Chapel Hill, NC – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) finalized and released the playoff brackets for the 2020-2021 Volleyball Championships. The tournament will have four classifications of play with five playoff rounds each. All classifications will field 32 teams in the tournament.
Play is scheduled to begin with games at the higher seed through the first four rounds. The schedule is beginning with first round contests on January 12, 2021. Second round is scheduled for January 14, the third round is slated for January 16, and the Regional Finals are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, January 19th.
The State Championship Matches will be contested on Saturday, January 23rd at Green Level High School in Wake County. Championship schedule is TBA. Due to the Governor’s Executive Orders limiting the size of mass gatherings, spectator attendance is limited for all rounds.
NFHS Network will carry all four championship matches this year. The Network also will have automated video streams of many
early round contests from member schools equipped with the NFHS Network’s Pixellot system. Schedules can be reviewed at their website.
The NFHS Network is a subscription-based service. Fans can pay $10.99 per month for a monthly, recurring subscription with the ability to cancel at any time. You can find more information on upcoming events and subscriptions by visiting NFHSNetwork.com.
First round pairings are listed below for your convenience and media notes are attached to this email.
1A VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS
EAST
#1 Falls Lake Academy (8-2) vs. #16 Riverside-Martin (1-8)
#8 East Columbus (2-9) vs. #9 Lakewood (10-4)
#5 Princeton (12-0) vs. #12 East Wake Academy (8-1)
#4 Louisburg (8-2) vs. #13 South Creek (7-5)
#3 Pamlico County (11-1) vs. #14 Neuse Charter (8-3)
#6 Cape Hatteras (5-3) vs. #11 Camden County (10-3)
#7 East Carteret (6-0) vs. #10 Northside-Pinetown (10-2)
#2 Perquimans (14-0) vs. #15 Vance Charter (3-3)
WEST
#1 Mountain Island Charter (14-0) vs. #16 Mount Airy (8-5)
#8 Highland Tech (11-0) vs. #9 Community School of Davidson (12-2)
#5 North Stanly (10-1) vs. #12 Rosman (9-2)
#4 Alleghany (12-2) vs. #13 Gray Stone Day (7-3)
#3 Bishop McGuinness (12-1) vs. #14 Christ the King (9-3)
#6 Blue Ridge (10-0) vs. #11 Uwharrie Charter (9-1)
#7 Murphy (13-0) vs. #10 Lincoln Charter (10-3)
#2 Cornerstone Charter (12-0) vs. #15 East Surry (8-1)
2A VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS
EAST
#1 Wheatmore (12-0) vs. #16 Durham School of the Arts (6-2)
#8 Goldsboro (13-0) vs. #9 McMichael (13-1)
#5 Currituck County (9-2) vs. #12 Whiteville (11-1)
#4 Carrboro (10-0) vs. #13 Ayden-Grifton (7-3)
#3 North Lenoir (9-0) vs. #14 Randleman (9-3)
#6 South Granville (10-3) vs. #11 East Duplin (10-3)
#7 St. Pauls (10-2) vs. #10 Croatan (11-0)
#2 Farmville Central (12-1) vs. #15 Midway (9-3)
WEST
#1 R-S Central (12-0) vs. #16 Mount Pleasant (9-4)
#8 Fred T. Foard (14-0) vs. #9 Owen (6-5)
#5 West Stokes (13-0) vs. #12 Oak Grove (9-3)
#4 East Lincoln (10-1) vs. #13 Patton (12-2)
#3 West Wilkes (14-0) vs. #14 Maiden (11-3)
#6 Hendersonville (10-2) vs. #11 Surry Central (10-3)
#7 South Rowan (14-1) vs. #10 South Point (10-2)
#2 West Stanly (9-0) vs. #15 Central Davidson (9-5)
3A VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS
EAST
#1 D.H. Conley (11-1) vs. #16 Terry Sanford (9-2)
#8 Cedar Ridge (8-0) vs. #9 Union Pines (9-2)
#5 Southern Alamance (10-1) vs. #12 Chapel Hill (12-2)
#4 New Hanover (7-5) vs. #13 Harnett Central (8-3)
#3 Clayton (11-0) vs. #14 West Carteret (11-2)
#6 Person (12-2) vs. #11 Southwestern Randolph (11-1)
#7 Jacksonville (11-1) vs. #10 Hunt (10-1)
#2 Gray’s Creek (13-0) vs. #15 J.H. Rose (10-2)
WEST
#1 Watauga (10-1) vs. #16 North Henderson (10-3)
#8 Concord (7-4) vs. #9 West Henderson (9-1)
#5 Western Guilford (13-0) vs. #12 Hickory (9-3)
#4 Cox Mill (14-0) vs. #13 Southwestern Guilford (8-6)
#3 North Iredell (12-0) vs. #14 Weddington (10-4)
#6 Kings Mountain (11-1) vs. #11 Marvin Ridge (10-3)
#7 T.C. Roberson (13-1) vs. #10 Crest (9-2)
#2 Sun Valley (11-1) vs. #15 South Iredell (9-4)
4A VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS
EAST
#1 Pinecrest (14-0) vs. #16 Ashley (9-2)
#8 Broughton (8-3) vs. #9 Holly Springs (11-2)
#5 South Central (8-4) vs. #12 Heritage (9-2)
#4 Hoggard (9-1) vs. #13 Jack Britt (7-5)
#3 South View (7-5) vs. #14 Millbrook (9-4)
#6 Corinth Holders (11-1) vs. #11 Laney (10-4)
#7 Cardinal Gibbons (12-0) vs. #10 Scotland (12-0)
#2 Apex Friendship (13-0) vs. #15 Wake Forest (6-4)
WEST
#1 Northwest Guilford (14-1) vs. #16 Mallard Creek (10-3)
#8 Ardrey Kell (11-3) vs. #9 Porter Ridge (11-3)
#5 Providence (14-0) vs. #12 Jordan (7-2)
#4 McDowell (7-4) vs. #13 Butler (10-4)
#3 Reagan (13-0) vs. #14 Berry Academy (7-4)
#6 Myers Park (14-0) vs. #11 Lake Norman (13-1)
#7 Hough (13-1) vs. #10 Green Level (8-2)
#2 Green Hope (10-0) vs. #15 Davie (9-3)
Spectator Limitations due to Executive Order
The capacity limitation of 25 individuals for all indoor venues will remain in place for the duration of the volleyball championship tournament. Beginning with round 1 and lasting through the regional round, the NCHSAA Board of Directors has approved the following spectator policy:
A maximum of 25 spectators will be allowed from the home team only. No visiting team fans will be allowed. Spirit groups such as cheerleading, dance, & pep bands will not be allowed during any round of the volleyball playoffs. At the state championships, 12 spectators will be allowed
for each participating team.
Match Times
The default match time is 7 p.m. By mutual agreement, a match time of 6 p.m. is permissible without NCHSAA approval. Any match time earlier than 6 p.m. must be approved by the NCHSAA.
For round 3 matches scheduled for Saturday, any mutually agreed upon match time does not require NCHSAA approval. However, on Saturdays, if teams cannot mutually agree, the higher seeded team may choose a starting time between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Should the visiting team have to travel more than 100 miles one way for the contest, the start time must be chosen between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The NCHSAA does permit schools to play earlier than the day listed for a given round, provided there is mutual agreement.
COVID-19 Protocols for Participants
• Teams are still required to perform and complete the daily monitoring form
• Visiting teams must complete their daily monitoring for all individuals in the travel party prior to boarding the bus and leaving for the contest
• To help minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus during the playoffs, each team will be required to provide an attestation form that verifies each player, coach, and staff member is symptom-free and not currently under quarantine
• The form may be found on the volleyball sports page of the NCHSAA website on Monday, January 11
• Additionally, each team shall complete a travel party form that lists the names of team members, coaches, and staff on site for each contest
• The form may be found on the volleyball sports page of the NCHSAA website on Monday, January 11
• If there are any student-athletes on the team who have a Mandatory Mask Requirement Exemption Form, you must inform your opponent prior to the contest
• All mask requirement exemption forms must be on hand for the contest and shared with the opposing team/officials