Vanderbilt to add volleyball as varsity sport beginning in 2025
Vanderbilt announced Tuesday that it will be adding volleyball beginning in 2025, the 16th varsity team at the school.
The Commodores had a volleyball team but discontinued it in 1980. Every school in the SEC will now have a volleyball team, including incoming new members Oklahoma and Texas.
According to athletic director Candice Lee, volleyball was chosen because Vandy United made the sport feasible. With new basketball facilities being built in the end zone of Vanderbilt Stadium, there is now more room for volleyball facilities, which will take the space of the current basketball offices in Memorial Gymnasium.
Lee said that adding volleyball was something late athletic director David Williams wanted to do but it was not feasible until Vandy United, the school's fundraising campaign intended to improve facilities and the athlete and fan experience.
"It's not a new conversation," Lee said. " ... But we also have the support, because of Vandy United, and the space to actually make this feasible. And to put them in a position where they can succeed and not at the expense of another sport. So that's really important. But this is this has been something that — David Williams is not here today — but I'm happy for him to because he wanted to add volleyball. And now we have the ability. So I'm happy for all of us, it's been a long time coming."
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The two-year runway will give Vanderbilt time to hire a coach and recruit players for a team. Lee said that she wants the team to have a fully funded 12 scholarships by the time the program starts.
While some have called for Vanderbilt to add softball given the popularity and success of Vanderbilt's baseball team, Lee said that volleyball was a more feasible option due to the lack of space for an on-campus softball park. Lee felt that adding a softball team that would be relegated to off-campus facilities would not provide an equitable athlete experience.
"I think what we've done sort of speaks for itself," Lee said on the pitch she'd make to potential new coaches. " ... We're trying to shake off the historical narrative that says that we're not serious about competing at the highest level or a narrative, a false narrative that says that we don't have support from across the street. It's just not true. So you have an opportunity to come here and be at an elite academic institution where a degree speaks for itself, in one of the best cities in the world, in the best conference in the country, with the best people that anybody would have the opportunity to work with. And with student athletes who are amazing. That's the pitch."
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt volleyball team will return in 2025
