The 6th annual Nike Tournament of Champions Volleyball Invitational commences in the Valley Friday Oct. 17 and Saturday Oct. 18 with a new venue added  to Court One in Tempe. The Kroc Center, located at 1375. E. Broadway Road in Phoenix, will co-host the event and house most of the finals action from Saturday's bracket play. Seventy-two schools are entered with a heavy Arizona flavor and a smattering of schools from out of state.

Arizona schools.competing in the top two brackets (Platinum and Gold) are D-I Xavier, D-I Mountain Pointe, D-I Desert Vista, D-I Perry, D-I Hamilton, D-II Sunnyslope, D-I Basha and D-II Ironwood Ridge. Xavier and Mountain Pointe are part of Pool F, Desert Vista and Perry (Pool G), Hamilton and Sunnyslope (Pool H) and Basha and Ironwood Ridge (Pool K). The top two teams in each pool advance from Friday's play to the Platinum bracket and third- and fourth-place teams slide into the Gold bracket. Platinum bracket play begins Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. with semis at 5 p.m. and final at 6 p.m at Kroc Center. Gold bracket play begins at 2 p.m. with semis at 4 p.m. and final at 6, also at Kroc Center.

Other Arizona schools of note who are entered are D-III Flagstaff, D-III Seton and D-I Mesa High in Pool B. Teams advancing from that pool will play in either Silver or Bronze bracket play on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. at Kroc Center. D-IV Northwest Christian, D-IV Thatcher, D-IV Sedona Red Rock, D-IV Horizon Honors and D-II Mesquite are vying for spots in the Diamond and Pearl brackets. Diamond bracket play is Saturday at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Kroc Center. Pearl bracket is a 10, 1 and 2 at Court One.

For complete schedules and results go to http://www.niketournamentofchampions.com/events/detail.cfm?id=61. Click on the schedule and results tab at the right on the home page to follow the school or schools of interest.