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Volleyball’s History in Columbus

Columbus and Volleyball just go together

The Game is Built Here – Hilliard’s Sports Imports is the leading volleyball equipment provider in the country. Their equipment is used by more than 90% of all NCAA D1 programs.

 

Talent is Developed Here – The Ohio Valley Region (OVR) is USA Volleyball's largest region with 25,000 members. Covering Ohio, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, OVR has more than 190 clubs comprising 2,000 teams and has 500 professional officials in its ranks. 

 

Champions are Crowned Here – Since 2000, Columbus has hosted nearly 20 national volleyball events through with more on the docket in coming years. That long list of events spans all ages and sexes and includes hosting part of seven NCAA tournaments and several USA Volleyball events. 
 

Fast Facts | Local Teams | Notable People | Venues | Timeline | Blogs

Major Events Hosted

events---USAVB-open-championship

Ohio Valley Region

USA Volleyball’s Ohio Valley Region hosts tournaments at the Convention Center nearly every year.

Fast Facts

  • Columbus is one of just two cities to host the NCAA Men’s and DI Women’s Volleyball Championships in the same year (2021). The other is Los Angeles, where both championships took place in 1984. 

  • 18,755 people attended the final between Nebraska and Wisconsin during the 2021 Women’s DI Championship in Columbus, breaking the championship attendance record.

  • The Ohio State Women’s Volleyball Team has competed in the NCAA Tournament 24 times. Most recently in 2022, the Buckeyes made it to the tournament’s quarterfinals. 

  • Columbus is set to host the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship again in 2025. 

 

Local Teams

Columbus Fury logo

Columbus Fury

The Columbus Fury are one of eight teams in the all-new Pro Volleyball Federation that begin play in 2024.

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Ohio State Women’s Volleyball Team

The Ohio State Women’s volleyball team continues to rise to national prominence and have 25 NCAA appearances since 1971. The 2022 team made a deep run in the NCAA tournament, falling in the Elite Eight.

Ohio State Men's Volleyball

Ohio State Men's Volleyball Team

Men’s volleyball has been played at Ohio State since 1968. They’ve won three national championships since 2011 and have 17 Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association conference titles.

teams---club-teams

Club Teams

Six-Time National Champion Mintonette Sports is one of the marquee clubs in the region and based at Fieldhouse USA at Polaris. Other club teams include Buckeye Volleyball, Rogue Volleyball and Columbus Volleyball Academy, Vanguard and Advancement Academy.

Notable People

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Mac Podraza

The Columbus native was named Big Ten Setter of the Year in 2022 and racked up more than 4,000 assists across her career in Scarlet &…

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Stacey Gordon

Gordon had a standout career as a Buckeye, helping the team to an Elite Eight appearance. She was named AVCA National Freshmen of the…

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Pete Hanson

Hanson served as head coach for the OSU Men’s Volleyball Team from 1985-2020 and won three national championships.

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Jim Stone

Stone was the Ohio State Women’s Volleyball coach for 26 years, winning 531 matches and leading the buckeyes to the NCAA tournament 15…

Venues

Timeline

1968
1968

Men’s Volleyball was founded at Ohio State

1971
1971

Women’s Volleyball began being played at Ohio State one year before the passing of Title IX.

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