Men's team

[Gophers_4life]

Would you like to see a varsity men's team, one day?

- men's college volleyball plays in the spring, so no overlap with the women's team. Some overlap with basketball seasons probably.
- not a ton of programs in DI
- in fact, I believe the NCAA only has championships in men's for DIII on its own and then everyone else above that is "DI". So somewhat like hockey.
- in the Big Ten, I believe only Ohio State and Penn State have varsity programs, at the moment.
- Wouldn't need any new facilities built, except perhaps locker rooms and coaches offices.
- There aren't very many scholarships allowed in the sport, so it wouldn't be too expensive in that sense.
- Probably biggest costs would be travel, for recruiting and matches.
- I think there would be strong potential for revenue, with a decent number of the women's team's fans being interested.


Another impetus for this, perhaps, is that the MSHSL is "close" to (finally) sanctioning boy's volleyball as an official spring sport. But on the other hand, that already holds true in states like Wisconsin and Illinois, and neither of their Big Ten schools have varsity men's.

 

[GopherJack]

Great point regarding a men's team. (I would love to see one) Question: Would another men's sport need to be cut to make room for the added men's athletes? (Title IX ramifications and equal numbers of men and women's athletes). I'm not sure how that all works.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Technically, the answer is no. But for all practical purposes, the answer is probably yes.


T9 is not some hard and fast rule that has to be met every year before your school’s teams are allow to play for the year.

All it really is, is a way for people who believe they’ve been injured (in the legal) sense to seek remediation by filing a civil lawsuit.


Of course, such lawsuits look bad and often cost money in settlements, so are to be avoided.



If it was up to me, I’d cut a team like men’s tennis and replace it with volleyball in a second. But it is not up to me.

 

[4EverAGopher]

I had brought this up much earlier and was told more than likely it is not going to happen. If the U of MN has eliminated men's programs recently, it just doesn't appear that a Men's Volleyball Program would soon be on the horizon. However, I love the idea.

 

[4EverAGopher]

I am curious if Hugh could be involved with the Volleyball Clubs in Minnesota and still maintain his new position with the the U of MN? I have always questioned why "basic skills" are missing, when some players enter college. Or why an OH's arm swing has not been corrected before entering college volleyball? Landfair's was an example of the latter.

Maybe those involved and/or know those involved in our Youth Volleyball Program in MInnesota can speak further on this or someone can tell me I am way off base.

 

[Bfan]

I am just one opinion.

No, not D1 anyway. Maybe something lower level.

Unlike basketball, girls volleyball, and football, there's little interest/structure in boys/men's volleyball at lower levels like high schools and so forth.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

I am just one opinion.

No, not D1 anyway. Maybe something lower level.

Unlike basketball, girls volleyball, and football, there's little interest/structure in boys/men's volleyball at lower levels like high schools and so forth.

There will be boys varsity HS volleyball within 2 years in Minnesota. The HS League gave it emerging sport status paving the way to varsity status.

It is played on the club level at about 60 schools.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Yep. Could not disagree with Bfan more, on this topic.

And I would wager that it isn't likely to steal away many kids from existing boy's spring sports either. Which I believe in MN are baseball, track, and lacrosse? (I think boy's soccer is fall)

I could see basketball guys who do high-jump in track maybe wanting to stay with a court sport and pick volleyball instead, maybe. But that's about it.

 

[Bfan]

I understand that Lacrosse is a sport for U of M but not D1. I personally see LaCrosse as farthur ahead in Minnesota and Midwest.

You say men volleyball should be D1. OK. Difference of opinion. I said maybe lower level.

I understand that both men volleyball and beach for women to be coastal sports. I am no expert. I have never heard of it around here.

Thus coastal universities meet that demand for that sport on the coasts.

Men get football. Women get volleyball. That is what athletes more often do on the midwest.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I understand that Lacrosse is a sport for U of M but not D1. I personally see LaCrosse as farthur ahead in Minnesota and Midwest.

You say men volleyball should be D1. OK. Difference of opinion. I said maybe lower level.

I understand that both men volleyball and beach for women to be coastal sports. I am no expert. I have never heard of it around here.

Thus coastal universities meet that demand for that sport on the coasts.

Men get football. Women get volleyball. That is what athletes more often do on the midwest.

That’s the fall.

Boy’s/men’s volleyball is a spring sport. Wouldn’t interfere.


Lacrosse would be a good add for the U, as well. Already sponsored by Big Ten:


But bet your bollocks to a barn dance that men’s vball would draw far more spectators than men’s lacrosse would, at the U. Lot of the women’s fans would come out to support it, I think.

 

[4EverAGopher]

I believe Hugh mentioned his children play basketball. However, if he has the desire to be more involved with Minnesota Youth sports such as Volleyball, perhaps he could find that very fulfilling and it would be IMO nothing but a plus for the State of Minnesota. A Win Win all around for the state.

I would certainly welcome Men/Boy's volleyball in this state.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I believe Hugh mentioned his children play basketball. However, if he has the desire to be more involved with Minnesota Youth sports such as Volleyball, perhaps he could find that very fulfilling and it would be IMO nothing but a plus for the State of Minnesota. A Win Win all around for the state.

I would certainly welcome Men/Boy's volleyball in this state.

Right.

So would Wisconsin I bet, which already has boy's volleyball at the high school level and I believe is popular.

I think both would be serious revenue sports for the two. The rivalry would help as well.


Adding new men's sports in the Title IX era is a serious chore. Wisconsin doesn't even have baseball, they dropped it a while ago.