INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 13, 2014 — The sixth Nastia Liukin Cup will take place on its biggest stage yet, the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 6, 2015. The 2015 event, started in 2010 by 2008 Olympic all-around gold-medalist Nastia Liukin, is special: not only is it being held at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, but the 2015 Nastia Liukin Cup Series also features more invitationals than ever before and the Dallas area is Liukin’s hometown.

“Staging the Nastia Liukin Cup in Dallas, my hometown, means a lot,” Liukin said. “To have it happen in the great venue where the Cowboys play is incredible. What an awesome experience it will be for the young women competing in this year’s Cup. I am very gratified by how the Nastia Liukin Cup has grown and the unique competitive opportunity it provides the participants. The event’s proceeds benefit the Nastia Liukin Foundation, which provides support to aspiring girls.”

The AT&T Stadium will host both the Nastia Liukin Cup and, on the following day, the 2015 AT&T American Cup, an International Gymnastics Federation World Cup event, which features some of the world’s biggest names in gymnastics.

The 36 participants in the Nastia Liukin Cup are selected through the Nastia Liukin Cup Series, which features 25 of the country’s top gymnastics invitationals held throughout the United States. The Nastia Liukin Cup Series kicks off on Jan. 9, with two invitationals, and the final Nastia Liukin Cup qualifiers will be determined at six invitationals held just three weeks before the Nastia Liukin Cup. The invitationals participating in the Cup Series are listed below with the number of qualifiers in parentheses.

• Atlanta Crown, Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 9-11 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• Legacy Elite Winter Classic, Chicago, Ill., Jan. 9-11 (1 Sr.)
• Brestyan’s Invitational, Medford, Mass., Jan. 16-18 (1 Jr.)
• CGA Spectacular, Covington, Ky., Jan. 16-18 (1 Jr.)
• Lady Luck Invitational, Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 16-18 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• Star Struck Invitational, Atlantic City, N.J., Jan. 16-18 (1 Sr.)
• Tampa Bay Turners Invitational, Bradenton, Fla., Jan. 16-18 (1 Sr.)
• Texas Prime Meet, Irving, Texas, Jan. 16-18 (1 Jr.)
• Sand Dollar Invitational, Orlando, Fla., Jan. 23-25 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.) 
• Chow’s Challenge, Galveston, Texas, Jan. 30-Feb.1 (1 Sr.)
• Circle of Stars, Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 30-Feb.1 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• Metroplex Challenge, Fort Worth, Texas, Jan. 30-Feb.1 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• Wisconsin Dells Gymnastics Vacation Classic, Wisconsin Dells, Wis., Jan. 30-Feb.1 (1 Sr.)
• Buckeye Classic, Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 6-8 (1 Jr.)
• Charity Choice Invitational, Tacoma, Wash., Feb. 6-8 (1 Sr.)
• Fiesta Bowl Gymnastics Meet, Chandler, Ariz., Feb. 6-8 (1 Jr.)
• Gliders Invitational, Ontario, Calif., Feb. 6-8 (1 Jr.)
• Greensboro Gymnastics Invitational, Greensboro, N.C., Feb. 6-8 (1 Sr.)
• Pikes Peak Cup, Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 6-8 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• Classic Rock Invitational, Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 13-15 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• IGI Chicago Style Meet, Chicago, Ill., Feb. 13-15 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• Excalibur Cup, Virginia Beach, Va., Feb. 13-15 (1 Sr.)
• Magical Classic Gymnastics Meet, Orlando, Fla., Feb. 13-15 (1 Jr.)
• Presidential Classic, Orlando, Fla., Feb. 13-15 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)
• WOGA Classic, Frisco, Texas, Feb. 13-15 (1 Jr., 1 Sr.)

A total of 18 junior and 18 senior gymnasts will advance to the Nastia Liukin Cup. Senior athletes must be 16 years of age or older, and junior athletes must be 15 or younger.

Gymnasts who compete in the Nastia Liukin Cup will receive a Nastia Liukin-designed leotard and a warm-up from GK Elite; two tickets to the American Cup and recognition during the event; and the opportunity to meet Liukin and participate in a team photo.

Tickets for the Nastia Liukin Cup are currently available through gymnastics clubs participating in the AT&T American Cup discount ticket program, and will go on sale to the general public after the first of the year. For more information on tickets, please go nastialiukincup.com.

A portion of the proceeds from the Nastia Liukin Cup benefits the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund in partnership with the National Gymnastics Foundation (www.usagym.org/foundation).

Background information

• Nastia Liukin. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Liukin’s total of five medals tied the U.S. gymnastics record for most medals in one Olympic Games, held by Mary Lou Retton (1984) and Shannon Miller (1992). Liukin’s Olympic medals are: gold – all-around; silver – team, balance beam and uneven bars; and bronze – floor exercise. Liukin was the third of four U.S. women to win the Olympic all-around crown. She also won nine World medals in her career. Liukin has graced many magazine covers and appeared on various shows, including “Gossip Girl,” “Make It or Break It,” and the feature film, “Stick It.” Liukin is now attending New York University in New York City, studying sports management. Also, Liukin currently serves as a gymnastics analyst for NBC Sports and was a special contributor during NBC’s coverage of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In 2012, she was a member of the creative team and a cast member for the Kellogg’s Tour of Olympic Champions, a national, 40-city tour that followed the 2012 Olympic Games. Liukin was coached by her father, Valeri, who has four Olympic medals from 1988 including two gold.

• AT&T American Cup. The 2015 AT&T American Cup, a FIG World Cup event, is one of the most prestigious international invitational events and features an all-around format. The list of former champions comprises some of the sport’s best-known names, including Jordyn Wieber, Nastia Liukin, Jonathan Horton, Bart Conner, Paul Hamm, Shawn Johnson, Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson, Mary Lou Retton and Peter Vidmar. For more information, go to attamericancup.com.

• AT&T Stadium. AT&T Stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. In 2014 it will be home to the NCAA Men’s Final Four and in 2015 the inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights and other special events. For more information, go to http://stadium.dallascowboys.com.