AVCA Advocacy for Collegiate sports; DI Beach program dropped; VNL 2025 Schedule
At The Net – May 28, 2025
AVCA Advocacy
AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon, who was part of a Knight Commission panel last week, shares an update on Olympic sports in the broader landscape of intercollegiate athletics, including specifics on a two-part advocacy framework to ensure more stability for volleyball. Read his message to AVCA Members here.
Collegiate Volleyball News
Stephen F. Austin State University announced that it will drop four athletics programs, including beach volleyball, effective at the end of the current academic year. The decision was based on sustained departmental budget deficits and the anticipated financial impact of upcoming revenue-sharing requirements with Division I athletes.
ESPN Events announces the addition of a new owned-and-operated women’s volleyball tournament in the Shriners Children’s Showdown at the Net, which is slated for September 9-10. The event features 16 squads from both the ACC and SEC that will square off in cross-conference challenges across the country that will air on ESPN2, SEC Network, ACC Network, SEC Network+ and ACCNX.
High School Volleyball News
Nominations for the 2025 AVCA Phenom Watch List and AVCA All-America Watch List are now open! Both lists will be published on August 25, 2025. The Phenom Watch List is open to underclassmen in the Fall of 2025, (players with a 2027, 2028, or 2029 high school grad year). The AVCA All-America Watch List is open to Seniors in the Fall of 2025 (players with a 2026 high school grad year).
AVCA Education
2025 AVCA Super Clinic: July 25-30
REGISTER NOW for the BEST RATES with early registration for the 2025 AVCA Coach of the Year Virtual Super Clinic, and get ready for your next season. Registration includes on-demand access to the 2025 Super Clinic’s new sessions, plus access to Volleyball Coaches Insider +Plus, home of the 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021 AVCA Super Clinics and other great full-length clinic sessions filmed in states across the country. Learn more.
Check out coaches clinics happening around the country hosted by AVCA Signature Affiliate and Affiliate Partners! These local clinics offer high school coaches the opportunity to receive quality volleyball coaching education close to home.
Upcoming Webinars – free for AVCA members who register in advance!
AVCA Team Academic Award nominations open TOMORROW Thursday, May 29!Get ready – FAQs here.
Submissions now accepted for the 2025 AVCA Victory Club! Celebrate your milestone career wins – High School and Collegiate (indoor and beach) AVCA member head coaches are eligible for recognition at the 2025 AVCA Convention.
Nominations for the 2025 AVCA Hall of Fame are now being accepted. Please help in determining who will be the next group of volleyball coaches and administrators to be inducted at the 2025 AVCA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Nominations are due by Friday, May 30.
VNL 2025 Schedule Catch the USA Women and Men competing across the world this summer. Stream on VBTVor check out the action in person – get tickets for U.S. matches in Chicago and Arlington!(All times below are Eastern)
3-8 June: Women’s matches in Beijing, Ottawa, and Rio de Janeiro (USA is in Rio)
4 June: USA vs. Italy (1pm) 5 June: USA vs. Brazil (8pm) 6 June: USA vs. Czech Republic (8pm) 8 June: USA vs. South Korea (4pm)
11-15 June: Men’s matches in Xi’an, Quebec City, and Rio de Janeiro (USA is in Rio) 11 June: USA vs. Ukraine (1pm) 12 June: USA vs. Iran (8pm) 14 June: USA vs. Slovenia (12:30pm) 15 June: USA vs. Cuba (4pm)
18-22 June: Women’s matches in Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Belgrade (USA is in Belgrade) 18 June: USA vs. Serbia (2 pm) 19 June: USA vs. Poland (10:30am) 21 June: USA vs. Netherlands (10:30am) 22 June: USA vs. France (10:30am)
25-29 June: Men’s matches in Burgas, Belgrade, and Chicago (USA is in Chicago) 25 June: USA vs. China (8:30pm) 26 June: USA vs. Canada (8:30pm) 28 June: USA vs. Poland (8:30pm) 29 June: USA vs. Italy (8:30pm)
8-13 July: Women’s matches in Chiba, Apeldoorn, and Arlington (USA is in Arlington) 9 July: USA vs. Thailand (8:30pm) 10 July: USA vs. Dominican Republic (8:30pm) 12 July: USA vs. Canada (8:30pm) 13 July: USA vs. China (8pm)
15-21 July: Men’s matches in Ljubljana, Gdansk, and Chiba (USA is in Chiba) 16 July: USA vs. Turkiye (2:30am) 18 July: USA vs. Argentina (2:30am) 19 July: USA vs. Germany (6:30am) 20 July: USA vs. Japan (6:20am)
23-27 July: Women’s championship rounds in Lodz, Poland 23 and 24 July: Quarterfinals 26 July: Semifinals 27 July: First-place and Third-place matches
30 July-3 Aug.: Men’s championship rounds in Ningbo Beilun, China 30 and 31 July: Quarterfinals 2 Aug.: Semifinals 3 Aug.: First-place and Third-place matches
Applications for the JVA Grant Program close May 30th!
The JVA Grant Program is designed to promote the growth and accessibility of youth and junior volleyball by financially supporting JVA members in their efforts to provide new programs and services in their community. Let us help you grow the game in your area. Learn more.
Check out the trailer for “Kings of the Beach,” a documentary about the history of beach volleyball and the AVP, featuring interviews with legends of the sport including: Karch Kiraly, Misty May-Treanor, Sinjin Smith, Holly McPeak, Dain Blanton, Randy Stoklos, Mike Dodd, and Tim Hovland.
Coaching Careers
NCAA Division I
Jose Loiola has been named the University of South Carolina’s head beach volleyball coach.
Jeff “CJ” Werneke has been named the next head coach of the Lafayette volleyball program.
NAIA
Grant DeGrasse named Head Coach of Benedictine Mesa Men’s Volleyball.
NJCAA
Kelly Covert was named head volleyball coach at Dallas College Richland.
