One of the largest single collegiate sporting events in the nation returned to the Hammond Sportsplex on Friday, as the facility hosted the annual Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover Tournament for the third year in a row.
Featuring 36 NCAA Division II teams and nearly 650 athletes from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), Great Lake Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), and the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), the tournament has called the Hammond Sportsplex home since 2021 – when the city defeated bids from other communities including Indianapolis for rights to host the event.
“We’re super excited that they’re back,” said Kymberli Roberts, general manager of the Sportsplex. “Every year we’ve hosted it, the tournament’s gotten bigger. It’s always run smoothly, and that shows the work that all three conferences, the South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority (CVA), and we the Sportsplex do. It’s just good teamwork all around.”
The Sportsplex’s large gym suits the event – allowing six matches to be played at once. Things got loud quickly when matches got underway – with teams playing opponents they rarely meet outside of the post-season.
“These teams play each other when they reach the NCAA tournament, so getting them together mid-season to duke it out on the court is a really special experience,” said Katie Gilhooly, director of Digital Media and Communications for G-MAC.
“It’s the only time when the players get to actually cheer on the other teams in their conference, because they never actually play against them in this tournament. You get pretty prideful about what conference you’re in.”
Gilhooly noted that while the quality of the facilities plays a key role in hosting at the Sportsplex each year – the reason for their decision runs much deeper than that.
“What makes it even greater is the people here, like Megan Goodan and the South Shore CVA,” she said. “All of them have been more than willing to help us when it comes to hospitality and making sure our student-athletes are taken care of. I think the experience that we and our student-athletes have had has really exceeded our expectations.”
Goodan, South Shore CVA’s chief sports and leisure officer, noted the strength of their partnership with the conferences. The GLVC and G-MAC are also set to host America’s Crossroads Bowl in Hammond on December 1 at Hammond Central High School – one of just three sanctioned NCAA Division II Bowl Games.
“I told them this week that they’re an extension of our South Shore family at this point,” Goodan said. “Having these first-class facilities here in Hammond has really helped put the Region on the map in terms of collegiate sports. With this tournament, the city is inundated with fans, friends, and family traveling from across the Midwest. It’s exciting to see.”
The Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover Tournament resumes at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with tickets being sold at the gate.
To learn more, visit southshorecva.com/mw-region-volleyball-crossover-tournament.
