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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Friday, October 23, 2026) – USA Volleyball has officially announced the return of Patriot Divisions for the 2027 season across all three Girls Junior National Championships (GJNC). Offered as non-bid divisions for U10 through U18 teams that pursue a bid through the GJNC qualification process but do not earn one, the Patriot Divisions provide a national championship-caliber environment for athletes to cap off their season against top competition.
“Our goal is to give every team a great end-of-season experience on the national stage,” said Molly Crockett, director of indoor events at USA Volleyball. “For clubs that spend their season chasing a bid, bringing Patriot Divisions back means they can still look forward to competing against top-tier teams in a true championship environment.”
2027 Patriot Division Capacity Breakdown
GJNC 18
Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 7-9, 2027
18 Patriot: 96 teams
GJNC 10-13
Chicago, Illinois
June 18-21, 2027
10 Patriot: 16 teams
11 Patriot: 24 teams
12 Patriot: 24 teams
13 Patriot: 24 teams
GJNC 14-17
Las Vegas, Nevada
June 27-July 5
14 Patriot: 48 teams
15 Patriot: 48 teams
16 Patriot: 48 teams
17 Patriot: 48 teams
Alongside the return of Patriot Divisions, USA Volleyball will continue to offer the standalone Girls Junior Club Championship (GJCC). Together, these two non-bid events give clubs clear, distinct pathways based on their season goals:
- Patriot Divisions: Designed specifically for teams that actively pursue a GJNC bid and want a national championship-caliber event if they do not qualify.
- Girls Junior Club Championship (GJCC): Designed for teams that choose not to pursue a bid pathway but want to finish their season at a premier USA Volleyball national event.
To ensure broad nationwide access for teams, clubs may only register for one non-bid championship event per season. Teams cannot register for both a Girls Junior Club Championship (GJCC) and a Patriot Division in the same season.