The Utah Tech University men’s volleyball club is spiking its way to success, serving up a season filled with teamwork and determination.
The men’s volleyball club has been a sanctioned club for three years. It consists of 18 young men going out week after week to play and compete in a sport they love. The club holds practice three days a week at the Student Activity Center on campus.
Josh James, a junior accounting major from St. George, said being a club sport on campus can come with challenges. Reserving the courts is one of the challenges the team faces. They must reserve a specific date and time to be able to hold their practice.
“The school has actually been really good with us about letting us use all the facilities and working with us,” James said. “Traci Collins is our administrator. She’s over us and she truly is the best. She helps us with everything.”
In contrast to sanctioned teams at Utah Tech, the men’s volleyball club primarily relies on personal contributions and fundraising to finance their season. A way they do fundraising is through volleyball tournaments.
In October, the club will hold two co-ed six-on-six tournaments Oct. 6 and Oct. 7. The team will also host a doubles co-ed grass tournament Oct. 28. These tournaments are played on campus and are open to all students and the public.
Those who are interested in playing in the tournament can go to the link in the bio of the club’s Instagram page. For each tournament, teams will pay a $200 buy-in fee.
The club’s funding is essential for acquiring new equipment like volleyballs, nets, padding and jerseys. Additionally, it supports travel expenses for events, games and tournaments.
Universities the club is scheduled to travel to and play include Southern Utah University, Utah State University, University of Nevada and Colorado Mesa University.
Tyse Madsen, a sophomore finance major from Herriman, said the trips they take for these tournaments are the most memorable part of being in the club.
“Last year we played in Greeley, Colorado, for the conference championship,” Madsen said. “It was just us hanging out, being friends. It made it really fun”
Madsen is confident and excited to play. He said the team is looking much better this year and is hoping to make the top five in the Mountain West Volleyball Conference.
Tryouts for the club were at the beginning of the semester. Gabriel Frye, a freshman general studies major from Las Vegas, is a new face to the club. Frye said the club attended club rush this year to spread the word about tryouts.
They had tryouts for three days, and players would come in and show off their talent to the coaches. The coaches would then discuss who they wanted and didn’t want. They would cut people until they reached their 18-man roster.
As the club’s members unite in their shared love for volleyball, they are determined to achieve success and make their mark in the men’s volleyball world.
