With nearly 2000 American universities offering college volleyball, volleyball is extremely popular in the USA. And anyone who thinks that the university’s volleyball team is locked in a room afterwards is definitely wrong, at a large number of universities the teams share the complex with the basketball team. Big arenas, huge numbers of spectators, college volleyball is the sport you want to see.
In this article we have tried to make a top 10 of the coolest, most beautiful or most special facilities. Read on, to find out!
10. Ahearn Field House – Kansas State University
We’ll kick off this top 10 right away with a bang: Ahearn Field House is home to the Kansas State University women’s volleyball team. The stadium, which opened its doors in 1950, can accommodate not less than 5000 spectators during a volleyball match.
The volleyball team was founded in 1974 and plays in the Big 12 Conference and successfully, in 2003 the conference was won. But the girls of this team are not only successful on the field, fun fact is that the Kstate Volleyball team is the most successful academic sports team of the university.
9. Convocation Center – California University of Pennsylvania
Convocation Center is the home to both California University of Pennsylvania basketball teams and the women’s volleyball team. The building just opened its doors at the end of 2011 and is therefore equipped with all the latest technical gadgets. In addition, the building has a surface area of 13,200 m2, making it one of the largest indoor locations in the region.
8. Rec Hall – Pennsylvania State University
Recreation building, as the stadium is officially called, is best known to the general public under the name Rec Hall. The stadium can accommodate about 6,500 spectators, making it considerably larger than the previous arenas.
The women’s volleyball team proves that the teams are happy with this stadium. With a run of 94 home wins in a row, they hold the official NCAA record for volleyball in this field. So you can say that Pennsylvania State University is talking about home advantage.
7. The George Albert Smith Fieldhouse – Brigham Young University
In addition to volleyball matches, you can also watch gymnastics in this stadium. The building dates back to 1951 and is named after George Albert Smith, the eighth president of the Mormon Church, who died a year before it opened.
In 2009, the Smith Fieldhouse also hosted the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship. That must have been extra special, because as the audience you are really on top of the games here.
6. Wisconsin Fieldhouse
The University of Wisconsin’s women’s volleyball team has been among the best college volleyball teams in the country for years. For example, the Conference (Big Ten) has been won in the past three years. Last season their matches attracted an average of 7,540 spectators, which means a sold out house and a second place on the spectator ranking.
The complex opened almost a hundred years ago and has since been renovated several times, for example a second ring was added in 1939, increasing the capacity by 50%. In addition to the volleyball team, the UW Fieldhouse also hosts the university’s wrestling team.
5. GSU Beach Volleyball Complex
We start the top 5 with a somewhat strange duck in the bite. Besides ‘normal’ college volleyball, you can also play college beach volleyball in America. And this complex is a gem in that area. While you play your games, you also have a view of the Georgia State Capitol, a hugely impressive building.
Moreover, the complex with three beach volleyball courts and hardly any stands, is relatively small. Which forms a beautiful and special contrast with the immense buildings and the rough architecture in the neighborhood around the complex.
4. Gregory Gym – University of Texas
Gregory Gymnasium is the volleyball stadium of The University of Texas at Austin. The Texas Longhorns women, as the college volleyball team is called, has won three NCAA championships in the past, the last of which was in 2012.
Currently, the volleyball team is the only official university sports team to use Gregory Gym. However, all students can use the fitness in this building for free. With a total of 9 volleyball courts and a competition field with space for about 400 spectators, this team has nothing to complain about.
3. Maturi Pavilion – The University of Minnesota
Since 1994, the women’s volleyball team of the University of Minnesota has played its games at the Maturi Pavilion. The stadium officially has the name; Sports Pavilion, but was named after former University of Minnesota Athletics Director Joel Maturi in 2017.
The volleyball of the university has been among the best universities in the country in recent years, and in addition, the stadium is almost completely sold out at their matches. Which means over 5,700 fans are shouting the girls to victory.
2. Stan Sheriff Center – Hawaii Manoa
This stadium has broken almost every record in history in terms of attendance at a volleyball game. With a total capacity of 10300 spectators, you will not soon be alone in the stands. Fun fact: Stan Sheriff Center not only hosts volleyball and basketball games for college teams from the University of Hawaii, but has also hosted several exhibition games in the past in preparation for the NBA season.
In addition, you can say for sure that the large spectator numbers are more than justified. Both Hawaii’s men’s and women’s volleyball teams are among the top nationals. The men have even won the NCAA championship in the past two years.
1. Bob Devaney Sports Center – University of Nebraska
With a maximum number of spectators of almost 8000, this stadium is one of the larger of this top. It is therefore not for nothing that this sports center is in first place. Named after Bob Devaney, former football coach and Athletic director of the University of Nebraska, the stadium is home to numerous teams. Where both basketball teams used to use the complex, it is currently still used by the Swimming & Diving team, Track & Field team, Volleyball team and the wrestling team.
But not only sports are practiced in this stadium, at the end of the last century several big names from the music industry also performed, such as Elton John and Frank Sinatra.
And that volleyball is also popular in Nebraska is evidenced by the fact that Nebraska played in nine of the ten most attended volleyball games in NCAA history. Want to see more of this complex? Check out this cool vlog for a virtual tour.
Here we are, ten special college volleyball accommodations at American universities. Each with a special story, a great environment and above all the opportunity for ambitious volleyball players to perform their sport at a high level in combination with a study.
But of course there are many more cool, great universities that offer volleyball and also have plenty of good facilities. Do you want to know more about these universities, college volleyball or become a student athlete yourself? Reach out! Then we look together at your options and which university suits you best.
