Aerie Challenge at Apple Valley High School
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 5-6

Apple Valley’s high school gym becomes a true volleyball hub for a handful of weekends every fall with the Eagles hosting three separate tournaments each season. The Aerie Challenge is the first, and it arrives this weekend. The tournament is an interesting mix of Metro big-school and smaller outstate programs. 

This year’s 16-team field features the host Eagles, as well as Bloomington Kennedy, Caledonia, Centennial, Concordia Academy-Roseville (No. 8 in MVCA's Class 1A poll), Cretin-Derham Hall, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, Faribault, Hastings, Minneapolis Southwest, Mounds View, Rosemount, St. Francis, Stewartville (No. 2-2A), Stillwater and Virginia. This is the first tournament appearance for Joanna Lyons as Minneapolis Southwest's coach. Lyons took the reins from longtime coach Jackie Richter, who moved to Lakeville North following the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Walt Weaver. Weaver spent the first 31 years of his coaching career at Apple Valley, winning 656 matches and two state titles.