More than 100 high school girls’ basketball teams will compete in Girls Cal Live ’25, June 12–14 at the Roebbelen Center
About 3,500 people – from athletes and coaches to fans and college recruiters – are expected for the tournament, generating more than $1 million for the Placer Valley economy
ROSEVILLE, Calif. – Some of the best high school girls’ basketball teams and many highly recruited players in California will compete in the third annual Girls California Live ‘25 tournament Thursday (June 12) through Saturday (June 14) at the Roebbelen Center in Roseville, bringing about 3,500 people and more than $1 million to Placer Valley.
Girls California Live ’25 starts at noon Thursday and continues 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday at the Roebbelen Center located @the Grounds, 700 Event Center Drive in Roseville. Admission is $10 per day. Parking is $15 per day.
From sharp-shooting guards to shot-blocking centers, the three-day tournament will feature the “finest girls’ basketball in California under one roof,” said Harold Abend, co-tournament director of Girls California Live ’25.
“You’ll see a multitude of talent,” said Shandyn Foster, Head Coach of Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento. “You’ll see very good basketball and girls committed to the game. If they don’t take the game seriously, they aren’t playing in June.”
More than 100 teams – including a few from Arizona and Oregon, and about 15 from the Sacramento region – will participate in Girls California Live, which returns for the second time in three years to the Roebbelen Center. The first-ever Girls California Live, a major milestone for high school girls’ sports, was held at the Roebbelen Center in 2023.
“We’re proud to be part of such a groundbreaking tournament and support girls’ high school basketball – and girls’ sports overall,” said Kim Summers, CEO of Placer Valley Tourism and @the Grounds. “The tournament also provides a big shot to the local economy.”
Several of the state’s best girls’ teams will compete, including perennial powerhouses Archbishop Mitty of San Jose and Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland. Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa, Clovis West, Folsom High, San Ramon Valley High and St. Mary’s of Stockton are also highly rated programs playing in the tournament.
The NCAA-certified “showcase” tournament allows college coaches and recruiters to evaluate more than 1,000 athletes – including as many as 30 Cal-Hi Sports all-state players – in hopes of finding the next Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers or JuJu Watkins. Dozens of athletes who
competed in Girls California Live during the past two summers have received college scholarships and are playing at NCAA schools.
“It’s designed to help high school athletes get viewed by college coaches,” Abend said. “It’s a great opportunity.”
Just a few of the highly recruited players who could participate in the tournament include Emmi Almeida of Caruthers High School in Fresno County; Alyssa Rudd of San Ramon Valley; Devin Cosgriff of Archbishop Mitty; and Evelini Smith of St. Mary’s in Stockton.
While those players – and many others – have already attracted much-deserved attention, college coaches and recruiters will come across other players during Girls California Live.
“It’s very beneficial for the girls, and that’s why we are there at the end of the day,” Foster said. “You’re playing against high-caliber competition.”
Several college coaches watched each of Christian Brothers’ games last summer at Girls California Live ’24 in Mission Viejo, with a handful of her players drawing interest from NCAA and NAIA schools.
Girls California Live also offers high school coaches an early look at their players for the next season against different and often top-notch competition from around the state.
“It gives us good exposure and experience,” said Jeff Ota, Head Coach of McClatchy High School in Sacramento.
Last summer’s tournament in Southern California was the tip-off to a Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 championship season for McClatchy. Multiple players from the Sacramento high school – including top 100 prospect Nina Cain, who is committed to the University of Washington – have received athletic scholarships.
“We learned that we were a pretty good team” during the tournament, said Ota, who appreciates that Girls California Live ’25 is only a half-hour drive from McClatchy. “It makes it a lot easier for us and saves the program money.”
Girls California Live allows basketball fans to catch some future NCAA and maybe even WNBA players, and enjoy one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S.
Almost 9 million people watched the NCAA women’s championship game in April, when the University of Connecticut defeated the University of South Carolina for its 12th national title. It was the third most-watched championship women’s basketball game, though far from the record 18.7 million viewers for the 2024 match between the Clark-led University of Iowa and champion South Carolina.
The college game – and its next wave of players -- has also helped generate more interest in the WNBA. The average WNBA game attracted almost 1.2 million viewers in 2024, a 170%
increase compared to a year earlier. Attendance at WNBA games reached an average of 9,800 fans per game last season, a 48% increase from a season earlier.
“It just keeps getting better,” said Foster, a graduate and former player at Christian Brothers and later at Sacramento City College. “It’s good to watch WNBA games and see the stands full. It’s booming now.”
Foster said the additional exposure and more opportunities from high-profile tournaments like Girls California Live is “where it all starts” and shows that “girls can play, too.”
Teams can find Placer Valley Hotel Discounts for the Girls California Live 2025 here.
About @the Grounds
@the Grounds is a multipurpose event facility on 61 acres in the heart of Roseville, California. @the Grounds includes the Roebbelen Center, a 160,000-square-foot event center that can accommodate major amateur sports competitions, large meetings, trade shows, concerts and other events. For more than 80 years, @the Grounds has been the home of the Placer County Fair – an annual celebration of the diversity of the community – along with countless other community, family and corporate gatherings. @the Grounds is the business entity of Placer Valley Sports Complex, a 501(c)3. For more information, please visit https://www.atthegrounds.com/.
About Placer Valley Tourism
Placer Valley Tourism is a Business Improvement District that serves South Placer County and the cities of Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln. The BID operates to help generate incremental room night stays in hotels within Placer Valley Tourism’s geographic footprint through various conferences and youth and amateur sports events. PVT aims to coordinate community and sports events with the best hospitality options in the region. Placer Valley Tourism is a nonprofit and classified as a 501(c)6. For more information, please visit https://www.placertourism.com/.