Henrico’s upcoming 115,000-sqft Sports & Event Center will see over 1,100 athletes completing for sports glory around this time next year. The National Wheelchair Basketball Championships will take place there in early April 2024.
Richmond Region Tourism, the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, and local organization Sportable collaborated to bring the tournament to the River City. Games will take place for the adult and junior divisions of the league over the first two weekends of April.
The Sports & Event Center is set to open this September. According to county documents, it’ll have room for 12 basketball courts — or 24 volleyball courts — and an arena with stadium seating. The development is designed to support the growing market of sports tourism in the region.
Wheelchair basketball became a sport thanks to World War II veterans, who started playing the game in VA hospitals. Since the 1940s, it has become one of the most popular sports for disabled athletes. The NWBA has over 200 teams and the national program competes at the Paralympic Games and World Championships.
Next year, all eyes will be on Richmond as 96 teams converge to play for each Adult and Junior Division title. The first weekend — April 5-7 — will the Varsity and Prep level competitions; the three Adult Division tournaments will take place the following weekend, April 12-14.
Eager to get involved? You can cheer on Richmond’s own Rim Riders wheelchair basketball team as they compete in this year’s tournament in Wichita, KS. The Division II team is currently ranked 14th in the country and has been balling since 1981.
