Iowa high school state volleyball tournament has a new home at Xtream Arena

Matt Levins, The Hawk Eye
·4 min read
A general view as the Iowa Hawkeyes host Iowa State Cyclones during a Cy-Hawk Series NCAA college volleyball match, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
A general view as the Iowa Hawkeyes host Iowa State Cyclones during a Cy-Hawk Series NCAA college volleyball match, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.

The Iowa state volleyball tournament has called the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids home since 1991, when it moved their after a long stint at various high schools.

When the 2022 state volleyball tournament rolls around, it will be in a new venue for the first time since 1991, when it moved to Cedar Rapids.

The Board of Directors of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union approved Xtream Arena in Coralville as the new home of the Iowa Girls State Volleyball Tournament beginning in 2022.

“We are excited to bring the State Volleyball Tournament to Xtream Arena and Coralville,” said IGHSAU Executive Director Jean Berger. “Xtream Arena is the premier volleyball venue in Iowa. We look forward to our partnership with the staffs at the Arena and Think Iowa City.”

Ankeny's Trever Anderson, left, wrestles DeKalb's Danny Aranda at 120 pounds during the finals of the Dan Gable Donnybrook high school wrestling tournament, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
Ankeny's Trever Anderson, left, wrestles DeKalb's Danny Aranda at 120 pounds during the finals of the Dan Gable Donnybrook high school wrestling tournament, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.

Xtream Arena opened in September of 2020. The arena has a capacity of 5,100 spectators, plus additional floor seating and is connected to the five court 53,000-square foot GreenState Family Fieldhouse that is accessible from the event level. The facility has two high-definition video boards, a 360-degree ribbon board, LED lighting along with 12 suites and a 180 person club suite. The arena is home to the University of Iowa volleyball team, as well as the Iowa Heartlanders ECHL hockey team.

“We are incredibly honored by the opportunity to host the IGHSAU Girls State Volleyball Championships,” said Josh Schamberger, President of Think Iowa City and Iowa City Area Sports Commission. “We know that we have very big shoes to fill with the standard that has been set for the past 31 years by Cedar Rapids. We are excited by that challenge and deeply appreciative of the confidence Director Berger and her board have placed in us.”

Xtream Arena is only the second venue the Iowa State Volleyball Tournament will call home since the sport was sanctioned by the IGHSAU in 1973. The Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids has hosted the state tournament since 1991. Prior to that, the tournament was hosted by various high schools across the state.

It will be a change of venue that is drawing mixed reviews from coaches.

A general view during a Class 5A state volleyball semifinal match, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
A general view during a Class 5A state volleyball semifinal match, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Holy Trinity head coach Melissa Freesmeier has taken teams to the state tournament 19 timers in her career, 14 at Holy Trinity. She was an assistant coach at Marquette when the Warriors won the state title in 1991, the first year at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse. She coached Marquette to a state championship in 1996 and led Holy Trinity to a state championship in 2014.

Freesmeier knows the Alliant Energy PowerHouse like the back of her hand. While she said she will miss the old venue, she is looking forward to seeing how things work at Xtream Arena.

"I was shocked that they made the move because Cedar Rapids it has been there so long and they did a great job with it," Freesmeier said. "It will be exciting. We went to the Iowa-Illinois volleyball match there this fall and it is a really nice facility. I'm looking forward to the change. The same people will be running the tournament, so it will be run well. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union will do us right. They always have."

West Burlington head coach Maureen Heath, who took New London to eight state tournaments and led Burlington to its only state tournament appearance in 1995, also is looking forward to the new venue.

"I really didn't think they would change it, but I think it's awesome. I like Iowa City. Plus, it's a half-hour closer," Heath said. "I was really kind of shocked because they kept it in Cedar Rapids during the two years when they moved it to the Ice Arena."

Xtream Arena offers a modern, state-of-the-art facility, closer seating and a wealth of restaurants and hotels nearby for teams and fans.

The drawbacks include fewer seats — Xtream Arena seats 5,100 people, 1,800 fewer than Alliant Energy PowerHouse — and parking is limited at Xtream Arena.

"It's a smaller arena, but the fans are closer, right on top of the action," Freesmeier said. "I think it will be okay. The girls union always puts on a good show. I an excited about the change."

"It will be aligned with the University of Iowa, which also uses the arena, so that will be nice," Heath said. "Parking can be an issue, but people will figure that out, just like they did at Cedar Rapids. And there are a lot of restaurants and hotels nearby, which is really nice. One year at Cedar Rapids we had to stay clear our by the airport. I think this is a very exciting move. I'm looking forward to it."

This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Coralville's Xtream Arena to host Iowa state volleyball tournament