NCAA Considering Addition of Sand/Beach Volleyball

by jlegs on Jul 24, 2008 11:59 AM PDT

An NCAA committee voted this month to add sand volleyball to a list of women's sports being considered for intercollegiate competition. The sport, known on the professional and Olympic levels as beach volleyball, could be under NCAA auspices as soon as 2009-10.

"It's a very exciting development, and it's certainly an acknowledgment that there's substantial growth in popularity in beach volleyball," said Leonard Armato, the commissioner of the domestic pro tour. "I think it's going to be an easy transition for the schools, and there's going to be lots of girls that want to play."

I'd imagine that it would be an easy transition here at a traditional volleyball school, especially in Southern California. We've also produced our fair share of AVP pros and Olympic legends (Mr. Kiraly, anyone?)...if this does go through, I wonder where they'd setup a sandy surface to play on. Perhaps in or around Sunset Rec or the in-progress Speiker Aquatic Center?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

2 recs | Comment 13 comments

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Beach volleyball courts are small

There’s plenty of places for them to squeeze one in. There’s a little room next to Spaulding Field. There’s a bit next to the LATC. The Sunset Rec Center is most likely though.

by ryebreadraz on Jul 24, 2008 12:35 PM PDT 0 recs

Does this mean

That we get to add back another Men’s sport that was so cruelly cut years ago? Yeah I know it has to do with number of scholarships, but it’s sad that we had perennial title contending programs that no longer exist.

by Tydides on Jul 24, 2008 1:25 PM PDT 0 recs

I doubt it

beach volleyball is 2 people per team and even if there are multiple 2 person teams to make up the UCLA team it wouldn’t be a lot of people. If we were going to add a men’s sport it would probably be men’s beach volleyball.

by ryebreadraz on Jul 24, 2008 2:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

If they only make women's beach volleyball a NCAA sport

and not men’s then maybe gymnastics? I’d like to see us revive that sport considering how successful it was and how successful the women’s program is. Plus we already have the facilities and majority of the equipment for it.

by ryebreadraz on Jul 24, 2008 2:48 PM PDT up 0 recs

Yeah I know

I know the scholarship numbers don’t add up at all. I was merely venting about how we had such great teams that are now only memories.

by Tydides on Jul 24, 2008 5:13 PM PDT up 0 recs

I wonder what sport you may have been referring to?

I don’t think you’ve mentioned it before ;)

by ryebreadraz on Jul 24, 2008 5:25 PM PDT up 0 recs

Actually I don't have a vested interest

My sport was Water Polo, and they’re still around with a great coach in Krikorian. IIRC, tasser used to be on crew, which was cut, along with men’s swimming and men’s gymnastics and he has been outspoken on a few occasions about this. I’m pretty sure I’m leaving something out but my memory is fried at the moment. When I see other schools able to field teams in virtually every sport imaginable, it makes you think about what we could do here at UCLA with our success rate in the sports that we do compete in. It would be great to maximize our chances to add to our massive trophy collection.

by Tydides on Jul 24, 2008 6:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

On the other hand

it might be better not to add sports. We have trouble as is raising money for facility renovations and to fund new sports money would have to come from existing sports.

by ryebreadraz on Jul 24, 2008 7:58 PM PDT up 0 recs