College volleyball, known for its fast-paced action and strategic game play, combines powerful serves, precise spikes, and agile defense, making it one of the most dynamic and thrilling sports in collegiate athletics, but, are this school’s volleyball players actually doing what they need to do to get to that point?
Volleyball is one of the most popular women’s sports in college athletics, with thousands of athletes participating across the country. College volleyball in the United States is divided into three divisions by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association): Division I, Division II, and Division III. Division I is the highest level of competition. Division I and Division II schools offer athletic scholarships to talented volleyball players, while Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships but may provide other forms of financial aid. “As a player on JV volleyball for Wootton I would say it is important to practice all your skills to play in college but also even more importantly you have to mentally be strong to play in college so mistakes don’t affect how you play in the next point, and I think that is something this years JV struggled with a little,” sophomore Malia Bellamy said.
The college volleyball season typically runs from late August to December, with the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship taking place in December. “I do think that the volleyball players of Wootton are on the right path to be able to make it in college, a lot of the players are seriously skilled and talented and most importantly are team players,” sophomore Peace Tiam said.
In addition to indoor volleyball, colleges also have beach volleyball teams. NCAA beach volleyball became an official championship sport in 2016. College volleyball matches are best-of-five sets. The first four sets are played to 25 points, and if a fifth set is necessary, it is played to 15 points. A team must win by at least two points. “I think some things that need to be done to be able to get to the college point are, players must show up to practice on time, but also in their free time practice themselves so they can work on the things they need to improve on,” sophomore Edlawit Abebe said.
Top college volleyball players can be named All-Americans, which is a prestigious honor recognizing the best players in the country. College volleyball in the U.S. attracts international players, adding a diverse range of playing styles and experiences to the teams.
One of the most famous college volleyball players is Kerri Walsh Jennings. She played for Stanford University from 1996 to 1999 and was a four-time All-American. Walsh Jennings went on to have a highly successful career in beach volleyball, winning three Olympic gold medals and one bronze. She’s widely regarded as one of the greatest volleyball players of all time.
As of this year, the University of Nebraska is often considered one of the top college volleyball teams. They’ve had a strong program with multiple national championships and consistently perform well in the NCAA tournaments.
