On Tuesday afternoon, the South Carolina High School League made a landmark decision to sanction the sport of boys volleyball as an official varsity sport.
The decision to sanction boys volleyball was unanimously approved by the SCHSL Executive Committee 12-0, during the committee meeting’s section of the SCHSL Executive Committee meeting that began Tuesday morning.
As part of the decision, the sport will begin varsity competition in fall 2022. According to a post on Twitter from the SCHSL, the first state championship will not be held until the 2023-24 season. Teams competing under the SCHSL will play in the fall, the same season as girls volleyball.
The SCHSL did not respond to a voicemail asking for comment as of Tuesday afternoon.
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The Palmetto Volleyball Association helped put on a state-wide postseason tournament this spring between 16 schools from across the state.
Woodmont, Eastside, Hillcrest, Dorman and Boiling Springs we’re among the schools that competed. Woodmont defeated Dorman, 3-0, to win the state title, which was not sanctioned by the SCHSL. The final four of the tournament was played at Cardinal Newman in April.
“I never envisioned it, to happen in the state of South Carolina,” Woodmont club boys volleyball coach Darren Rizzitello told The Greenville News. “And for it to have a unanimous vote … I can’t wait to share this news with a lot of people.”
Boys volleyball began as a club sport in 2019. That year, only 14 teams under the SCHSL had it. This past season, 20 teams competed and 17 were associated with schools that compete under the SCHSL.
“I am extremely thankful that boys volleyball is finally sanctioned,” Dorman club boys volleyball coach Drew Copeland told The News on Tuesday. “I hope this is the best thing for the sport moving forward.”
Joe Dandron covers high school athletics for The Greenville News. Have a question, story idea or story tip involving prep sports in the Upstate? Email him at [email protected] or reach out via phone at 864-415-6213.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: SCHSL: H.S. boys volleyball becomes sanctioned sport in South Carolina