ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Southern Conference is heading back to Asheville — this time, for its volleyball championship!
The collegiate athletic conference announced on Wednesday that they, along with Ingles, Explore Asheville, the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission and Harrah’s Cherokee Center, will host the 2024 Ingles SoCon Volleyball Championship in Asheville, at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville on Nov. 21-24.
According to a press release from the Southern Conference, it’s the first time in conference history that the tournament will be hosted exclusively at a neutral location for all teams.
“When the Sports Commission first approached the Southern Conference about the prospects of bringing its volleyball championship to Asheville, we thought it would be a great fit. Now, we know it will be a success in Asheville,” Executive Director of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission Chris Smith said in Wednesday’s release. “Having Ingles as the title sponsor brings instant credibility and partnering with Explore Asheville allows us the opportunity to roll out the red carpet to the SoCon student-athletes and fans. With such an amazing volleyball community already in place, this tournament has tremendous room for growth.”
According to the Southern Conference, Samford is leading all current members in tournament titles with seven. ETSU, Furman and Western Carolina each boast three tournament wins. And, the 2023 champion Wofford, who won the first women’s tournament title in school history last November, “will be looking to repeat in Asheville this season and return to the NCAA Tournament.”
“The SoCon and the city of Asheville have been linked for many years,” Wednesday’s release notes. “The conference was headquartered in Asheville from 1986-2002 and the last 13 SoCon Basketball Championships have been played inside Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville. The basketball tournament was also in Asheville from 1984-95. The volleyball championship will be hosted in Asheville through 2026.”
Tickets for the championship tournament are on sale now. Daily general admission and Courtside Lounge passes are available for $15 and $35, respectively. The Courtside Lounge packages include access to courtside seating and the Courtside Lounge with light complimentary fare from Ingles. You can grab tickets and learn more HERE.