Can anyone explain why THE University of Florida doesn't have a Beach Volleyball program, especially for women? I think that would help attract more elite VB players who want to play indoors and outdoors. There are 62 D1 Women's Beach Volleyball programs and here are those in the State of Florida: South Florida, North Florida, Stetson, Jacksonville, Florida State, Florida International, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Atlantic. It would have to be the most inexpensive sport to get started and run and we should be competitive immediately. Only LSU and South Carolina from the SEC have programs, but still - C'Mon AD Stricklin, Get with it!!!
If you asked her that question upstairs at Lemerand Athletic Center during a meet-and-greet a couple years back, then I was there and can confirm the answer. But she probably gets asked that a lot, so maybe that wasn't you. She also mentioned money. Even a lesser school like Georgia State spends $500,000 a year on beach volleyball. I have no idea what the cost would be at a more prestigious school like UF, which is not going to cut corners. And if another woman's sport is added, then is there reverse-Title IX, meaning another men's sport would have to be funded? Dunno I do remember Mary saying that beach volleyball would help with recruiting. Although based on next year, she's done an amazing job even without that carrot to dangle.
Madi Gravlee seriously considered going to another school that had Beach VB. That is the reason she did not enroll early. If she had she would have lost a year of eligibility for beach. Eventually, her legacy won out. From what I hear, she will play VB at UF for four years and then transfer to a school with Beach VB. That is probably UCLA. As an aside, Marlie Monserez transferred to UCLA Beach and lost in the National Championship two years in a row to USC. She was a regular player. Paige Hammonds transferred to USC Beach. She played very little but won a National Championship. Go figure.
