MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Elite athletes from across the globe will converge in South Florida for the World University Netball Championship to be hosted by St. Thomas University, Wednesday, July 13 - Sunday, July 17 at the Fernandez Family Center.

Netball is a recognized Olympic sport currently played by 20 million people in over 70 countries around the globe. Netball is a fast game based on the principles of basketball except there is no backboard, no dribbling and the 14 on-court players have just three seconds to pass the ball.

The Opening Ceremony commences Tuesday, July 12 at 2 p.m. on the STU campus with the welcoming of teams representing South Africa, Nambia, the United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Uganda, Australia, and the University of Worcester. The teams consist of 100% female college athletes, ages from 17 to 28.

Action begins on Wednesday, July 13 at 10 a.m. with the opening match between South Africa and the United States.  Group play continues through Thursday, July 14 leading up to Friday's quarterfinals. The semifinals will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 16 and the finals will start at 9 a.m. on Sunday, July 17. The Closing Ceremony, including the awarding of medals, will follow the end of Sunday's finals. All matches will take place at the Fernandez Family Center and admission is free for local Florida residents with a form of identification. Media coverage will be provided by Eurosport, a pan-European television sports network, and a free Livestream of the event will be offered by Vamos Deportes en Vivo. Additional information can be found at WorldUniNetball.com, Facebook.com/NetballWorldUniversityChampionship, and @wunc2016.

Watch the official championship promo video.