IHSAA OKs New VB Postseason Format
December 16, 2016 at 4:29 p.m.
IHSAA OKs New VB Postseason Format
By Staff Report-
Beginning in 2017, the tournament will growto a four-week format by starting the sectional a week earlier than in previous years and eliminating the mid-week regional which caused school-night travel issues for many teams in parts of Indiana.
The sectional tournaments will continue in a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday format (Oct. 10, 12 and 14 next fall). The secctional winners will now advance to a four-team regional, scheduled for Oct. 21, which will three days earlier than the Tuesday regionals in recent years.
Semi-state tournaments will be Oct. 28, and will be a one-match affair for each team, using a doubleheader setup, with winners advancing to its respective state championship Nov. 4.
The changes originated during a meeting two years ago with the IHSAA Advisory committee of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. An ensuing survey conducted in the spring of 2016 showed 76.6 percent of athletic directors and 66.5 percent of volleyball coaches supported the change.
The new format does not reduce the number of contests that may be played during the regular season (25 matches plus two tournaments) and will miooro what is currently used in the girls and boys basketball and baseball tournaments.
An additional benefit of beginning a week earlier will be the operlap of volleyball and girls basketball seasons will be cut in half. With the change, only 64 schools will still be playing volleyball when girls basketball begins practice.
Beginning in 2017, the tournament will growto a four-week format by starting the sectional a week earlier than in previous years and eliminating the mid-week regional which caused school-night travel issues for many teams in parts of Indiana.
The sectional tournaments will continue in a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday format (Oct. 10, 12 and 14 next fall). The secctional winners will now advance to a four-team regional, scheduled for Oct. 21, which will three days earlier than the Tuesday regionals in recent years.
Semi-state tournaments will be Oct. 28, and will be a one-match affair for each team, using a doubleheader setup, with winners advancing to its respective state championship Nov. 4.
The changes originated during a meeting two years ago with the IHSAA Advisory committee of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. An ensuing survey conducted in the spring of 2016 showed 76.6 percent of athletic directors and 66.5 percent of volleyball coaches supported the change.
The new format does not reduce the number of contests that may be played during the regular season (25 matches plus two tournaments) and will miooro what is currently used in the girls and boys basketball and baseball tournaments.
An additional benefit of beginning a week earlier will be the operlap of volleyball and girls basketball seasons will be cut in half. With the change, only 64 schools will still be playing volleyball when girls basketball begins practice.
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