Collegiate volleyball athletes will take Grand Rapids by storm over the next two weekends as Calvin College hosts the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship Nov. 19-21 at Van Noord Arena, 3201 Burton SE, in addition to hosting the First Round Regionals of the NCAA tournament Nov. 12-14, which was just announced by the NCAA yesterday.
The championship will showcase the top eight women’s NCAA DIII volleyball teams, which may include West Michigan’s Calvin College and Hope College. Calvin won the conference finals this past weekend with Hope a runner up, and both teams move on among 64 teams to compete in the Regionals for a shot at the final eight.
The NCAA DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship brings together the top eight female volleyball teams from DIII colleges and universities to the three-day tournament. Attendees are projected to book 573 hotel room nights, with an estimated economic impact of $1.2 million for the championship itself – not to mention teams booking hotels in Grand Rapids for this weekend’s Regionals. The championship’s economic impact will be repeated when the event returns to Calvin College in 2017.
“This championship is another example of how Grand Rapids is consistently bidding on and winning major NCAA championships – a testament to our community’s stellar athletic facilities and gracious hospitality,” said Mike Guswiler, president of the West Michigan Sports Commission who submitted the winning bid with co-host Calvin College. “And we are seeing these tournaments return again and again as we anchor multiple tournament years.”
While Calvin College hosted the NCAA DIII Volleyball Championship in 1986, this is the first time for Calvin to host the championship in the 4,800-seat Van Noord Arena, in addition to hosting the Regionals this weekend. Van Noord also played host earlier this year to the NCAA DIII Women’s Basketball Championship. Built in 2009, the arena is home to the Calvin Knights basketball and volleyball teams, featuring five team locker rooms, two visiting team locker rooms, a fitness classroom and fitness center, conference rooms, a hospitality suite, and a state-of-the-art athletic training center.
“We’re thrilled to welcome back the NCAA DIII Volleyball Championship almost 30 years after we first hosted, and we can’t wait to showcase the event in Calvin College’s stunning Van Noord Arena,” said Calvin College Director of Athletics Nancy Meyer. “It is an honor to continuously host national collegiate events like the DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship and the DIII Women’s Basketball Championship earlier this year, highlighting the strength of our athletic facilities.”
DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship in Series of 2015 NCAA Tournaments: The NCAA DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship is the last of four NCAA tournaments hosted in Grand Rapids in 2015 (which will be repeated in 2017) that the West Michigan Sports Commission won in a multi-year, multi-sport bid process. Also this year was the DIII Women’s Basketball Championship March 20-21, DII Women’s Golf Championships May 19-23 and DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 21-23 (hosted in 2014 and again in 2016). The total estimated economic impact of these NCAA sporting events for 2015 is $3.72 million with 4,870 room nights booked – with a cumulative estimated impact of $8.83 million and 13,240 hotel room nights booked when tallying all hosting years.
Ticket and Volunteer Information: Tickets for the NCAA DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship can be purchased online at calvin.edu/offices-services/box-office/, by phone at (616) 526-6282 or in person at the Calvin College Box Office, 3201 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids. Single-day championship tickets can be purchased for $6 for students (ID required) and children, and $8 for adults. An all-sessions pass for multiple days is $15 for students and $20 for adults. Group tickets also are available for groups of 10 or more at $5 per person per day by calling the box office.
Tickets for the Regionals also can be purchased at the Calvin College Box office online, by phone or in person. Single-day tickets are $4 for students and children, and $6 for adults. An all-sessions pass is $10 for students and $12 for adults.
For other championship-related and Grand Rapids visitor information, please visit the NCAA DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship tab at GRChampionshipCity.com or westmisports.com/womens-volleyball-championship.
About the West Michigan Sports Commission: The West Michigan Sports Commission, a non-profit 501 (c) (3), works to identify, secure and host a diverse level of youth and amateur sporting events to make a positive impact on the economy and quality of life in the region. Since its inception in 2007, the WMSC has booked 489 sporting events and tournaments that attracted 650,000 athletes and visitors, generating $190 million in direct visitor spending. For more information, visit westmisports.com and Facebook.com/WestMichiganSportsCommission and follow @WestMiSports.
About NCAA DIII: More than 180,000 student-athletes at 450 institutions make up Division III, the largest NCAA division both in number of participants and schools. The Division III experience offers participation in a competitive athletic environment that pushes student-athletes to excel on the field and build upon their potential by tackling new challenges across campus. Visit ncaa.org/d3 for more information.
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