Boys Volleyball and Softball make changes
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — Host venues for the Minnesota State High School League’s inaugural Boys Volleyball State Tournament and a new Championship Day experience in Softball were approved by the Board of Directors during its scheduled meeting on Thursday, Dec. 5 at the League Office.
In the first of two approved motions, four enrollment-class championship softball games will be played on Friday, June 6, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus. All other rounds of the tournament will continue to be played at Caswell Park in North Mankato, the League’s longtime host venue for the entire Softball State Tournament. The other approved motion is to play the Boys Volleyball State Tournament, scheduled for June 10-12, at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are really pleased with the hard work and preparation by all that paved the way to these approvals,” said Board of Directors President Don Peschel, the Superintendent of Sauk Centre Public Schools. “Participants, teams and supportive fans of Boys Volleyball and Softball are going to have great state tournament experiences in these facilities.”
Boys Volleyball will play its first season as a League-sanctioned athletic activity this spring with 94 teams currently registered to participate.
The journey for Boys Volleyball included the Board of Directors, at its meeting in December of 2022, approving it as an emerging activity. On May 9, 2023, Minnesota became the 25th state association in the nation to sanction Boys Volleyball when the 48-member Representative Assembly approved a proposed Bylaw Amendment to include the activity by a vote of 39-7-2. The 2024 season was the final season under the guidance of the Minnesota Boys High School Volleyball Association. Under the direction of the MBHSVA, the sport grew from 22 schools and 400 participants in 2018 to 81 schools and 2,381 participants in 2024.
After a review of potential venues for the first Boys Volleyball State Tournament under League governance, League Staff recommended the University of St. Thomas.
“The League’s Boys Volleyball State Tournament deserves a venue that reflects the growing stature and excitement of the sport,” said Lisa Quednow, the League Associate Director who oversees Girls Volleyball and Boys Volleyball. “The University of St. Thomas offers a supportive athletic program with high-quality facilities in a location fitting to host a successful state tournament.”
The Softball State Tournament will now feature a blend of the traditional with a new Championship Day experience.
Over the past months, League Staff have worked with the softball coaches association in surveying its membership to determine the level of interest in an alternative location and an increased focus on the series of four championship games. Approximately 70 percent of respondents supported a Championship Day at the University of Minnesota’s Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. Reasons cited include: the venue being considered a premier facility and more equivalent to the experience baseball enjoys at Target Field, an increase in fan engagement and the creation of an exciting experience.
The quarterfinals, semifinals, third place and consolation games in the four enrollment classes will continue to be played at Caswell Park in North Mankato. League Staff and Board Members recognized the outstanding job that Caswell Park and staff do in hosting the Softball State Tournament with its many teams and classes.
In amending the MSHSL Constitution, the Board of Directors ratified the voting results of its member schools on both proposed MSHSL Constitutional Amendments. The first amendment, including language that adds 9th grade into the League was supported by 97.5 percent of the 526 voting Member Schools. The second amendment to update outdated constitutional language received even greater support with 99 percent of Member Schools voting in favor. These Constitutional changes will be implemented for the 2025-2026 school year.
