Women’s Volleyball Is Having a Moment And It’s Only Getting Bigger

If you’ve been paying attention the last couple years, you’ve probably noticed something big in sports. Women’s volleyball isn’t just quietly growing anymore. It’s exploding. Packed arenas, primetime TV slots, and youth tournaments that feel like mini–Olympic trials are showing that the sport has arrived in a big way.

And honestly? It’s about time.

From college programs drawing record crowds in football stadiums to kids filling gyms at all hours for club tournaments, volleyball has become one of the fastest-rising sports in the country. Here’s why it’s spiking in popularity and why there are no signs of it slowing down any time soon.

College Volleyball Is Stealing the Show

Let’s start with the headline-maker: Nebraska. In 2023, the Cornhuskers turned Memorial Stadium into the world’s biggest volleyball court and packed in over 92,000 fans. Yes, you read that right, 92,000 people showed up for a volleyball match. That wasn’t just the biggest volleyball crowd ever; it was the biggest women’s sporting event crowd ever.

Sure, Nebraska has always been volleyball-crazy, but this moment showed the rest of the country that when you give women’s volleyball a big stage, fans will come, and they’ll be loud.

And it’s not just Nebraska. Programs like Wisconsin, Texas, and Louisville have been drawing major crowds and TV audiences too. The NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship has become must-watch TV, and the energy in those gyms? Electric. The Big 10 Network saw a huge surge in live television audience when they placed matches on Saturday nights. It feels like college volleyball is going through the same kind of “breakout era” women’s basketball hit years ago.

Pro Leagues Are Opening New Doors

For years, one of the biggest frustrations for volleyball fans (and players) was what happened after college. Unless you wanted to move overseas, your career ended with graduation.

That’s starting to change. Athletes Unlimited launched in 2021 with its unique, player-driven league format. The new Pro Volleyball Federation has been popping up in cities across the U.S too. Fans in Omaha, Atlanta, and beyond finally have hometown pro teams to support, and the level of play is as good as you’d expect from athletes who dominated at the NCAA level.

For young players, this is huge. Now they can dream about not just playing in college, but continuing to compete professionally here at home. For fans, it means more chances to watch their favorite stars after graduation. And as the professional leagues grow over time, the money will follow.

The Youth Pipeline Is Overflowing

Of course, none of this happens without the base, and right now, youth volleyball is absolutely booming.

According to the NFHS, volleyball recently passed basketball as the most popular high school sport for girls in the United States. Club volleyball has taken things even further, with tournaments that pack convention centers wall-to-wall with courts. If you’ve ever been to one of these mega-events, you know they’re intense. Think thousands of players, screaming parents, and dozens of college recruiters scanning every game for the next standout. Traditions starting with teams bringing custom volleyball tournament pins to trade amongst others in-between matches adds to the experience.

For families, it’s more than just a weekend activity. Club volleyball can open doors to college scholarships and national recognition. But it also means parents and siblings become fans. When you spend that much time in gyms, you can’t help but follow the sport at higher levels.

It’s the same formula that helped build softball, basketball, and soccer: kids play, families get hooked, and suddenly the sport has a built-in fanbase for life.

Media, Social Media, and Marketability

One thing volleyball has done really well is lean into its “made-for-highlights” style of play. Quick rallies, booming spikes, and crazy digs. The action translates perfectly for those short social media clips the algorithm loves.

Athletes have taken full advantage on this as well. Scroll TikTok or Instagram and you’ll see highlight reels, behind-the-scenes team moments, and celebrations that show the fun side of the sport. That’s helped volleyball players build huge followings, which in turn makes sponsors and TV networks pay attention. Now you’ll see ESPN, Fox, and the Big Ten Network broadcasting matches regularly, and the ratings keep climbing. Volleyball is no longer just filler programming, it’s a headliner.

The introduction of NIL to college athletes has also changed the landscape immensely. Now the top volleyball players aren’t just earning a scholarship, they’re making thousands a year in brand deals. Companies like Raising Canes, Avoli, and Adidas have made enormous investments into promoting volleyball players last season.

Riding the Wave of Women’s Sports

Volleyball’s rise also fits into the bigger picture. Women’s sports across the board are gaining momentum. Women’s basketball has been on fire (thanks Caitlyn Clark!), women’s soccer keeps drawing big crowds, and volleyball is riding that same wave.

What sets volleyball apart, though, is that in the U.S. it’s mostly a women’s sport. While men’s volleyball is growing, when people here think “volleyball,” they think of the women’s game first. That makes it one of the few sports where female athletes are the undisputed face of the game.

For fans, that’s powerful. For young girls dreaming of playing, it’s inspiring.

The Road Ahead

Of course, there are challenges. Professional leagues are still new and working to build stability. Youth volleyball can be expensive with club fees, travel, and gear. This risks shutting out kids from less wealthy families and turning the sport into pay-to-play like baseball has become. And while Nebraska’s 92,000-fan spectacle was incredible, the sport has to figure out how to spread that kind of energy across the country consistently.

But make no mistake, the momentum is real. Volleyball is no longer an under-the-radar sport. It’s filling stadiums, producing stars, and winning over fans who maybe only tuned in for a match or two but got hooked by the speed and intensity.

The question isn’t whether volleyball will keep growing, it’s just how big it can get.

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