Five nationally ranked schools from across the country are among the 96 participants in the 11th annual Nike Tournament of Champions Volleyball Invite that commences Friday (Oct. 4) and continues through the afternoon Saturday (Oct. 5).

Play begins Friday at 10 a.m at four venues across the East Valley and Phoenix. The venues are the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Phoenix, Spiral Courts in Chandler, South Mountain Community College in Phoenix and Chandler High. All schools will play three pool-play matches on Friday.

Play picks up again on Saturday at z8;30 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. with one cross-pool match for each team. Bracket play follows as early as 10:30 a.m. at some sites and 11:30 at others.The finals in each bracket are tentatively set for 2:30 or 3:30 p.m. Usually expect those times to be later.

Arizona will be represented by 27 schools. Sixteen are currently in the top 10 of their respective power-rankings (6A-2A). The nationally-ranked schools - via MaxPreps most recent Xcellent 25 rankings -- entered are No. 1 Cathedral Catholic (CA), No. 3 Mater Dei (CA), No. 13 Marymount (CA), No. 14 Kamehameha Kapalama (HI) and No. 15 Xavier Prep.

Nine Arizona schools will compete in the elite division -- Hamilton, Corona del Sol, Millennium, Xavier, Horizon, Desert Vista, Sunnyslope, Basha and Scottsdale Christian. That division will break down into four eight-team brackets on Saturday - Platinum (top), Gold, Silver and Bronze. 

Eleven Arizona schools are entered in the next highest division - Highland, Northwest Christian, Arcadia, Mountain Pointe, Ironwood Ridge, Skyline, Verrado, Mesa Mountain View, Pinnacle, Deer Valley and Sunrise Mountain. Those schools compete for spots Saturday in bracket play in the Titanium (top), Diamond, Sapphire and Emerald brackets.

Arizona's remaining seven entries are Mountain Ridge, Queen Creek, Mesquite, Chandler, Casteel, Seton Catholic and Coconino. After Friday's pool play they will be situated in the Ruby (top), Pearl, Opal and Amethyst brackets.