COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The USA Field Hockey women's national team will host the world's top three teams in the AstroTurf March on Madrid Four Nation Tournament, Aug. 17-20 at the University of Maryland's Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex in College Park, beforing heading back to the Olympic Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va., Aug. 21-27.

The USA Tournament begins at the University of Maryland with first round games taking place Aug. 17-20. Admission to the tournament is $5 per day for adults and $3 per day for youth ages 12-18. Admission is free for USA Field Hockey members with proof of membership and children under the age of 12. Tickets can be purchased at the gate of the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.

The world's top ranked team, The Netherlands earned the silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games and captured top honors at the Champions Trophy competition in late 2005. Argentina is the defending world champion and earned the bronze medal at the Athens Olympic Games while Australia placed second at the 2005 Champions Trophy and won the Olympic gold medal in 1996 and 2000.

In a prelude to this fall's women's World Cup, the double round-robin tournament features No. 1-ranked The Netherlands, No. 2-ranked Argentina and No. 3-ranked Australia as well as the 12th-ranked USA. Four former Terrapins are current members of the American squad, including Lauren Powley, a member of last year's 2005 NCAA Championship team. The tournament will serve as a final tune-up for next month's World Cup as as all four squads head to the world championship event Sept. 27-Oct. 8, 2006 in Madrid, Spain.

The tournament brings the world's top-ranked teams to the United States for the first time since the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Australia captured the gold medal at the 1996 Games while The Netherlands earned the bronze medal. The USA placed fifth and Argentina placed seventh in Atlanta.

The teams will then travel down to Virginia Beach for the second round of play Aug. 23-26. The tournament concludes with the consolation and championship matches on Aug. 27 in Virginia Beach.

The tournament comes at the two-year out "Countdown to Beijing" and the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games. The Games of the XXIX Olympiad will take place Aug. 8-24, 2008 in Beijing with 28 sports and 302 events. The 2008 Olympic Games will also include two additional women's field hockey teams raising the Olympic field from 10 to 12 teams.

For more information, log onto www.usfieldhockey.com.