South Mountain Community College to Add Men’s Volleyball to Intercollegiate Offerings

PHOENIX --- 

Through a $10,000 grant provided by the NJCAA Foundation and First Point Volleyball Foundation, the South Mountain Community College athletic department will sponsor men's volleyball as a varsity sport beginning in the spring 2022 season. An emerging sport with growing participation throughout the state of Arizona and the nation, Cougar men's volleyball will provide opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the intercollegiate level and the prospect to continue their careers at four-year institutions.

"We are proud to be one of the first colleges in the ACCAC to add men's volleyball as a varsity sport," said SMCC President Dr. Shari Olson. "We look forward to establishing SMCC as an outstanding destination for men's volleyball student-athletes in Arizona and throughout the world."

"We are thankful for the opportunity provided by the NJCAA Foundation and First Point Volleyball Foundation to be able to serve a need within our state," said Todd Eastin, SMCC Athletic Director. "The sport of men's volleyball continues to grow within the high schools in our region and we will have the opportunity to continue the academic and athletic development of those student-athletes."

The SMCC men's volleyball season will be the Cougars' 11th varsity sport, and the official season will run in the spring of each academic year, beginning with the 2022 campaign.

"The ability to create more opportunities for student-athletes to compete in college and take part in a growing sport is one of the ultimate wins the NJCAA Foundation can achieve," said Brian Luckett, NJCAA Foundation Executive Director. "We are appreciative of the First Point Volleyball Foundation for making this possible and the NJCAA member colleges who have stepped up to make history by bringing back men's volleyball to the association."

There are currently more than 200 boys' volleyball programs throughout Arizona high schools, and the SMCC gymnasium will soon be the scene of some of their future exploits on the court.

"As one of 19 First Point Foundation board members, I can say we are so proud to be able to support the NJCAA and these 15 institutions starting men's volleyball," said Mick Haley, First Point Volleyball Foundation volunteer board member and AVCA Hall of Famer. A former men's volleyball coach at Kellogg Community College (MI), Haley led the program to four NJCAA national championships, back when the sport was sponsored, before stints as head women's coach at the University of Texas, University of Southern California, and the 2000 US Women's Olympic Team in Sydney. "Two-year colleges present the most affordable opportunity for young people to play college volleyball during a time when students want to stay closer to home," Haley continued. "Our hope at First Point is to see 35 or 40 more two-year colleges follow these 15 and sponsor men's volleyball."

First Point Volleyball Foundation is taking men's volleyball participation to unprecedented heights, creating opportunities for young men to develop as players and people.

"As we work to prepare for the Tokyo Olympic Games, all of us at USA Volleyball are excited by this awesome news of 15 newly announced men's collegiate volleyball programs at two-year colleges," stated John Speraw, First Point Volleyball Foundation Founder and volunteer Chairman and head coach of the US Men's National Team and UCLA Men's Volleyball. "I suspect it won't be long before an NJCAA athlete will play for Team USA," Speraw added. "I want to personally thank all the donors to First Point Volleyball Foundation, past and future, for making these grants possible."

Just as with women's volleyball, men's volleyball matches are played in sets, with the victorious team needing to claim three sets to win the match. The first team to score 25 points and be leading by at least two points wins the first four sets. If the match goes to a fifth set, the teams play to 15, with the winner needing to have won the set by at least two points. The men's game also has the same number of players on the court at one time as the women's game.

Eastin and the SMCC athletic department will begin hiring the program's first head coach immediately.

About First Point Volleyball Foundation

Founded in 2016 by John Speraw, head coach of the USA Men's National Team and UCLA Men's Volleyball and Wade Garard, First Point Volleyball Foundation exists to provide opportunities for young people to mature and develop through volleyball. Specifically focused on growing boys' and men's volleyball in the United States, First Point Volleyball Foundation initiates and celebrates FIRST POINTS whether that is a first point of a new collegiate team, or a new high school team, or a first point of competitive volleyball for a 12-year-old. The Foundation has three strategic initiatives: (1) Growing collegiate opportunities; (2) Growing high school boys' opportunities; and (3) the Extending Reach Diversity Initiative – expanding volleyball opportunities to boys and men of color.  

About NJCAA Foundation

The mission of the NJCAA Foundation is to enhance the NJCAA national organization, student-athletes, member colleges and local communities through financial support, scholarships, program initiatives and community service.