2ND ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT
August 28 @ 1:00 pm - August 29 @ 6:30 pm
2ND ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY JOHN ANDERSON SHELTER INSURANCE AGENCY
AUGUST 28-29, 2026 AT CIVIC ARENA
HOSTED BY THE ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Brett Esely Contact: 816-233-6688, besely@stjomo.com
Building upon the excitement of St. Joseph being the home of the Missouri State High School Girls Volleyball Championships, for the second straight year, teams will get the opportunity to experience the venue they are all trying to get to at the pinnacle of their seasons as the 2nd Annual Pony Express Girls State High School Volleyball Preview Tournament presented by John Anderson Shelter Insurance Agency will take place August 28 & 29 at Civic Arena.
This year’s field has grown to 21 teams consisting of local, regional and statewide representation from all five classes of Missouri Girls High School Volleyball in which each teams will play two games per day, four games total in a unique three court set-up in the arena.
“We always talk about capitalizing on our fit/niche and then building quality events accordingly in which we’ve been fortunate to host multiple high level championship volleyball events here in St. Joseph on both the high school and college level. This event, built as a high school preview event was very well received last year in which we’ve grown the field this year and will be an excellent, unique way to start to the high school volleyball season in St. Joseph” stated Brett Esely, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission.
The field features an impressive mix of small, medium and large class teams. Four 2025 state final four teams that competed in St. Joseph last November are entered in the field including Class 1 Third Place Northland Christian (26-6), Class 3 Runner Up Oak Grove (36-1), Fourth Place Saxony Lutheran (18-21) and Class 4 Third Place Hannibal (29-10). Teams advancing to the State Quarterfinals competing include Class 2 – Fatima (25-9) and Lafayette County (25-7); Class 3 – Sullivan (20-10). District Champions in the field include Class 1 Rock Port (28-6); Class 2 Adrian (27-7) and Class 3 Savannah (18-10). Several teams of local interest competing include Class 3 – Bishop LeBlond (26-5), Benton (15-20), Maryville (26-10), Cameron (5-23); Class 5 – Central (12-22). The rest of the field from across the state includes Class 3 participants – Liberty (Mountain View) (23-8); Class 4 – Belton (27-9), Notre Dame De Sion (15-23), St. Pius X (KC) 17-17 and Class 5 participants – Ray-Pec (27-9), Seckman (22-9-2).
Action begins at Civic Arena on Friday afternoon August 28 at 1:00 PM and concludes on day one at 8:30 PM. Games continue on Saturday, August 29 at 9 AM with the final games beginning at 4:30 PM. In all, 40 games will be contested.
“Our inaugural event last year proved to be a unique, exciting way for teams to begin the season in the venue they are trying to compete in at the end of the season in which we saw great competition right out of the gate. This event would not be possible for the second year in a row without the outstanding support of our title sponsor John Andrson Shelter Insurance Agency. We look forward to elite, high level girls high school volleyball in late August and hope fans will engage” Esely stated.
Ticket information will be released closer to the event, in which all pre-sale tickets will be facilitated online and in walk up on gameday at the Civic Arena Box office. Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available by contacting the sports commission.
GAME SCHEDULE:
2026 2nd ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS GIRLS STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY JOHN ANDERSON SHELTER INSURANCE AGENCY
CIVIC ARENA
August 28-29, 2026
Friday, August 28
Court 1:
1:00 PM – Ray Pec vs. St. Pius X (KC)
2:15 PM – Central vs. St. Pius X (KC)
3:30 PM – Ray Pec vs. Savannah
4:45 PM – Oak Grove vs. Hannibal
6:00 PM – Central vs. Seckman
7:15 PM – Savannah vs. Seckman
8:30 PM – Maryville vs. Notre Dame De Sion
Court 2:
1:00 PM – Northland Christian vs. Rock Port
2:15 PM – Northland Christian vs. Saxony Lutheran
3:30 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Hannibal
4:45 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Belton
6:00 PM – Notre Dame De Sion vs. Belton
7:15 PM – Lafayette County vs. Liberty (Mountain View)
8:30 PM – Benton vs. Liberty (Mountain View)
Court 3:
1:00 PM – Cameron vs. Saxony Lutheran
2:15 PM – Cameron vs. Fatima
3:30 PM – Rock Port vs. Fatima
4:45 PM – Adrian vs. Sullivan
6:00 PM – Maryville vs. Oak Grove
7:15 PM – Adrian vs. Benton
8:30 PM – Lafayette County vs. Sullivan
Saturday, August 29
Court 1:
9:00 AM – Ray Pec vs. Central
10:15 AM – Northland Christian vs. Fatima
11:30 AM – Liberty (Mountain View) vs. Sullivan
12:45 PM – Benton vs. Sullivan
2:00 PM – Liberty (Mountain View) vs. Adrian
3:15 PM – Benton vs. Lafayette County
4:30 PM – Adrian vs. Lafayette County
Court 2:
9:00 AM – Northland Christian vs. Cameron
10:15 AM – Rock Port vs. Cameron
11:30 AM – Ray Pec vs. Seckman
12:45 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Oak Grove
2:00 PM – Hannibal vs. Belton
3:15 PM – Hannibal vs. Maryville
4:30 PM – Belton vs. Maryville
Court 3:
9:00 AM – St. Pius X (KC) vs. Savannah
10:15 AM – St. Pius X (KC) vs. Seckman
11:30 AM – Central vs. Savannah
12:45 PM – Fatima vs. Saxony Lutheran
2:00 PM – Rock Port vs. Saxony Lutheran
3:15 PM – Oak Grove vs. Notre Dame De Sion
4:30 PM – Bishop LeBlond vs. Notre Dame De Sion
The St. Joseph Sports Commission is a division of the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau.