Volleyball Teams in the USA

Teams, Divisions and Competitive Quality

More than 1000 universities and colleges in the USA offer athletic scholarships to women volleyball players.  Competitive quality is from high to low.  A few teams are equal to the world’s best professional teams.  Most American teams are similar to secondary European leagues.

There are five categories of American volleyball teams:

• NCAA Division I  (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
This includes 328 universities and colleges.  The top teams are equal to the best professional teams in the world, but most Division I teams are below that level.

• NCAA Division II  (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
This includes 270 universities and colleges.  The best Division II teams are stronger than many Division I teams.  Most Division II schools have a smaller number of students than Division I schools.

• NCAA Division III  (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
These schools do not offer athletic scholarships.  They can pay some of your expenses, but not all of them.  Many Division III schools are elite in academics, but sports are a lower priority.

• NJCAA  (National Junior College Athletic Association)
Junior colleges are two-year schools that prepare students to advance to NCAA and NAIA universities. These colleges have less difficult entry requirements.  They can be excellent starting places for student-athletes from other countries.  The volleyball teams range from strong to weak.

• NAIA  (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
These schools include a variety of volleyball teams, athletic scholarships, and academic quality.  Most are small colleges and universities.  Some have a religious emphasis.  Many NAIA schools are very open to foreign students and have less difficult entry requirements.

Yearly Calendar

Your life as a student-athlete in the USA will follow this schedule:
• August:  Train with your team and prepare for official matches.
• September - November:  Study and attend classes.  Train with your team and compete in 32-40 official matches.
• Early December:  Finish classes.  Some teams compete in championship tournaments.
• Middle December - middle January:  Holiday!  Return to your home or stay at your school.
• Middle January - early April:  Study and attend classes.  Train with your team, and compete in friendly matches.
• Early April - early May:  Finish classes.  Train with your team.
• Early May - early August:  Holiday!  Return to your home or stay at your school.

Professional and Amateur Rules

Professional volleyball players in some countries can not be student-athletes in the USA.  If you signed a contract and received money from a club, a scholarship might not be possible for you.  However, rules about professional and amateur status are complex, and many professional players have scholarships at American universities.  If you are not sure about your status, email your questions to AVSR.

Volleyball Words and Phrases in the USA

• Athletic Scholarship:  Contract between a student-athlete and a university or college.  The student plays on a sport team and studies at the university.  All major expenses are paid by the school.
• Coach:  Combination of a trainer and manager.  The head volleyball coach is the team’s #1 trainer and manager.
• College:  Similar to a European university.  Most colleges are smaller than universities and offer a narrower range of studies, but the quality of education may be excellent.
• Conference (League):  A group of university or college teams that compete against each other.
• High School:  Secondary school (final education level before university or college).
• Junior College:  Two-year college that prepares students to advance to full universities and colleges.
• Student-Athlete:  A student who plays on a sport team at her university or college.
• University:  Similar to a European university.  Most student-athletes earn a bachelor's degree in four or five years.  Students can earn a master's degree in one or two more years.