Last update: 1/23/2026 at 11:50AM

Hello all,

 Based off the feedback we have gotten from teams we have decided to make the following decision for the event.  The tournament will now be a one day event starting at 8 AM at the ICC.  All teams that play in the event will be at ICC, with an AM start time.  They will follow pool play with a single elimination bracket play with last matches being at 6 PM Saturday evening.  Please respond as soon as possible if your team(s) plan on attending.  This will give everyone the opportunity to still play some good vball and leave Indy before the weather hits. 

Thanks again for your patience.

Scott 

Colleges that attended the 2026 Central Zone Invitational can be found by clicking the link below.

Attending - University Athlete

8AM: 
ALL DIVISIONS
 

This year's Central Zone Series will be using Advanced Event Systems for its registration process. AES will be the website that is the choice of USAV Girl’s Junior National Championship, National Qualifiers, Regional’s, and many other events throughout the country.

1. Go to Advanced Event Systems to register your team and club.
2. Click on Create Account if you are a new user. If you already have a username and password, skip to step 4.
3. Next, fill out the Club Director info, creating a username and password and making sure to keep your username and password in an accessible spot for future use.
4. Enter your username and password and login.
5. Once logged in, add players & staff by clicking on the appropriate link. AES integrated with USAV’s Webpoint system, if your region uses Webpoint, WE HIGHLY recommend using the USAV Import link. (This will save you time)
6. Click Teams – add teams
7. Enter events – you will build your roster after you select the event, division(s) per team – then click BUILD ROSTER.
8. Click on continue.
9. Check the entry form box and click print entry form.
10. Print form, sign, and send in with check or credit card information to Capitol Sports Center, 1915 Gladden Road, Plainfield, IN 46168.
11. Make sure that rosters for each team get updated by the roster deadline date!
12. Contact AES Housing at 1-800-476-0060 x118 for rooms to ensure that you meet the Stay to Play requirement of 10 room nights per team.

The Capitol Sports Center staff will send out broadcast emails to inform you of other information and steps as they come available.

Entry Fees

Entry fees must be received with completed entry form to be accepted into the tournament by 11/01/2025. This event is open to all teams USAV, JVA, or AAU, however, rosters do need to be submitted online by the roster deadline. Entry fee: $595

No refunds will be given after December 1st or after a division fills, whichever comes first.  Again, registrations go very quickly and  we expect that to be much earlier than the Dec. 1st date.   

Check-In

Required pre-tournament check-in will take place from 3:00-9:00 PM on Friday, January 23rd, 2026. Location- Indiana Convention Center, Hall F.  Please make sure that rosters are complete in AES by Thursday, January 22nd 2026. All teams MUST be checked in before playing. There will be no late check-in on Saturday morning. Please plan your travel accordingly. Group/Multi team check-in is preferred. 

Coaches / Parents / Spectators –

Thank you for attending the 2026 Central Zone Invite. We will once again be using our traditional method for Admission in 2026. Everyone will be required to show a wristband for the weekend or for the day (except for players who only need to show their uniform). Wristbands will begin to be available on Friday Jan 23th from 3:00pm – 7:30pm in rooms 138-139 in the convention center (which is in the Hallway near Hall I) Admissions will open at 6:45am on Saturday and Sunday morning at the convention center. The additional two out-sites and Lucas Oil Stadium will also have wristbands available (Daily and Weekend) on Saturday and Sunday for purchase beginning at 7am at each of those sites. You do NOT have to come downtown to purchase wristbands if you are playing at one of the out-sites. Wristbands will be available at both sites. There will also be wristbands available at the Lucas Oil Stadium entrance.

Prices will be as follows:

1 Day Pass - $20

2 Day Pass - $35

12 and under are Free

We are advising everyone to always keep your wristband on. If you lose or forget it, you will be expected to purchase a new one. Cash and credit cards will be accepted for wristband purchases. Please be aware that credit card lines can become long. To avoid delays, we are recommending that everyone use CASH to purchase wristbands when possible. The cash lines move much quicker and will not delay you in getting to your court.

We will NOT be offering an option to pay online in advance of the tournament. All wristbands will be sold at the event.

**Additional Info**

This year we are welcoming almost 1200 teams to Indianapolis, which is the largest CZ Invite to date. Because of the continued growth, we will be using 4 facilities:

- Indiana Convention Center (Courts 1-107) - 100 S. Capital Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46225

- Lucas Oil Stadium (Courts 108-131) – 100 S. Capital Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46225

-Everyone will come through the convention center to enter courts at Lucas Oil Stadium. There will be no access to the Stadium through its external doors.

- The Academy Volleyball Club (Courts 132-147) – 6635 E 30th St. Suite B, Indianapolis, IN 46219

- The Farmers Bank Fieldhouse (Courts 148-162) – 645 Fieldhouse Way, Lebanon, IN 46052

All other info for the event is listed on our website: https://www.capitolsportscenter.com/centralzoneinvitational

Chairs are provided around each court. Please do not bring your own chairs, as the convention center will not allow them in the playing areas. There are also options for Gate Ten parking on the site above if you’re interested in reserved parking for the convention center.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at rbozell@capitolsportscenter.com. Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone!

Ryan Bozell

CZ Invite

• No outside food, coolers, noise makers, music amplifiers, chairs, or unapproved signs are allowed in the facility.
• No ball handling is allowed in the halls or on the concrete.
• Bags should not be left unattended in the hallways as security will confiscate them.

The Central Zone Invitational this year is happy to announce its implementation of the Stay to Play and Save policy. Although, this policy has been highly controversial in the volleyball community, it has become necessary to help combat hotels driving prices higher and higher. Over the years, we have had anywhere between 80 and 90 percent of our participants using rooms from the AES list. Unfortunately, as our tournament has grown, rates for downtown hotels have risen to astronomical prices. The best defense we have against these high prices, is to go to the Stay to Play and Save Policy.

What does this mean for you?

In order to participate in the Nike Central Zone Invitational, each out of town team must get rooms from the AES Approved hotel Block. There are two easy ways to do this:

1. Call us at 1-800-476-0060 ext 118 and we will help you with our personable and helpful staff.  If you have any questions, please send Faith an email and she will gladly help you out!
2. Go online to https://www.advancedeventsystems.com/hotels and click on the appropriate event.
   • Click on the appropriate hotel.
   • Click on club/team/parents – book here
   • Select state and check box of appropriate club, and then appropriate teams.
   • Continue making reservation. It WILL be important that each room in the block attribute their room to the appropriate team.

Housing will open on Tuesday, September 2nd at 9 AM Eastern time. You will be able to go online and book on www.advancedeventsystems.com or call us at 800-476-0060 ext. 118.  Please be patient as our call volume is expected to be high.  Please leave us a voicemail or send an e-mail for assistance and we will respond at our earliest convenience. 

Teams can make room blocks or make individual reservations, it is up to what each club’s preference is and what is the easiest process for those groups. We are here to help and to make this process as easy as possible.

How does Stay to Play and Save benefit you?

1. Hotel Prices
   First and foremost, hotel prices have been driven down. We have seen dramatic decreases for our downtown hotels as well.
2. Practice Balls
   The ability to leave practice balls at home allows for great savings. Teams that are flying in pay as much as $50-$100 to bring practice balls. We will now be able to have balls available for check out at the tournament desk. Two forms of ID will need to be left in order to take advantage of this benefit, but will be returned when the balls are returned. Please register before by emailing Scott McQueen at smcqueen@capitolsportscenter.com to take advantage of this savings. If you do not pre-register, it will be based on availability.

• It is required to play within your age group
• Tournament held in Indianapolis, IN
• Paid referees on all matches
• Guaranteed 5 or 6 matches, depending on age and/or division
• Entry Fee: $595
• Entry Deadline: January 1st, 2026
• Make checks payable to:
     Capitol Sports Center
     1915 Gladden Road
     Plainfield, IN 46168
• Contact: Scott McQueen - smcqueen@capitolsportscenter.com

Coaches’ Sign-in Form

As Visit Indy, it's our job to promote the city of Indianapolis. And that job has never been easier, more energizing or more rewarding than it is right now. As an unprecedented level of cooperation between business and government boosts Indianapolis to a completely new level, we're reveling in the opportunity to show our city off.

Click here for Visit Indy's information about the Central Zone Invitational weekend.

Click here to for a map of downtown Indy and available parking garages

***CENTRAL ZONE COLLEGE SHOWCASE HAS BEEN CANCELLED***
For details/information regarding the 2026 Central Zone Showcase please CLICK HERE! 

iPark Indianapolis Event Parking Details

Click HERE for info

Exhibitor / Sponsorship Information

Please email Bryan at events@sequencesports.com or call 317-498-5299 if you are interested in receiving exhibitor/sponsorship information.

click here for more information 

We are aware of the incoming weather system and are monitoring conditions closely.  Currently, the Central Zone Invitational is on as scheduled. Weather situations can change quickly, so we ask everyone to stay informed.

Please continue to:

• Check our website and our social media channels for official updates. (www.capitolsportscenter.com - @CirclecityVBC (twitter/Instagram) - @csctournaments on (twitter/Instagram)

• Monitor AES regularly for any potential schedule adjustments

The National Weather Service advises preparing for winter travel, especially with this weekend’s temperatures. This includes allowing extra travel time, dressing in layers, and using caution on roads and sidewalks. They also recommend having a winter travel supply kit in your vehicle, including blankets, snacks, water, a first aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight, and an ice scraper, and making sure you have a full tank of gas before traveling.

If conditions require any changes, we will communicate them promptly through our website, AES, and our social media platforms. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to ensure a safe weekend for everyone.

Thank you,
Capitol Sports Staff

The Farmers Bank Fieldhouse - 645 Fieldhouse Wy
Lebanon, IN 46052

The Academy Volleyball Club- 6635 East 30th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46219