Wisconsin's Kelly Sheffield gave his candid thoughts on a rule that "handcuffs" volleyball and potentially the "most winnable" Title IX lawsuit.
CHICAGO – Kelly Sheffield is a fan of college volleyball’s shift to start practices a week earlier in 2025.
“I think the science will say that that’s better for us,” said Sheffield, whose Wisconsin Badgers begin practice on July 31 and have their first regular-season match on Aug. 29. “We’re certainly happy about that.”
That’s not the only change Sheffield would like to see the NCAA make, though, when it comes to when teams are, and are not, allowed to formally practice.
Sheffield — ahead of his 13th season as the Badgers’ head coach — advocated for volleyball to take a similar approach to sports such as basketball that allow teams to do limited practices and other organized activities during the summer.
“I think it handcuffs our sport that we’re not able to have access to our players in the summer like other sports do,” Sheffield said at Big Ten volleyball media days. “ … Our program can’t even post anything about them working out. These guys are in the gym or in the weight room working out.”
Especially in the era of athletes profiting off name, image and likeness, every opportunity to post about volleyball — even if it's simply a highlight video or photo gallery from a summer workout — could theoretically be an opportunity to promote an athlete to potential fans and sponsors alike.
“You see other sports that are able to post that and promote their sports, and the impact that that has on NIL,” Sheffield said. “We haven’t gotten to the part in our sport where we’re able to be out there 365. We have these quiet periods — the opening of our tournament where we’re not nationally broadcast, and we’ve got times in the summer where other sports are able to have access with their players and promote their teams and their players. We can’t do that.”
Some of Sheffield’s athletes have found other ways of promoting themselves outside of sport activities this summer. Travel Wisconsin, for example, has partnered with UW athletes from various teams for a Wonders of Wisconsin Wednesday series where they visit attractions across the state. The series started with volleyball’s Charlie Fuerbringer, Maile Chan and Morgan Van Wie visiting Kohler-Andre State Park.
“If they’re wanting to promote themselves and what they’re doing, they’ve got to do it themselves,” Sheffield said. “Our school can’t do it. I think that’s a tough thing.”
The 'most winnable' Title IX lawsuit
The NCAA Division II Management Council recently recommended a proposal that would allow athletes to have five years of eligibility. (It still has a few more hurdles before passing.) Sheffield expressed his support for five years of eligibility at the Division I level as well.
“That would impact way more people than NIL does,” Sheffield said. “Every player being able to basically leave with a free graduate degree would be amazing.”
In fact, he sees the current eligibility rules as a Title IX equity issue. Football players can play up to four games without burning their redshirt year. The NCAA last year implemented an exemption that prevent postseason games from counting against that limit, so freshmen could theoretically even play a fifth or sixth game while redshirting.
“You see all these lawsuits that are happening,” Sheffield said. “The lawsuit that I think would be the most winnable from a Title IX standpoint is how are football players able to have basically a third of their season where they’re able to play and then still redshirt. Where if our players play one match, they’ve lost their year.”
Like with the summer restrictions, Sheffield sees the current set of rules through the lens of NIL potential.
“How is that allowed from a Title IX perspective that you’ve got over 100 male athletes that are being able to get not only that head start, but also being able to build a brand with NIL?” Sheffield said. “Now that you’ve got money in there, that seems to be the most winnable lawsuit there is.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's Kelly Sheffield gives thoughts on NCAA volleyball rules
Category: General Sports
