Everyone knows about volleyball, especially in the Big Ten, but do you know anything about NCAA beach volleyball? In this article, I will discuss the intricacies of beach volleyball and the differences between court and beach volleyball.
Differences Between Beach and Court Volleyball
Beach volleyball is a very new NCAA sport. The very first NCAA tournament was in 2016.
- Court volleyball is much more organized, precise, and controlled. On the flip side, beach volleyball requires much more athleticism and improvisation.
- The playing surface is obviously different. The sand playing surface provides constant resistance to the players. Indoor balls are heavier than beach volleyballs.
- There are six players on a volleyball court while there are only one or two players for beach volleyball.
Training Regimen
Beach volleyball is a spring sport in the NCAA. Division I volleyball players will compete on the court in the fall and then stay in shape on the sand in the spring. Beach volleyball requires an emphasis on training the lower half of the body. This is due to the constant resistance produced by the sand. You have to be light on your feet. Side-to-side quickness is emphasized over jumping height as well. You won't be able to jump as high on the sand as you will be able to jump on the court.
Best Beach Volleyball Programs
A lot of the best beach volleyball programs can be found on the West Coast (as expected).
Some of the top programs include:
USC
- 5 NCAA Championships
- 1 NCAA Runner-Up Finish
- 4 Pac-12 Championships
UCLA
- 2 NCAA Championships
- 2 NCAA Runner-Up Finishes
- 3 Pac-12 Championships
Florida State
- 3 NCAA Runner-Up Finishes
- 6 CCSA Conference Championships
- 16 All-Americans
Stanford
- 3 NCAA Championships Appearances
- 5 All-Americans
Cal
- 1 NCAA Championship Appearance
- 5 All-Americans
