Wisconsin Volleyball Conference athletes return to the court for first time in over two years
Friday, February 11th, 2022
By Scott Spiess
Badger Region Operations Manager
WVC Advisory Board Member
The Badger Region is excited to once again support the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference (WVC) as it embarks on the 2022 season for men’s and woomen’s collegiate club volleyball.
History
The WVC was established in 1992 by Jason Smith, with a focus on creating a quality and competitive experience for its participants through a dual match schedule. The season format or schedule has seen many variations over the years including divisional structures (both geographically and competitively), optional playdates, dual matches, triangular meets, etc. but always culminates with the WVC State Championships (more on that later).
All athletes and coaches in he WVC have a Badger Region/USA Volleyball memberships. And the Badger Region supports the WVC by assigning officials to sanctioned events.
In the beginning the league was formed to create a varsity-like atmosphere for men as there were very limited opportunities for men to play collegiately not only in Wisconsin but also throughout the Midwest. Charter member teams included those from UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater, and UW-Platteville all of which still participate in the WVC today.
In 2007 the WVC welcomed its first women’s teams, providing additional opportunities for female athletes to compete in intercollegiate volleyball in Wisconsin and beyond. The popularity of the women’s division grew quickly with many schools fielding two teams and UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse establishing themselves as the teams to beat on an annual basis.
In addition to the competitive matches taking place right here in Wisconsin, WVC teams regularly participate in the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF) National Tournament. As of the completion of the 2019 season the WVC teams have generated an amazing 17 National Championships and 19 runner-up trophies. All of the success on the national level has led to the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference being recognized as one of the nation’s most respected and decorated conferences.
Season outlook
For the 2022 season, 19 Men’s teams and 23 Women’s teams from all over Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and South Dakota will compete for the conference crown.
Due to continued complications and varying school/university policies related to the pandemic, this season will be played entirely as weekend playdates. A playdate consists of as few as 6 teams and as many as 24 teams competing under the same roof in a single day format. Often these playdates will have some variation of pool play followed by bracket play with results being recorded and accumulated for seeding consideration for the WVC State Championships in April.
Because of the variance in playdate location and court availability, teams will play a slightly unbalanced schedule in 2022, but nonetheless are excited to be back on the court (the WVC season was suspended in 2020 and cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic).
The women kicked things off Feb. 5 at UW-La Crosse with a straight forward six-team round robin. Perhaps there was some home court advantage as both UW-La Crosse A (9-3) and UW-La Crosse B (8-4) had strong showings, with Winona St A (9-3) also demonstrating they have the talent to be in the mix this season. UW-Oshkosh will be the site for the next playdate with 11 different teams in action joining UW-Stout who also played on Feb. 5.
Eight men’s teams made the trek north to Houghton, Mich., and the campus of Michigan Tech University to open their season Feb. 5. UW-Eau Claire was looking for strength in numbers as they have successfully fielded three teams this season! They were joined by Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, UW-Oshkosh B, and two teams from UW-Whitewater. UW-Eau Claire A, Michigan Tech, UW-Whitewater A, and Northern Michigan advanced to the winner’s bracket after strong performances in the morning matches. It was UW-Eau Claire A over UW-Whitewater A in the championship final. In the consolation bracket both UW-Eau Claire B & C advanced before agreeing not to play the final match due to deteriorating winter storm conditions and the opportunity to head home safely. Next up for the men is a 12-team playdate at the Greenheck Fieldhouse in Schofield, Wis.
All men’s and women’s teams will converge on the Milwaukee Sting Center April 8-9 to compete for the 2022 Wisconsin Volleyball Conference State Championships. This culminating event is a celebration for all teams, officials, and WVC advisory members. In addition to the highly competitive tournament play, the WVC will also present its season awards and induct new members into the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference Hall of Fame. The weekend also acts as a springboard for many of the teams who will wrap their season the following weekend at the NCVF National Tournament April 14-16 in Phoenix, Ariz. Look for WVC teams to compete near the top of several divisions throughout the tournament!
Building leaders
Participation in the WVC and collegiate club volleyball can be an amazing experience and resume builder. The club teams are all student-run organizations that generally have a President and/or additional officers that must complete a myriad of tasks before, during, and after the season. These tasks include but are not limited to member registration, scheduling, organizing tryouts, reserving facilities for practice/competition, fundraising, arranging travel, attending university required meetings, planning practice, and making difficult decisions in the best interest of the team.
The WVC, which is run by an advisory committee of former WVC participants, recognizes these challenges as learning opportunities and provides support to the team leaders throughout their time in the conference.
The inaugural WVC Leadership Summit was held in 2019, bringing team leaders together for a weekend of training on various leadership topics. This season the advisory committee has been holding a series of webinars to cover critical items needed to have a successful season. The additional support provided off the court has led to numerous athletes staying involved in the WVC after their playing days are over as mentors to the next group of leaders, on the advisory committee, or drumming up alumni support when called upon. These unique experiences qualify many WVC athletes to potentially become excellent junior club coaches, volleyball officials, tournament site directors and more!
The WVC lives its mission statement: The Wisconsin Volleyball Conference creates structured, sustainable, and competitive volleyball opportunities for men’s and women’s collegiate club teams while developing future leaders and lasting relationships. Find some time to show support a collegiate club team in your area by attending a match, following on social media, or becoming a certified official.
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