Triple Crown Volleyball returns to Salt Lake City with West Coast Invitational

In a return to the setting where Triple Crown Sports first took the club volleyball community by storm, TCS will roll out the West Coast Invitational, slated for June 4-6, 2021 at the Salt Palace Convention Center.
 
Tournament officials expect nearly 200 teams in age groups ranging from 12u through 18u to attend; this is a debut event for Triple Crown, but the seeds were planted during the run of the Triple Crown NIT, which was held in Salt Lake City for five years and developed into one of the largest and most respected club events on the schedule. Highly regarded teams and programs from around the Midwest and Western USA will be attendance at the West Coast Invite.
 
Another key piece of the event’s appeal is the return of Division I coaches to the recruiting process. Beginning in June, the NCAA lifted its restrictions on allowing D-I programs to recruit on site, and the West Coast Invite will have almost 80 D-I programs on the ground at the Convention Center along with 30 NCAA D-II, D-III, NAIA and JUCO programs.
 
“The West Coast Invitational is fortunate to have many familiar club programs and faces who helped make the TC NIT such a successful and meaningful event as it matured in Salt Lake City,” said event director Zach Colston. “We are especially thrilled to be back in Utah just as many college coaches are allowed back on the recruiting trail. Helping young athletes make progress to the next level, and helping college volleyball prepare for its future, are particular points of pride for all of us at Triple Crown.”
 
As part of the West Coast Invitational, there are two days featuring presentations by Geoff Carlston, former head coach of women’s volleyball at Ohio State, from his Epic Journey Leadership program. He will speak on Thursday, June 3 as well as Sunday, June 5 at the Convention Center; sessions will focus on tools for families and athletes, with another directed at club coaches.
 
According to the Utah Sports Commission, the state-wide organization tasked with attracting key sporting events to Utah, the competition will generate an estimated $3.8 million for the local tourism industry, a sector of the economy hit hard by the pandemic.
 
“We are excited to welcome Triple Crown back to Utah,” said Utah Sports Commission President and CEO Jeff Robbins. "There is a rich legacy of elite level volleyball events taking place in Utah: The State of Sport"
 
Follow the schedule and other event news at triplecrownvolleyball.com or on Twitter @TCVolleyballNIT.