Ponte Vedra will play in the GEICO Girls Volleyball Invitational on ESPN next month

Chris Vinel, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·1 min read

Ponte Vedra volleyball is going national.

On Oct. 7-8, the Sharks will play in the second-annual GEICO Girls Volleyball Invitational in Papillion, Nebraska. The tournament includes four “elite” programs from across the country and will air on ESPNU and ESPN+, according to a press release from the network Wednesday.

The other three teams are Papillion La Vista South (Nebraska), Skyview (Idaho) and Cathedral Catholic (California).

“Everybody is over-the-moon excited,” the Sharks’ first-year head coach John Goings told the News-Journal.

Ponte Vedra's Chelsea Sutton (12) challenges for a ball at the net during last year's Class 6A state championship match. Sutton, who recently signed to play college volleyball at Tennessee, is one of the Sharks' four commits.
Ponte Vedra's Chelsea Sutton (12) challenges for a ball at the net during last year's Class 6A state championship match. Sutton, who recently signed to play college volleyball at Tennessee, is one of the Sharks' four commits.

Early-season volleyball storylines: New coaches, new schools and greater expectations

Football power rankings: Tocoi Creek cracks poll for 1st time ever

Organizers of the event first reached out to Goings and Ponte Vedra Athletic Director Michael Harrison three months ago. But Goings told only a few people before all the details were confirmed.

“And they were sworn to secrecy,” Goings said.

The Sharks will face Cathedral Catholic, who rosters seven Division I college commits, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7. They’ll compete in either the championship or third-place match the following evening.

Ponte Vedra finished as Florida’s 6A runner-up at 29-2 last year but has won three state titles since 2017. It holds a 5-3 record so far this season and already appeared in one major tournament outside the area. The Sharks went 3-3 in the Nike Tournament of Champions in Wesley Chapel, Florida, last weekend.

They have four college commits — Zeta Washington (Cincinnati), Jessica Shattles (New Hampshire), Ava-Grace Redick (College of Charleston) and Chelsea Sutton (Tennessee).

“The girls have been working hard in the gym,” Goings said. “We’re striving for excellence and heading that way.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school volleyball: Ponte Vedra to play in tournament on ESPN