An American flag was flown over the United States Capitol on Wednesday in honor of the inaugural North Carolina Wesleyan University Women’s Volleyball Invitational.
The flag’s flight commemorates the upcoming event set for Aug. 29-30 at the university and stands as a national salute to the vision behind the landmark NCAA Division III tournament, according to a statement made by N.C. Wesleyan representatives.
The honor was made possible through the Capitol Flag Program, operated by the Architect of the Capitol and the offices of U.S. senators and representatives.
Each flag is flown from a designated flagpole at the Capitol, then issued a Certificate of Authenticity to commemorate the occasion. The program, which has recognized countless civic and educational milestones across the country, serves as a symbol of national unity and appreciation for efforts that uplift communities and champion excellence.
“This is an incredibly special moment for our campus and our athletics department,” said NCWU Director of Athletics Aaron Denton.
“Having a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of the N.C. Wesleyan Invitational is not only a tribute to this event but also to the values we uphold — excellence, opportunity and student-athlete experience. It’s a proud day for N.C. Wesleyan.”
Set to take place inside Everett Gymnasium, the N.C. Wesleyan Invitational will welcome Penn State DuBois, Regent University and Mary Baldwin University for two days of high-level competition, community engagement and student-athlete hospitality. The tournament, fully donor-funded, will award $6,000 in prize money, with $3,000 going to the champion, and provide first-class experiences such as a luxury hospitality tent, curated spa services and banquet meals for each program.
The tournament opens Aug. 29 with a special pre-tournament match between host N.C. Wesleyan and Regent at 11 a.m. This contest is designed to create an opportunity for local elementary school students to experience the college athletics setting. Official tournament play begins that afternoon, as Penn State DuBois faces Regent at 4 p.m., followed by Mary Baldwin taking on N.C. Wesleyan at 6 p.m.
Action resumes Aug. 30 with Regent and Mary Baldwin squaring off at 9 a.m. N.C. Wesleyan returns to the court against Penn State DuBois at 11 a.m., followed by a 1 p.m. matchup between Mary Baldwin and Penn State DuBois. The tournament concludes at 3 p.m. as N.C. Wesleyan and Regent meet for the second time in a marquee matchup.
“I am so excited for this tournament because of the incredible amount of support it will bring to our program,” said junior Jenna Pilkenton (North Charleston, S.C.). “We have a tight-knit community here at N.C. Wesleyan, and this tournament gives us the opportunity to share that. I believe this tournament will impact me personally as I will be able to grow my skills in live gameplay over the course of two days. I’m mostly looking forward to having fun and playing my favorite sport with my favorite people ever — my sisterhood.”
“The Invitational is an excellent opportunity not only for my team and me, but also for the other teams participating,” said junior Fiona Egan (Sugar Loaf, N.Y.). “We have the chance to represent our team and our school in a big way, and being able to include three other excellent schools in this is a great way to enhance the experience for everyone. I look forward to hosting these teams on our home court and learning more about the importance of what makes a team come together.”
All matches will be held at Everett Gymnasium on the N.C. Wesleyan campus and streamed live via the FloSports Network. Admission is free to the public, and the event is expected to draw support from across the community and beyond.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
