Intramural volleyball ends season in University Gym

There were at least 50 people in the stands at University Gym on Election Day watching the Volleyball Intramural championships.

Many IU students were in the stands cheering for their favorite teams and their friends.

“There usually isn’t as big of a crowd for volleyball as there is for football or basketball,” said Stacey Lee, graduate assistant for intramural volleyball, dodgeball and indoor soccer. “It was really nice to see all the students that came out to the games to cheer on their friends on the teams.”

The championship games were played in University Gym, which is usually the gym where University teams and clubs play, not intramural teams.

“It was nice that our Intramural Championships were played in University Gym,” Lee said. “We were able to make announcements of both the teams and the officials, and it made the environment a competitive as well as a recreational environment.”

Six leagues were part of intramural volleyball, including CO1, CO2, Women 1, Women 2, Men 1, and Men 2. The CO leagues are the mixed men and women leagues. The CO1 league is more competitive than CO2 league, and the CO1 league can have at most two players from a club team because the players on these teams are usually more experienced. This is the same for the Women’s and Men’s leagues as well.

The CO1 championship winner was the Gary Westsiders against the Red Rockets with a match score of 2-0. The CO2 champion was Team Patrick against Mafia with a score of 2-1.

The Women 1 champion was Bad News Broads against Spandex Senioritas with the match score 2-0. The Men 1 championship winner was Alpha Tau Omega against Cali Kids with the match score 2-1. The Women 2 champion was Dig This against Ballers with match score 2-1. Finally, the Men 2 championship winner was Beta B with  the match score 2-1.

The teams are formed mostly by students and are led by a captain. The team picks its own name and then register for one of the six leagues. The team plays against other IU students on their own teams. There were more than 50 teams, and each of the teams made the playoffs. The teams were eliminated once they lost.

“With the different leagues, it gives everyone a chance to play on the intramural teams,” Lee said. “A student can play with only girls and only guys or on a co-ed team and be in the correct leagues for their skill level. Most of the students enjoyed being on these teams. It brings students together, and it helps them to meet new people.”

A big misconception about intramural volleyball is that only fraternities and sororities form teams, but people can form their own teams and register to play with them.

Many teams, such as the Electric 6, are made of freshmen from the same dorm floors.

“We got to meet new people, and it was fun playing them,” said freshman Cecily Barajas, a student who played on Electric 6. “It also helped us to bond as a floor.”

Intramural sports are also a good way for people to play on competitive teams without having to travel.

“For a team with no experience, intramural volleyball really helped us and we had fun doing it,” said Freshman Chelsea Sue Bessler of team Electric 6.

Lee said intramural sports are a way for IU students to play against other students and have fun in a relaxed environment.