TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (October 13, 2022) - The FCSAA, on Thursday, announced its upcoming Division I Volleyball Tournament will relocate to Melbourne, Fla., where it will be played on the campus of Eastern Florida State College beginning Friday, November 4.

The tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Fort Myers, Fla., on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College, but damage from Hurricane Ian and the College's continuing response to its campus and community prompted college officials to request an alternate location for the three-day event. 

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the residents of Southwest Florida as they rebound from Hurricane Ian, and we're mindful of the impacts on our (FCSAA) member colleges statewide, particularly Florida SouthWestern State College," said Rob Chaney, FCSAA Associate Director & Athletics Commissioner. "To no surprise, multiple colleges were ready to step up and assist with our Division I Volleyball Championships, which was a best-case scenario. That allowed us to weigh all the variables accordingly and ensure that we will still provide a first-class experience for the student-athletes, coaches and fans alike.

"A big thank you to Eastern Florida State College Associate Vice President of Athletics Jeff Carr and the entire Eastern Florida administration for making the Titan Field House available on short notice."

Eastern Florida State College is no stranger to hosting major events - even as a "pinch hitter." In 2020, EFSC hosted the NCAA Division I Cancun Basketball Challenge as a result of travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The week after FCSAA volleyball leaves town, the NJCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament will come to Melbourne for the first time after serving as host for the Division I women's tournament on eight previous occasions. 

"We are excited to be able to step in and host the volleyball tournament this year," Carr said. "Thanks to our president, Dr. James Richey, we have the kind of facilities that make it possible and we can't wait to have some of the best volleyball teams not only in the state but in the nation vying for a spot in the national tournament on our court."

FCSAA Volleyball Chair Stephanie Skidmore, who is the Associate Athletics Director at Indian River State College, has first-hand knowledge of the EFSC campus, having served as head volleyball coach at IRSC for 11 seasons. 

"I would like to extend a special thank you to Eastern Florida State College for hosting our FCSAA Volleyball Tournament," Skidmore said. "We look forward to a competitive event!" 

The only change to the original schedule will be match times on the first two days of the tournament. 

First-round action will get underway at 9 a.m., Friday, November 4 with three more matches to follow at 12 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Day two will feature matches at 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., the last serving as the FCSAA & NJCAA Southeast District A Championship Match, with the winner advancing to the NJCAA Tournament. The loser, meanwhile, will get a second shot to advance to nationals by playing in the NJCAA Southeast District B Championship Match at 1 p.m., Sunday, November 6 against the champion from Regions 10 & 17.

All games will be streamed live. 

For complete information on the tournament, visit the Region 8 website.