NCAA skiing and men's volleyball are officially back

The GIST: New year, new sports! Skiing and men’s volleyball are officially back this week, so brush up with our primers then fill the fall sports void with pancakes and fresh powder.

⛷️ Skiing: One of the NCAA’s few coed sports, collegiate skiing opened its season on yesterday’s Westminster Invitational slopes. Utah — the sport’s undisputed top squad — has the two-week contest’s early lead. With friend of The GIST HC Miles Havlick at the helm, the Utes have won five of the last six national titles and haven’t lost a single competition since 2021. Ice in their veins.

• Utah’s top foes? Both Colorado and Denver are worthy opponents, but up-and-comer Vermont is the dark horse to watch this season…as long as you don’t blink and miss ’em.

🏐 Men’s volleyball: Another season, another battle for dominance between reigning champ UCLA and Hawaii. These two squads have owned the sport’s upper echelons for years, earning UCLA nearly half of the national ’ships while Hawaii’s served in the last four straight title games. They don’t play each other in the regular season, but there’s always hope for a(nother) dramatic natty face-off.

• UCLA kicks off their season with a doubleheader against HBCUs Fort Valley State and Morehouse tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET, respectively, but insomniacs can catch Hawaii’s season opener against Loyola Chicago tonight at 12 a.m. ET. Surf’s serve’s up.