High school volleyball: No. 1 Marymount competing in GEICO Girls Volleyball Invitational

By Aaron Williams Sep 21, 2021, 1:30pm

Inaugural event features Assumption, Hamilton and Mount Notre Dame on Oct. 8-9.

High school volleyball is about to reach broader audience with the creation of the Air GEICO Girls Volleyball Invitational. Set for Oct. 8-9 and airing on the ESPN family of networks, the four-team round-robin features Marymount (Los Angeles), the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 volleyball rankings.

In addition to the Sailors, the inaugural matches feature former No. 1 Assumption along with Hamilton and Mount Notre Dame. All four matches are available on ESPN+ and ESPNU.

All four schools have been ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25 at some point this season and each has a Preseason MaxPreps All-America player on their roster — Elia Rubin (Marymount), Sydney Helmers (Assumption), Jordan Middleton (Hamilton) and Carly Hendrickson (Mount Notre Dame).

MaxPreps Top 25 / Current National Rankings

Marymount is fresh off a Durango Fall Classic title in which Rubin was named MVP and teammates Kerry Keefe, Torrey Stafford and Kelly Belardi were selected all-tourney.



Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) is a 23-time Kentucky state champion under legendary coach Ron Kordes and features Texas commit Helmers along with Fordham commit Whitney Woodrow and future South Carolina Gamecock Gabrielle Gerry.

Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), which is hosting the event, is the reigning 6A state champions behind Middleton, who has pledged to USC, and Alabama commit Micah Gryniewicz.

Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati) won its 10th Ohio state title last season and is paced by Hendrickson, who's headed to Florida next season.

TV schedule
Oct. 8
Mount Notre Dame vs. Marymount, 8 p.m.
Assumption vs. Hamilton, 10:30 p.m.
Oct. 9
Third-place game, 8 p.m.
Championship game, 10:30 p.m.
Host Hamilton is the defending Arizona 6A state champions.
Host Hamilton is the defending Arizona 6A state champions.
File photo by Mark Jones