CEDAR CITY, Utah (June 27, 2026) — The Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games hosted their first Outdoor Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, June 27, to wrap up the action-packed month of sport. 

The one-day event included eight teams split into two divisions, starting with a handful of pool play games before a double-elimination bracket. In the gold bracket, SUU at the Net earned gold medal honors, and in the silver bracket, Grassholes took home the first place prize.

While USG's longstanding indoor volleyball events have been present throughout the years, Outdoor Volleyball Sport Coordinator Nicole Anglin wanted this event to bring the game of volleyball to more people. 

"A lot of people don't play indoors, for whatever reasons, but they do want to play outdoors. It's fun to get out in the sun," Anglin said. "This group has been so fun to watch play and they are super respectful of the game and each other."

Even though they're founded on the same rules, indoor and outdoor volleyball have noticeable differences that make them each a game of their own.

"The court is the same size, so playing a 4v4, you've got to hustle a little more, work a little bit harder, and talk a lot to strategize where you're going to put your players," Anglin explained. "The biggest difference is playing in the elements. Even the direction of the courts and the sun make a bigger difference outdoors."

While the USG staff is extremely busy through most of the summer, the closing weekend to June created a perfect opportunity for Assistant Director Jennifer Weaver and her employees to join in the fun.

"I feel like we had some success," Weaver stated. "We rounded up a family team of myself, my daughter, her husband, and his brother, and they have all been volunteers or employed at the Utah Summer Games this year."

The USG representatives opened pool play with a rocky start, as operations assistant Krue Stubbs went down with a season-ending back injury. They pulled together with Anglin's husband, Landon Anglin, jumping in as an emergency sub.

However, a lack of volleyball experience for everybody except team-MVP Japrix Stubbs eventually caught up to the team. Their valiant effort in the silver bracket landed them in fourth place — out of four teams.

"Volleyball is hard," operations assistant Tate Stubbs said. "This is fetching tough."

Despite the difficulties, the family team enjoyed the chance to play volleyball in the sun together. 

"For me, it's the most fun sport ever," Weaver shared. "You can be competitive, but it's also very social, and it's fun to interact with the other teams. That's what the true spirit of competition is about."

Photos by Shania Hopkins: