Continuing a 24-year relationship, Tachikara USA, Inc., has extended its status as The Official Volleyball Supplier of the NAIA under terms of a new five-year agreement effective until December, 2007. The two entities continue to explore new ways to enhance the partnership between the volleyball maker and the 258 member institutions that sponsor women’s volleyball in the NAIA.

Under the designation, Tachikara will become the presenting sponsor of the NAIA Volleyball National Championship All-Tournament Team and Tournament Most Valuable Player. The company will also become the title sponsor of the NAIA Volleyball All-America Teams. In addition, Tachikara will continue to supply NAIA volleyballs and portable ball carts for all NAIA conference, regional and national championship tournaments and retain rights to use NAIA trademarks for promotional and advertising campaigns noting Tachikara’s official status.

Tachikara USA, headquartered in Sparks, Nevada, is recognized worldwide as an innovative leader in advanced methods for design and manufacturing of inflatable athletic balls within the sporting goods industry since 1915. Tachikara products are actively marketed and sold through an extensive nationwide network of sporting goods retailers.

“Through the years our company has admired the NAIA’s integrity in providing student-athletes with a positive environment to pursue academic achievement and athletic excellence,” states Mr. Daniel Burke, President of Tachikara U.S.A., Inc. “We commend the NAIA for its character initiative to promote scholarship, sportsmanship and leadership. We consider it a privilege to be associated with an organization who shares our core values.”

“The relationship between the NAIA and Tachikara has prospered for a quarter of a century,” says NAIA Chief Executive Officer and President Steve Baker. “For a partnership to last this long in today’s market is a testament to the outstanding products and service that Tachikara provides to the NAIA and its member institutions along with the shared philosophies of our organizations.”

Tachikara has been an integral part of every NAIA women’s volleyball championship since the sport was added in 1980. In 2002, National American University (S.D.) completed an undefeated season by claiming its first national championship with a victory over Houston Baptist University (Texas) in the title match. The 2003 Women’s Volleyball National Championship will once again be hosted by Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego California, December 3 – 6.