Closer Look at Schedule

The Keystone Cup teams have been announced. Want to find out who's playing who? Want to make sure you don't miss a thrilling matchup? Need to know when preliminaries end and the elimination round begins? Check out the Keystone Cup schedule! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1--m_bW-fi7zQiCXpOYX2XPcn4XhQ3gdM7XNoA9heQ7g/edit?usp=docslist_api

Tournament Format and Schedule Unveiled

After much anticipation, it is our pleasure to announce the Keystone Cup tournament format and schedule! Crafted by TD Jack "ThePhan" McGovern, the Keystone Cup format is designed to facilitate as much interregional play as possible. With three US Quidditch regions represented, the Keystone Cup is an extremely unique event and deserves an extremely unique format. In addition, McGovern recognizes that teams like Ball State, Bowling Green State University and the University of North Carolina are traveling great distances to gain interregional experience. The Keystone Cup preliminary round will include two groups of four teams.

Black Division
Ball State University
Bowling Green State University
New York University

QC Pittsburgh

Red Division

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
University of Richmond

The Warriors
Villanova Community Quidditch

During the preliminary round, each team in the Red Division will play each team in the Black Division once and vice versa. Red teams will not play other Red teams and Black teams will not play other Black teams during the preliminary round. The preliminary round schedules of each team will be as followed:

Ball State University: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Richmond, The Warriors, Villanova Community Quidditch

Bowling Green State University: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Richmond, The Warriors, Villanova Community Quidditch

New York University: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Richmond, The Warriors, Villanova Community Quidditch

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill: Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, New York University, QC Pittsburgh

QC Pittsburgh: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Richmond, The Warriors, Villanova Community Quidditch

University of Richmond: Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, New York University, QC Pittsburgh

The Warriors: Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, New York University, QC Pittsburgh

Villanova Community Quidditch: Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, New York University, QC Pittsburgh

Following the preliminary round, all eight teams will be ordered in a table using standard US Quidditch tiebreaker procedures. The elimination round will feature the top six teams. The top two teams will get byes. In the quarterfinals, the third seed will play the sixth seed and the fourth seed will play the fifth seed. The winners will advance to the semifinals against the first and second seeds. The first seed will play the team with the lower seed. The winners of the semifinals will advance to the finals for the Keystone Cup championship.

Quarterfinals:

Game 1: 3rd vs. 6th

Game 2: 4th vs. 5th

Semifinals:

Game 3: 1st vs. lower seed

Game 4: 2nd vs. higher seed

Finals:

Game 5: W3 vs. W4

A complete official Keystone Cup game schedule can be found here. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1--m_bW-fi7zQiCXpOYX2XPcn4XhQ3gdM7XNoA9heQ7g/edit?usp=docslist_api

NYU Replaces Michigan State

On September 30th, the Keystone Cup announced that New York University would be replacing Michigan State University in the Keystone Cup lineup.

Photo by Ben Holland

Michigan State could not get enough players to commit to the long drive east. NYU, who is coming off a promising quarterfinalist finish at Turtle Cup IV, will look to make some more noise in Haverford, PA.

Referee and Snitch Coordinators Announced

Today, September 26th, the Keystone Cup welcomed Clay Dockery and Walter Makarucha Jr. to the event team, filling the positions of Referee and Snitch Coordinator.

Dockery, a member of the New York Badassilisks and a long-time member of the officiating community, was instrumental in the writing of US Quidditch's Rulebook Eight.

Photo by Michael E. Mason

Makarucha is known as one of the best snitches in the United States and was recently selected to snitch at the 2014 Global Games in Burnaby, BC.

Keystone Cup Indiegogo Launched

The Keystone Cup launched its official Indiegogo campaign yesterday, September 25th, calling on quidditch fans everywhere to help realize TD Jack "The Phan" McGovern's brainchild. With Keystone Cup wristbands, magnets, stress balls and t-shirts available for purchase, the Keystone Cup is attempting to raise $500 in 20 days. JackThePhan is also offering detailed scouting reports, Skype conferences with captains to discuss strategy and a consultant role at World Cup VIII.

Along with the Indiegogo Campaign, the official Keystone Cup Promo was released. The 30-second video depicts the sun rising over the Keystone Cup fields.

Read more and check out the perks here! The Keystone Cup greatly appreciates all donations! http://igg.me/at/keystonecupquidditch/x/6056376

Become a Keystone Cup Volunteer

Launching the Keystone Cup Volunteer Form! The Keystone Cup needs volunteers to fill positions that require quidditch knowledge. The Keystone Cup will be contested minutes away from Philadelphia in Haverford, PA on October 18th. Expecting to attract young and energetic spectators, volunteering at the Keystone Cup is sure to be a satisfying and unique experience. Apply today! 

Keystone Cup Lineup Complete

Today, September 7th, the final two Keystone Cup teams were announced. QC Pittsburgh and the Warriors accepted invitations to compete in the inaugural Keystone Cup. On September 1st, the University of Richmond was added to the Keystone Cup lineup after the Keystone Cup gained approval to expand from six to eight teams.

Photo by Nicole Harrig

QC Pittsburgh and the University of Richmond are the third and fourth teams from the Mid-Atlantic, while the Warriors are the only team from the Northeast. QC Pittsburgh is also the second team from Pennsylvania.

QC Pittsburgh, The Warriors and the University of Richmond will join Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, Michigan State University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Villanova Community Quidditch in Haverford, PA on Saturday, October 18th.

Midwest Teams Schedule Keystone Cup Trips

On August 25th, Ball State University became the third Midwest team to accept an invitation to the first annual Keystone Cup. Bowling Green State University, the 2013 Midwest Regional Champions, agreed to attend the Keystone Cup on August 5th and Michigan State University followed on August 12th. With an eight-hour road trip between the nation's heartland and the Philadelphia suburbs, the prospect of interregional play is proving to be a great asset for the Keystone Cup.

Photo by Hannah Huddle

"Bowling Green is excited to start off this season with one goal and that is to succeed at World Cup and everything we do from now till then is in order to best prepare us to do that," said Dan Daugherty, BGSU's head captain. "We believe out-of-region play will help us obtain this goal and the Keystone Cup gives us a great opportunity to learn from talented teams outside of the Midwest."

BGSU stunned the quidditch world at World Cup VI, advancing to the Final Four. However, at World Cup VII, the Midwest regressed, only placing one team in the Elite Eight.

Photo by Kat Ignatova

"I think this will be a good early test for three of the Midwest elite," said Alex Scheer, the Midwest Regional Director. "All three World Cup VII qualifiers want to show that the top of the Midwest can't be messed with or taken lightly...If two of these teams meet in the finals, then it will hopefully show the nation that the Midwest is not a sub-par or middle-of-the-road region. This will be a good test"

Four Teams Accepted

Less than a month after the Keystone Cup was officially announced, four teams from two regions have committed to the inaugural tournament in Haverford, PA.

Photo by Isabella Gong

On August 5th, reigning Midwest Regional Champions Bowling Green State University committed to traveling east for the Keystone Cup. Michigan State University accepted a Keystone Cup invitation seven days later. With two representatives from the United States' largest region, the Keystone Cup turned east, adding Villanova Community Quidditch on August 19th and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill on August 24th.

Photo by Kat Ignatova

The Keystone Cup is looking to fill at least two more spots with elite teams. Apply today!

Dallas Joins As Gameplay Director

The Keystone Cup event staff is pleased to welcome Amanda Dallas on board as the Gameplay Director. Dallas, a co-captain of The Warriors, is also Tournament Directing the Oktoberfest Invitational at Hofstra University. As a past and present commissioner of the Big Apple Quidditch Conference, Dallas brings experience, logistical expertise and a commitment to facilitating safe, standardized gameplay.

With the Keystone Cup fast approaching, Dallas has released referee and snitch applications. As one of the top interregional tournaments on the East Coast, the Keystone Cup is dedicated to supplying its teams with the best referees and snitches as possible.

Apply to be a referee! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1X_iGqZNnp1_mmVO_AgPny8pw9Ppr159Erd5y4rh5EeA/viewform?usp=send_form

Apply to be a snitch! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xC6tTLJQwZ8ulJ_bBBjgVtB8Finnr9Yjm1bMYS5HhZo/viewform

Applications Flying In

Only five days after the official Keystone Cup Facebook Events page was launched, the Keystone Cup has already received ten applications from collegiate and community teams in three different regions.

Teams That Applied 
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
The Warriors
New York University
Michigan State University
Villanova Community Quidditch
Lock Haven University
University of Virginia
Bowling Green State University
Rutgers University
Brandeis University

In addition, nineteen teams have expressed interest in attending the inaugural Keystone Cup in Haverford, PA. The Keystone Cup hopes to announce our first team this week! For more information, follow @KeystoneCupQuid on Twitter.

Launch of Facebook Event Page

We are thrilled to announce that the official Keystone Cup Facebook Event launched tonight! Below is the Event Description.

"The Keystone Cup will take place Saturday, October 18th, 2014 at Haverford College on the Lower Featherbed Fields. 

Just a short drive on I-95 from the New York and Washington areas, the Keystone Cup aims to bring competitive quidditch back to a broad audience in the Philadelphia area. The Keystone Cup will consist of 4-6 teams, selected based on skill, talent and spectator-appeal. The tournament's format will be determined with input from the accepted teams. Situated in Haverford, a suburb of Philadelphia, and organized by local high schoolers, the Keystone Cup expects to have a lively, young and exciting atmosphere--ideal and fun for competitive quidditch.

To Apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RAPykfzcAUQKBj6njpBftmG23ta6XQ8SyX_dFj3BYfU/viewform?usp=send_form

DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS SEPT 1. TEAMS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY AFTER.

Entry fee: $60 (Discounts Available)

Payment method and due date are still being decided. Failure to show at the event will not result in a refund of your team's allocated fee. 

Please bring your own broom. If you are interested in purchasing Keystone Cup merchandise, bring cash. Teams are also encouraged to sell merchandise, but the Keystone Cup will retain 20% of revenue. More info will be posted throughout the next few months. If you have any questions, feel free to post on the event wall or message Tournament Director Jack "ThePhan" McGovern.

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Teams That Expressed Interest (in randomized order):
Tufts University
Hofstra Flying Dutchman
Macaulay Marauders
Penn State University
University of Richmond Spiders
Maryland Quidditch
The Warriors
Rutgers Nearly Headless Knights
Quidditch at NYU
Villanova Community Quidditch
Ohio State University

Teams That Applied (in randomized order):

---------------------------
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RAPykfzcAUQKBj6njpBftmG23ta6XQ8SyX_dFj3BYfU/viewform?usp=send_form"

Launch of Twitter Account

The official Keystone Cup Twitter account launched today! Follow us @KeystoneCupQuid for announcements on attending teams, sponsorships and more exciting news.

Welcome!

Welcome to the official blog for the Keystone Cup, a quidditch tournament taking place at Haverford College on Saturday, October 18th, 2014! A Facebook event page and Twitter account will be up and running by the end of the week. We look forward to sharing this journey with you!