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Article Rich

Tampa Bay will not only host the penultimate event in volleyball but will also usher in the 2023 NCAA volleyball season with a prestigious event featuring some of the nation’s most powerful programs. The Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational — featuring the Florida Gators, Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the host institution USF Bulls — is set for Aug. 25-26 at Amalie Arena and USF’s Yuengling Center.


 

ABOUT

The Gators, under Coach Mary Wise (920-126 in 32 UF seasons), have been well-established as one of the nation’s most accomplished programs for three decades. Wise, a 13-time SEC Coach of the Year and three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year has taken the Gators to eight NCAA Final Four appearances and 24 SEC regular-season titles. The Gators (25-6) reached the NCAA region semifinals in 2022.

The Nittany Lions are the nation’s only program to play in each NCAA Volleyball Tournament (42 straight). Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, a former Penn State player who just finished her first season (26-8, NCAA region semifinalist) heading the program, oversees an unmatched tradition that includes seven national titles, 17 Big Ten Conference championships, a 108-35 record in NCAA Tournament play and four National Players of the Year.

The Yellow Jackets are led by Coach Michelle Collier, a USF Athletics Hall of Famer who helped the Bulls to a 120-48 record from 1998-2002, three NCAA Tournament appearances and a designation as Conference USA Player of the Decade. Collier, a USF assistant in 2008-09, began her head coaching career at Jacksonville, then shifted in 2014 to Georgia Tech. She led the Yellow Jackets to an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearance and a 26-6 mark in 2021. The Yellow Jackets were 21-8 (13-5 ACC) in 2022, when they reached the NCAA Tournament’s second round. In 2019, the Yellow Jackets finished 26-8 and won the National Invitation Volleyball Championship (NIVC) tournament.

The Bulls are led by Coach Jolene Shepardson, a former player at USF and the University of Tampa who engineered dramatic turnarounds during her head-coaching career at San Jose State and Cal State Bakersfield. Shepardson, a former Gatorade Florida Player of the Year at Tampa Prep, is seeking to rebuild USF’s program into an American Athletic Conference contender.

“It’s going to be such a special and exciting way to begin what will truly be a special volleyball season for Tampa Bay,’’ said Tampa Bay Sports Commission vice president of events Claire Lessinger, who played for Wise at UF and also served as USF’s head coach before joining the TBSC in 2012. “We’ll have top 10-level teams and a lot of fun human-interest stories. It’s a perfect way to start and bring attention to the sport. Volleyball has come a long way since we last hosted this event.’’

Featured Headlines

September 12, 2023
Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational Rewind

Take a look back at an exciting Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational featuring USF (#HornsUp), Florida (#GoGators), Georgia Tech (#PointTech) and Penn State (#WeAre) Volleyball programs. The incredible two-day Invite launched the 2023 NCAA Volleyball season which will begin and end in #TampaBay!

Full Story
August 28, 2023
Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - The Road 2 Tampa Bay is Underway

More than 13,000 Volleyball Fans Fill Amalie Arena and the Yuengling Center

Full Story
August 25, 2023
Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - Game On! The 2023 Season Begins

The 2023 NCAA Women's Volleyball Season Begins and Ends in Tampa Bay!

Full Story
August 25, 2023
Beyond Barriers: Above the Net

The Beyond Series welcomed in the four Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational head coaches for an exclusive panel session with NCAA Director of Championships, Kristen Fasbender. Check out Georgia Tech's Michelle Collier, Penn State's Katie Schumacher-Cawley, USF's Jolene Shepardson, and Florida's Mary Wise as they discussed the state of the sport of #volleyball in front of over 100 women and volleyball influencers.

Full Story
August 24, 2023
Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - A Volleyball Season of Historic Proportions

Why the 2023 NCAA Volleyball Season is Setting Up to Be Unforgettable

Full Story
August 24, 2023
The Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational Team Welcome

The Tampa Bay Sports Commission and Team Tampa Bay welcomed our four participating Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational teams (USF, Florida, Georgia Tech and Penn State) in memorable fashion as they visited Splitsville for a night full of fun, laughs, competition, and celebration. Join host Ryan Bass as he catches up with players, coaches, and other special guests! #HornsUp #GoGators #PointTech #WeAre

Full Story

More News

Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational News
  • September 12, 2023
    Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational Rewind

    Take a look back at an exciting Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational featuring USF (#HornsUp), Florida (#GoGators), Georgia Tech (#PointTech) and Penn State (#WeAre) Volleyball programs. The incredible two-day Invite launched the 2023 NCAA Volleyball season which will begin and end in #TampaBay!

  • August 28, 2023
    Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - The Road 2 Tampa Bay is Underway

    More than 13,000 Volleyball Fans Fill Amalie Arena and the Yuengling Center

  • August 24, 2023
    The Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational Team Welcome

    The Tampa Bay Sports Commission and Team Tampa Bay welcomed our four participating Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational teams (USF, Florida, Georgia Tech and Penn State) in memorable fashion as they visited Splitsville for a night full of fun, laughs, competition, and celebration. Join host Ryan Bass as he catches up with players, coaches, and other special guests! #HornsUp #GoGators #PointTech #WeAre

  • August 25, 2023
    Beyond Barriers: Above the Net

    The Beyond Series welcomed in the four Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational head coaches for an exclusive panel session with NCAA Director of Championships, Kristen Fasbender. Check out Georgia Tech's Michelle Collier, Penn State's Katie Schumacher-Cawley, USF's Jolene Shepardson, and Florida's Mary Wise as they discussed the state of the sport of #volleyball in front of over 100 women and volleyball influencers.

  • August 25, 2023
    Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - Game On! The 2023 Season Begins

    The 2023 NCAA Women's Volleyball Season Begins and Ends in Tampa Bay!

  • August 24, 2023
    Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - A Volleyball Season of Historic Proportions

    Why the 2023 NCAA Volleyball Season is Setting Up to Be Unforgettable

View More

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Featured Athlete

August 21, 2023
Gameday. Every Day. Podcast Episode 16 featuring R2TBI NIL Participants - Pt. 2

On Episode 16 of the "Gameday. Every Day" podcast, local TV personality Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, the Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, preview the second match-up on Aug. 25 of our Road to Tampa Bay Invitational, two Top-12 programs facing off in the Florida and Penn State! Ryan and Rob give you a rundown of the big storylines, including having the Nittany Lions back, who won it all in 2009 the last time the Women's Volleyball Championships were held in Tampa Bay! Ryan and Rob are joined by the Gators' Elli McKissock and Alexis Stucky, as well as Penn State's Mac Podraza and Taylor Trammell -- who are all serving as the Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Brand Ambassadors, where they will promote the TBSC, its social impact initiatives and its commitment to growing the game of volleyball! If you missed Part 1, previewing USF vs. Georgia Tech, go check out Episode 15!

August 09, 2023
Gameday. Every Day. Podcast Episode 14 featuring USF Volleyball

On Episode 14 of the "Gameday. Every Day" podcast, local TV personality Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, the Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, take the pod on the road to visit the University of South Florida for their volleyball Media Day, as we close in on the Road to Tampa Bay Invitational! Ryan and Rob unveil the new "Setting the Standard — Growing the Game" campaign, count down to the tournament's opening weekend and visit with USF Bulls head volleyball coach and Tampa Prep alum Jolene Shepardson, who gives us a preview of the 2023 season for the Bulls! We're also joined by the Tampa Bay Sports Commission's Vice President of Events Claire Lessinger to elaborate on the new campaign and give us the details on final preps ahead of game day! Plus, Rob recaps his visit to Canton, Ohio for Ronde Barber's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction!

July 19, 2023
Gameday. Every Day. Podcast Episode 13

Featuring Katie Schumacher-Cawley and Megan Hodge Easy of Penn State Volleyball

June 01, 2023
Tickets On-Sale Now for August’s “Road 2 Tampa Bay” Volleyball Invitational

Amalie Arena and Yuengling Center to Host Elite Division I Volleyball to Open 2023 Season

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