Women’s volleyball finds winning not enough to keep up with ‘money sports’

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CSU Athletics
<p>The Colorado State University volleyball team plays against Boise State in Ft. Collins on October 12, 2013. </p>

CSU VolleyballThe women’s volleyball team at Colorado State University is undefeated this year and coach Tom Hilbert just earned his 600th victory.

But those might not be the team’s -- or Hilbert’s -- biggest accomplishments.

Football and basketball dominate collegiate sports in most places, but at CSU, women’s volleyball has established itself as one of the school’s most-talked-about programs.

Hilbert says he's invited to all the same meetings and fundraisers as the football and basketball coaches but also says they've got a ways to go before women's volleyball gets the recognition it deserves.

“It’s [volleyball] mostly played by women-- and I think that that sometimes affects people who might be interested in being a sponsor, or a sportswear provider," Hilbert says. "If men don’t play it, they don’t always think it’s legitimate.”

Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner speaks with Hilbert and one of his players, senior Samantha Peters, a blocker on the team who’s originally from Englewood.

This is part of our regular sports segment on Colorado Matters.