After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dos Pueblos Invitational boys volleyball tournament is back.
The 45th edition of the tournament is set for Saturday at UCSB’s Thunderdome and Sovine Gym at Dos Pueblos.
Thirty teams will be divided into six pools, five to be played at UCSB and one at DP. The top two teams from each pool and the four best third-place teams will advance to a 16-team single-elimination tournament at the Thunderdome. The final two third-place teams and the top two fourth-place teams will play in a four-team playoff at DP.
Defending CIF-SS Division 2 champion Santa Barbara leads the local entries. The Dons (9-3) are currently ranked fifth in Division 1-2.
Also competing are San Marcos (19th in the Division 1-2 poll), host Dos Pueblos (ninth in Division 3), Carpinteria (third in Division 5), Bishop Diego (receiving votes in Division 4), Santa Ynez and Cabrillo.
Other Southern Section-ranked teams in the field include St. Francis (17th in Division 1-2), Quartz Hill (eighth in Division 3) Capistrano Valley Christian (fourth in Division 4) and Oak Park (10th in Division 4).
Also entered are L.A. City Section powers Palisades Charter, Granada Hills and El Camino Real.
Pool play will start at 8 a.m., and the playoffs are expected to begin around 4 p.m.
UCSB is requiring that spectators and players not actively playing wear masks.