[Mick]

Stanford Men's Volleyball, currently ranked #8, a program that had been incinerated by Mr. Muir several years ago, only to come roaring back on the strength of alumni and related party investments, is today 4-0.

I don't know that other athletic directors facing the same budget problems back then wouldn't also have put men's volleyball on the cutting block. The cuts had to be balanced under Title IX and there are only three traditional Pac 12 colleges that field Men's Volleyball teams (the others being USC and UCLA). It's similar to Men's Wrestling, a sport that only three traditional Pac 12 schools field as well.

I was surprised back then that Stanford got so much national flack for planning to cut these programs when so many other major Div I colleges had already done so (or had chosen not to fund them in the first place). Perhaps it's because Stanford's overall success in athletics makes it a national trend-bearer (especially for sports outside of football and men's basketball). If that's the case then I'd hope the investments that alumni and others (thankfully) have made will do more than just keep these sports alive and successful at Stanford. I'd hope we'll see these sports expanding to more Div I schools.

There are 29 D1 teams, up from 26 just last year. There are 31 D2 schools which are eligible to compete in the year end competition, including six historically black institutions, making a total of 60 colleges that offer very high level volleyball. When my son was playing 10 years ago, there was around 45 schools in both D1 and D2.

The NCAA men's championship consisted of just four teams from 1970 to 2013. In 2014, they expanded the championships to six teams, then in 2019 went to seven teams. There is currently a proposal to expand the tournament to twelve teams.

American Volleyball Coaches Association (avca.org)

[Mick]

Stanford Men's Volleyball, currently ranked #8, a program that had been incinerated by Mr. Muir several years ago, only to come roaring back on the strength of alumni and related party investments, is today 4-0.

I don't know that other athletic directors facing the same budget problems back then wouldn't also have put men's volleyball on the cutting block. The cuts had to be balanced under Title IX and there are only three traditional Pac 12 colleges that field Men's Volleyball teams (the others being USC and UCLA). It's similar to Men's Wrestling, a sport that only three traditional Pac 12 schools field as well.

I was surprised back then that Stanford got so much national flack for planning to cut these programs when so many other major Div I colleges had already done so (or had chosen not to fund them in the first place). Perhaps it's because Stanford's overall success in athletics makes it a national trend-bearer (especially for sports outside of football and men's basketball). If that's the case then I'd hope the investments that alumni and others (thankfully) have made will do more than just keep these sports alive and successful at Stanford. I'd hope we'll see these sports expanding to more Div I schools.

There are 29 D1 teams, up from 26 just last year. There are 31 D2 schools which are eligible to compete in the year end competition, including six historically black institutions, making a total of 60 colleges that offer very high level volleyball. When my son was playing 10 years ago, there was around 45 schools in both D1 and D2.

The NCAA men's championship consisted of just four teams from 1970 to 2013. In 2014, they expanded the championships to six teams, then in 2019 went to seven teams. There is currently a proposal to expand the tournament to twelve teams.

American Volleyball Coaches Association (avca.org)