“We are very excited about this,” Conley said. “It’s a great way to showcase our program and show what we’re all about.”
On Sept. 13, Fenwick will face off against the Lakota East Thunderhawks, with the freshmen match beginning at 4 p.m., followed by junior varsity at 5:45 p.m., and the varsity match at about 7:30 p.m.
Conley said the evening will also honor the “legacy of excellence” in the Fenwick volleyball program. Prior to varsity warm-ups, the school will recognize the 2010 and 2019 state championship teams and all volleyball alumni, families, and friends are invited to attend.
Conley believes this will be the first regular-season volleyball match ever played outdoors in the state. Newark Catholic hosted a six-team preseason showcase on its football field in Aug. 2024 and Centerville is scheduled to host a scrimmage this season.
A physical education teacher at Lakota East, Conley is good friends with Matt Ellis, first-year volleyball coach there. He wanted Lakota East to “share in the excitement,” he said.
Conley said Fenwick received approval from the Ohio High School Athletic Association in December and plans have been in the works ever since.
He said a volleyball court will be placed on the turf field and supported by plywood to reduce the bounce.
The court will be located between the 35-yard lines and near the football team’s traditional home sideline so fans can fill the home bleachers.
Alumni from the two state championship teams and their families will be invited to sit courtside.
Conley said he’d love for 1,500 fans to attend the volleyball match with capacity at 3,000. Temporary stands will be used and the overflow crowd will sit in the regular Yeager bleachers.
Tickets will go on sale in two weeks, he said.
His players were told about the outdoor match over the weekend. The players were “very excited to play on the big stage,” he said.
Fenwick also will host a Youth Volleyball Clinic on the outdoor court the morning of Sept. 13. The school will announce more details on the clinic in the coming weeks.
The Falcons enter the 2025 season as returning state runner-ups. The team will kick off its season on Aug. 16 at Dayton Christian.
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