Volleyball popularity spikes in Tennessee

By Emily Cerling

Over the past few years, more and more girls are setting, spiking and killing balls in Tennessee. The Volunteer State is among a number of states where volleyball popularity is on the rise. The 292 high school volleyball teams compete throughout the regular season in hopes of making it to Murfreesboro and capturing a Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) state title.

The state is divided into Division I and Division II schools. Within Division I, Class A-AA and Class AAA are determined by school enrollment. Division II schools are non-public and privately funded and are divided into Classes A and AA.

In Classes A-AA and AAA, the 16 district winners and runners-up determine a regional champion. The winning teams and regional runners-up then progress to the sectional finals, where one team from each of the eight regions advances to Murfreesboro.

In Division II, qualifying teams are seeded for one sub-state game. The four winners in each class advance to a double-elimination state championship.

The three-day tournament has two sites in Murfreesboro, which has been the tournament location for more than a decade. While Blackman (Tennessee) High School facilities are used, most of the volleyball action occurs at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).

In Division I, the eight teams in each class are separated into two pools. The first and second days of the tournament consist of pool play in which each team plays the three other teams in its respective designated pool. On the final day of the tournament, each pool winner competes against each other in the championship match.

As volleyball's popularity has increased in Tennessee high schools, it also has increased among fans and supporters within the state's communities.

"Volleyball doesn't bring in the crowds like basketball or football," said Trina Melton, assistant director of the TSSAA. "However, the volleyball girls get a lot of support from their families and friends."

Last year, Blackman and MTSU hosted more than 3,500 fans throughout the week. Also present was a bundle of news stations and newspapers further publicizing the state championship.

"In Class AAA, Brentwood High School and Germantown High School have been consistently strong through the years," Melton said.

Brentwood improved on its volleyball legacy at the state tournament this year claiming its eighth title, the most in state history. The school beat Ooltewah in five games to claim the Division I, Class AAA crown.

In the other Division I class, Greenbrier breezed through the Class A-AA field, losing only two games en route to the state championship.

Chattanooga Girls Preparatory School came through the losers bracket and beat Nashville Father Ryan twice to win the Division II, Class AA championship. In Division II, Class A, Memphis Harding Academy won the title without dropping a game in four matches.

Emily Cerling is a fall semester intern in the NFHS Publications/Communications Department. She is a senior at Butler (Indiana) University, majoring in integrated communications.