(Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell)

Allison Lam
Connector Contributor

UMass Lowell is home to many intramural volleyball teams, consisting of players as old as first year alumni, and as young as freshman going into college. But what exactly are intramural sports and how do you join?

Intramural sports are sports teams within UMass Lowell that compete against each other. Intramural volleyball is one of the more popular intramural sports at UMass Lowell. One of the intramural volleyball teams goes by the name “The Underdogs”.

Tyler Nguyen, a first year, has been playing volleyball for seven years and was eager to join the intramural team once he had gotten to college. Tyler has experience playing for the Lowell High School and Mill City teams. Currently, he’s the outside hitter for “The Underdogs”.

On Monday, Sept. 27 at eight p.m. “The Underdogs” played against another intramural team going by “CBL”. The first set ended with a score of 25 to 21 in favor of the Underdogs. The second set was equally close, ending in 27 for the Underdogs and 25 for CBL.

Underdog’s member, Ricky Kho plays practically all positions, depending on what his team needs at that time. Along with his twin brother, Jackie Kho, he has been playing volleyball for about 11 years.

Jackie Koh’s typical position is libero for the Underdogs. When asked about students who may be interested in joining he said, “It’s okay if you’re new …  For volleyball, our president and vice president are very understanding, and they’ll work with you to improve on what you already know about the sport …  Even if you don’t know anything about the sport, they’ll take you with open arms and teach you.”

Intramural volleyball is open for many to join and create teams. People of different skill levels are welcome to join as well. “It’s like semi-competitive,” says Anthony Villa, a second year at UMass Lowell, “It allows people to enjoy the sport at different levels.”

Any person is allowed to join or create an intramural team at UMass Lowell, no matter their skill level or experience in the sport they are participating in. To create a team, one must go onto the IMLeagues Website, and look up UMass Lowell. After creating an account and taking care of any certain fees, the intramural team is made.

For those interested in joining, Nguyen says, “I think you should try to ask seniors that are a part of the club. They’re very helpful with teaching new players, so if you need help just ask them. They’re very willing to teach new kids, and just make the process easier for others.”

For any students interested in playing intramural volleyball, Villa is currently looking for members for his team. Students can contact him by email at, Anthony_Villa@student.uml.edu. Currently, Anthony typically plays setter, and occasionally defense.

Nguyen also shared his advice for students looking to play volleyball, “For new players, I think practice is the biggest thing, so if you want to become a volleyball player, definitely find some friends to hit around, work on technique and fundamentals.”