WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – Boys volleyball is the newest sanctioned spring high school sport in Minnesota, and several local schools have launched teams for the inaugural season. Local teams competing include East Ridge, Tartan, Stillwater Area, and Woodbury high schools.
The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) voted to approve the sport in 2023 after years of growing popularity. Advocacy from fans of girls volleyball provided critical support as well. Girls volleyball has long been a fall MSHSL sanctioned sport and one of the most popular in Minnesota.
According to the MSHSL website, over 85 schools have registered boys volleyball teams for the 2025 season. According to local coaches, the response has been strong with schools hosting both varsity and junior varsity teams.
Coaches say the teams are attracting students who may not have participated in athletics before. That’s in part because the sport is more affordable for families.
“The launch of boys volleyball has been nothing short of inspiring. It’s brought in a whole new group of students, many of whom haven’t participated in other sports and given them a place to belong and shine,” said Park head coach Robert Lozinski-McLean. “Reaching new populations is how we build stronger, more inclusive communities.”
Nate Cox, Activities Director at Stillwater Area High School, noted 24 athletes make up their varsity and JV teams.
“It’s great to see this as a spring sport option for boys,” he said. “There are a lot of people that have worked hard to get boys volleyball added as an official MSHSL sport. It’s fantastic to be a part of launching the sport this year.”
East Ridge Varsity Coach Lau Yang played volleyball as a teenager, in college, and for another ten years in an adult league. When he and his family moved to Woodbury, he thought his volleyball days were over.
When local boosters reached out to him to coach volleyball, it wasn’t just about filling a coaching vacancy. It was about tapping his passion to establish the sport with young athletes in the east metro.
In preparation for this year’s season as a MSHL sanctioned sport, Yang coached club teams the past three years to help introduce boys to the foundations of the sport. Now that volleyball has the backing of the high school activities department, the team has significantly improved resources, including access to better equipment, athletic trainers, strength training, and a booster club.
As a new sanctioned sport, most athletes coming out for the team have little experience. That means developing a team with few technical volleyball skills to one that is a competitive state qualifier.
With this as their goal, Yang focuses on what the athletes like and can do best—hitting and striking with intensity—and is then building in skills and tempo. 30 athletes make up the varsity and JV teams at East Ridge.
Yang’s philosophy is his focus on incremental progress. “Our goal is to get 1% better each time we practice,” he said. “The team is doing an amazing job.”
Establishing and building a volleyball culture within the school is another goal for Vang. Already, he’s seeing East Ridge graduates who played club volleyball for the past three years, return to help coach the team. They are eager to give back and stay connected to the program.
“These athletes are telling us, ‘I want to help my team.’ They feel bonded to the program,” he said.
For more information on upcoming matches, click on these links.
East Ridge High School Raptors Boys Volleyball
Tartan High School Boys Volleyball
Woodbury High School Royals Boys Volleyball
The 2025 Boys Volleyball State Tournament is scheduled for June 10-12 at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
