Marathon, Let Freedom Run, the Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race and the Men's Health Urbanathlon.