The first annual City of Oaks Challenge, a three-day junior girls' volleyball tournament, was held this past weekend at the Raleigh Convention Center [RCC]. Teams from across North Carolina and from as far away as Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia attended the event which was played on twenty [20] regulation courts assembled in the RCC exhibit hall. The field of 144 teams competed in six different age divisions ranging from 12 and under to 18's.

In addition to the over 1700 student-athletes and coaches participating in the event, the City of Oaks Challenge attracted nearly 4000 spectators. According to estimates from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau the event should generate over $700,000 in economic impact for the downtown area.  

"Raleigh has become quite an attractive destination for events such as City of Oaks Challenge" stated Triangle's Executive Director Sherry Fadool. "The combination of the increasing competitiveness of North Carolina junior volleyball, the beautiful convention center and thriving downtown area, and the hospitality of our city are keys to why teams love coming to Raleigh. The event was very positively received and we expect to be ale to grow the event in 2017 to twenty-five [25] courts, maxing out the exhibit hall space of the RCC."  

The division champions and finalists for each division area:

12 & under: Champion-ECJVC 12 Black [Greenville, NC]; Finalist-Triangle 12 Blue
13 & under: Champion-Triangle 13 Black; Finalist-ECJVC 13 Black
14 & under: Champion-Triangle 14 Black; Finalist-Carolina One 14 Elite Greenville [SC] 15 & under: Champion-Triangle 15 Black; Finalist-Beach Elite 15B Adidas [Virginia Beach] 16 & under: Champion-Triangle 16 Black; Finalist-ECJVC 16 Black [Greenville, NC]
17/18 & under: Champion-Triangle 17 Black; Finalist-Triangle 18 Black  

The City of Oaks Challenge is hosted by Triangle Volleyball Club and is the second major event the club has brought to downtown Raleigh. The Mid-Atlantic Power League event [MAPL Raleigh] is held annually in March. MAPL Raleigh debuted in 2009 and features elite level teams from along the eastern seaboard.