All eight NCHSAA volleyball championship matches will move to Campbell University in Buies Creek this fall, ending the finals' long run in Raleigh.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) announced Monday, Oct. 5 that Gilbert Craig Gore Arena will host the full volleyball championship slate on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31. In 2025, the finals were split between two cities: Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh handled the 2A, 3A, 6A and 8A title matches, while Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem hosted 1A, 4A, 5A and 7A.

The shift matters locally. Community School of Davidson won the 2A volleyball title at Reynolds Coliseum in 2025. Hough sits atop its volleyball conference at 8-0 and is ranked No. 15 in Class 8A, according to MaxPreps. North Mecklenburg stands at 4-4, third in its conference in Class 7A.

Football adds a third venue

The NCHSAA also expanded its football championship footprint. Eight title games will be played Thursday, Dec. 10, through Saturday, Dec. 12, across three sites: Kenan Stadium at the University of North Carolina (four games), Helen & Leonard Moretz Stadium at Lenoir-Rhyne University (two games) and Barker-Lane Stadium at Campbell University (two games).

Barker-Lane Stadium will host NCHSAA football championship games for the first time. Kenan Stadium's four games will push its all-time total to 92 championship contests dating to 1929. Moretz Stadium returns for a second straight year.

Hough competes in Class 8A football and won the program's first state title in 2025. North Mecklenburg and Hopewell compete in Class 7A. The NCHSAA has not announced which classification games will be played at which site.

NCHSAA Commissioner Brad Alford said the new venues will create memorable championship experiences for student-athletes and their communities.

"We are excited about the opportunities these venues and our university partners will provide for our student-athletes and their communities to celebrate the culmination of their seasons," Alford said in the announcement.

Flag football gets its first NCHSAA finals

The 2026 fall schedule also includes the inaugural NCHSAA Flag Football Championships, set for Saturday, Nov. 14, at Moretz Stadium on the Lenoir-Rhyne campus.

Hough's volleyball squad is led by junior Haylie Darbyshire (2.1 kills per set) and sophomore Aideen Smith (3.4 digs per set). North Mecklenburg sophomore T. Carter-McCain leads the Vikings with 3.6 kills per set and 237 kills on the season. The volleyball championship matches begin Friday, Oct. 30, at Gore Arena.