The Executive Committee of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. unanimously approved a format change this morning to future volleyball state tournaments.
By a 17‐0 vote and beginning next season (2017), the tournament will grow to 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 the state.
The sectional tournaments will continue as a Tuesday‐Thursday‐Saturday format and will be set for Oct. 10, 12 and 14, 2017. The winner of each sectional will now advance to a four‐team regional the following Saturday (Oct. 21, 2017) and three days earlier than the Tuesday night format used in recent years. The semi‐state tournaments on Oct. 28, 2017 will become a one‐match affair for each team using a double‐header setup with the winner of each match advancing to its respective state championship on Nov. 4, 2017.
The changes originated during a meeting two years ago with the IHSAA Advisory Committee of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (IIAAA). An ensuing survey conducted last spring showed 76.6% of athletics directors and 66.5% 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 mirror what is currently used in the girls and boys basketball and baseball tournaments.
An additional benefit of beginning one week earlier would be that the overlap of the volleyball and girls basketball seasons will now be cut in half. With this change, only 64 schools would still be playing volleyball when the first day of girls basketball practice begins on Monday of Week 16. Last year, girls basketball practice began the same week as volleyball sectional tournaments.
Round Format Sectional Retains format of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday but one week earlier played during Week 15 (Oct. 10, 12, 14, 2017).
Regional Four teams per regional site on Saturday of Week 16 (Oct. 21, 2017).
Semi‐State Two teams per class at each of four sites (doubleheader) played Saturday of Week 17 (Oct. 28, 2017) *Semi‐State sites determined after conclusion of regionals.
State Finals Retains format played on Saturday of Week 18 (Nov. 4, 2017).