Southern California has committed to adding sand volleyball as an NCAA sport in 2010-11, pending outcome of the sport’s approval as an emerging sport. Sand volleyball would be the 20th sport for the Trojans.

The Division I membership will weigh in on the addition of the sport to the emerging-sports list at the 2010 NCAA Convention in January. Sand volleyball was approved by the Division I Legislative Council last spring, but enough member institutions formally objected to the plan to force a vote of the division at Convention.

“With the huge interest among female student-athletes at the high school level, we felt sand volleyball would be a worthy addition to our athletics department,” said Athletics Director Mike Garrett. “With the addition of sand volleyball, this will provide another opportunity for young women to be involved in sports at the collegiate level, as well as give them a chance to play professionally.”

The Trojans won the 2009 Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship in April, and Jessica Gysin and Alex Jupiter won the individual title of the top division.

“We believe this is a sport that will generate a lot of interest among our general student body,” said women’s volleyball coach Mick Haley. “Even with the current recession that the nation is experiencing, this is a sport that schools can add at a relatively low cost to their departments. With the ability to market this as a fan-friendly sport similar to its professional counterpart, sand volleyball should be a sport that creates a lot of excitement on college campuses around the nation.”

At least 25 former Southern California women’s players have played on the AVP tour, and former middle blocker Bibiana Candelas represented Mexico in beach volleyball at the 2008 Olympic Games in China.