Shama: U Looks at Sand Volleyball Program

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
60,579
Reaction score
15,659
Points
113
per Shama:

The Gophers are showing interest in possibly adding sand volleyball to the roster of intercollegiate sports. “We’ve just had general discussions with the administration,” Gophers indoor volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon told Sports Headliners yesterday.

Although it is an Olympic sport, only 34 American colleges have “verified their commitment” to sand volleyball, according to Collegesand.org. The website said 40 programs are necessary to make sand volleyball a “championship sport.” The NCAA has given the activity emerging sport status.

Nebraska started a sand volleyball program this year and is the only Big Ten school competing in the sport. The Huskers’ schedule was limited to the month of March and included only road matches with opponents such as Florida State, Pepperdine and UCLA.

Nebraska, like Minnesota, has a winning tradition and strong fan support in women’s indoor volleyball. The Huskers and Gophers tied for second place in volleyball in the Big Ten last year with 15-5 records. Nebraska averaged 4,287 fans per home match, second best in the nation. The Gophers, who nearly qualified for the NCAA Final Four Tournament, averaged a national third best 3,316 fans at home.

Various factors about college sand volleyball are likely of interest to Gophers athletic department leaders as they contemplate bringing the sport to campus. To field a team the Gophers could use some of the same players from the indoor team that competes in the fall. College sand volleyball requires more minimal personnel with two players from each side competing against one another (indoor volleyball uses six players per side on the court).

Having a sand volleyball team might mean a recruiting advantage for the Gophers because they could offer competitive playing time to players beyond the indoor volleyball schedule. That factor would be particularly helpful while recruiting in a state like California where so many teenagers play sand volleyball.

At Nebraska indoor coach John Cook is also coaching the sand volleyball team. The Gophers’ sand volleyball coach would almost certainly be McCutcheon, a former men’s and women’s Olympic coach and a world renowned volleyball authority.

The athletic department is in the process of developing a master plan for athletic facilities and the review could include a potential outdoor sand volleyball court. That wouldn’t be a costly expense and fits into the economy of the sport involving scholarships, coaching and a limited schedule.

Sand volleyball here might eventually have revenue producing potential if late spring matches were offered. The indoor Gophers volleyball team with its average of 3,316 drew more fans than women’s basketball, 3,277.

While nothing is for sure yet about the future of sand volleyball at Minnesota, McCutheon sounded optimistic about how it could fit in here. “I think it could be very successful given that it’s such a strong sport in the state,” McCutcheon said.

The athletic department presently has 25 intercollegiate sports. Like other schools the Gophers are mandated by federal law to provide equal opportunities for men and women. The addition of sand volleyball would add to the list of women’s offerings at Minnesota that now includes basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, hockey, rowing, softball, soccer, swimming-diving, tennis, track and field, and indoor volleyball.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!
 

Sand volleyball (all volleyball) is super fun to watch, would be a recruiting advantage, and I wouldn't think it's really expensive to administer... count me in.

I do wonder if they'd play outside or inside. Almost would have to be outside, no? Unless there's a building I'm not considering... That may occasionally cause problems with the spring weather.

Edit: Reading again, it clearly says they'd look outdoors. I wonder if they would consider/be allowed to try indoors, though.
 

Plus, it would help with Title IX. There would be double counting of those who play both.
 

The expense is travel. We would certainly have to play most matches on the road to west coast schools as NE did last year. Not against the idea. Would like it much more if we build an indoor sand facility. Something under a bubble that could go up in March. We could then host a tournament and get some home/home with west coast schools we compete with in indoor volleyball.

Having UCLA, Pepperdine, UC Santa Barbara, USC, UC San Diego coming to town for sand volleyball would certainly peak my interest!
 

I think we should add lacrosse before we add Sand volleyball. I think lacrosse would be a better option and sport for the Gophers.
 


I agree with gophersfan. I think it would be a mistake to add sand volleyball over lacrosse. The level of high school lacrosse in MN has been steadily improving with the booming number of youth starting to play. Just my opinion however.
 

I agree that lacrosse makes a lot more sense than sand volleyball, unless we hire Karch Kiraly as the head coach.

If/when women's wrestling becomes a varsity sport at the U of M (or any other university), that's when I'll draw the line on the proliferation of intercollegiate sports.
 


Two person volleyball? If so, would the U have just one team? The roster wouldn't be that big, right? (Just a couple subs?)
 



Two person volleyball? If so, would the U have just one team? The roster wouldn't be that big, right? (Just a couple subs?)

My guess is that it would probably be like tennis, with 5 pairs of players playing against 5 pairs from the other team. The team that wins the most matches, wins the meet.
 

Yes that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.
 

Info on Sand Volleyball

Sand volleyball has been played for a number of years collegiately. Here's some reources that will answer most of your questions. It is not considered a championship sport until 40 teams are on board. It looks like 34 are now committed.

http://www.collegesand.org/-faq

It appears that John Cook, Indoor Volleyball Coach at Nebraska, is the sand coach as well so Hugh can do both. Nebraska is not offering scholarships but allowing indoor players to fill out the roster. Here is some info on the Nebraska start up with some FAQs including format of play.

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle....3508&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=205896263

More FAQ
http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle....3508&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=206257760

The team is practicing at an outdoor bar and grill court. I don't believe they had any home matches this year.
 




Top Bottom