News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Tennessee Tech bringing a 15th varsity sport to the university: beach volleyball.
Athletic Director Mark Wilson said games will begin in the spring of next year. Wilson said female enrollment has increased, so the addition keeps the university in compliance with Title 9.
“It’s a partnership with the Ohio Valley Conference with the other institutions that support the sport of beach volleyball to ensure that we keep our automatic qualify for the NCAA Championship,” Wilson said.
Wilson said that means the conference champion would have a guaranteed spot in the national championship tournament. Some of the founding members of the Ohio Valley Conference that offered beach volleyball recently left the conference causing the need for another school to step up.
“Some schools needed to add,” Wilson said. “Eastern Illinois has already added. Tennessee Tech has added it. Some other schools are considering adding it, so there is a benefit to ensure that we have enough teams.”
Wilson said beach volleyball being a low-cost sport also played a role. Wilson said the current court volleyball team will make up the team.
“When you look at all those different factors, it really became a win-win,” Wilson said.
Current volleyball associate head coach Zach Weinberg will serve as the head coach. Wilson said the two intramural beach volleyball courts would be used for games. However, large competitions will not be feasible considering the limited playing space.
