How Tall Are Middle Blockers In Volleyball? [Guide 2024]

The middle blocker is the position on the court that earns volleyball its title of the ‘tallest sport in the world.’

This is a position where the importance of height becomes evident, as we’ll discuss shortly.

The average height for an Olympic men’s middle blocker is around 206 cm or 6’9″, while for women’s Olympic volleyball, the average height of a middle blocker is about 189cm or 6’2″.

I have a profound understanding of how significant height is for this position.

Let’s delve into the averages for different levels of the game, aiming to provide a better understanding of whether the position of the middle blocker should even be considered.

We will discuss today how tall are Middle Blockers in volleyball.

What’s The Average Height Of A Middle Blocker?

The variation in this number is quite significant and depends on factors such as gender and whether we are discussing college or professional volleyball.

What might be more intriguing than the actual figures is how they correlate with other positions on the court.

Average Height Of A Middle Blocker Vs Other Positions

The middle blocker tends to be the tallest player on the court in nearly every situation.

On rare occasions, you might encounter an opposite hitter who, by a slight margin, surpasses the middle blocker in exceptional height, but such instances are uncommon.

Height Flexibility for Middle Blockers in Youth Levels

During my time as a middle blocker for Australia at the youth level, I found that our setter and opposite hitter, who currently pursue professional careers in Europe, were notably taller than me.

In certain rotations, I, as the middle blocker, found myself shorter than our outside hitter.

More frequent at the youth/junior level, this occurrence becomes less common in senior volleyball.

The rationale behind this is that skill and coordination, essential for playing the position effectively, are much more challenging to acquire than mere height.

At the junior level, there’s often a priority placed on selecting players who can contribute to winning games, favoring a 6’5″ middle who performs well over a struggling 6’9″ individual trying to control their own body.

At the senior level, where everyone possesses advanced skills, such occurrences are much less common.

In the 2012 Olympics, fascinating data was released regarding height based on position.

This data reveals that, on average, middle blockers were only 1cm (0.4″) taller than opposites and approximately 4″ taller than setters/outside hitters.

As evident, middle blockers typically don’t significantly surpass everyone in height; they often share a very similar height with the opposite hitter.

Collectively, these two players ought to stand noticeably taller than everyone else!

This explains why it is common for slightly undersized middle blockers to transition to the opposite position – they might be a bit too short for playing in the middle but possess just enough height to succeed as an opposite.

Average Height of Middle Blockers in Olympic Competition

At the highest level of the game, middle blockers are gradually increasing in height each year.

The average height for an Olympic men’s volleyball middle blocker is approximately 206cm or 6’9″ is observed.

Derived from the height data of the top four teams at the 2012 Olympics, this information sheds light on the average height.

In addition, I examined the top 5 tallest players on the 2019 rosters of six different teams and determined that the average height was 207cm.

Given the potential inclusion of opposite players and the absence of Asian teams in the final 4 at the 2012 Olympics, it’s safe to infer that the actual average height of an Olympic middle blocker in 2023 would likely be closer to 207cm or 6’9.5″.

Average Height of Middle Blockers in College Volleyball

Displayed below are the average heights for men’s college volleyball middle blockers, sourced from the NCSA website.

Height Ranges for Men’s College Middle Blockers

Below, we have the average height for women’s college volleyball.

Average Heights for Women’s College Middle Blockers

The Significance of Height for a Middle Blocker

Believe me, being a slightly-too-short middle blocker is the last thing you’d want!

Having played middle for Australia as a youth athlete, I found myself frequently as the shortest player in the front row.

After our tour in Iran, the coaching staff sat me down and conveyed that making the senior national team as a 196cm middle just doesn’t typically occur.

Up until then, I had played as a middle blocker for the majority of my career because, in most teams, I was among the tallest players and excelled in fulfilling that role.

However, at the highest level of the game, everyone exhibits exceptional skill and tends to possess significantly greater height.

My advice to young players aspiring to play professionally is always this: unless you happen to be exceptionally tall or foresee a significant increase in height, it’s wise to steer clear of the middle blocker position.

Concentrating your time and effort on being an outside hitter or even an opposite hitter will likely reduce the impact of height limitations if you don’t end up being exceptionally tall.

How Tall Are Middle Blockers In Volleyball?

Aspiring to be a successful men’s middle blocker would typically involve aiming for a height of at least 6’8″ (203cm).

To be frank, unless you possess exceptional skills, a height of 203cm would be considered relatively undersized for a middle blocker in today’s game.

Being any shorter than that, even with impressive athleticism and a high jump, will present significant challenges unless you happen to have exceptionally long arms.

The Vital Role of Height in Block Speed

The explanation for this relates to blocking speed.

When a 210cm guy positions himself at the net with his hands raised, prepared to block, there’s only a brief distance to cover to effectively block the opposition’s middle.

Essentially, it’s akin to a toe jump.

An elevation of approximately 10 cm more into the air is required (possibly more due to potentially shorter arms) to execute an equivalent block at a height of 200cm.

This significant disadvantage cannot be compensated for by jumping ability since it’s related to reaction time—how swiftly you can raise your fingertips to block a rapid attack.

Those shorter than 6’8” are most likely destined for roles as opposite or passer hitters – in such instances, a strong jumping ability becomes crucial.

For women, a realistic height consideration would be 6’1″ or taller.

To play D1 volleyball or secure a professional contract, the realistic requirement tends to hover around 6’1”, as previously mentioned.

If you haven’t reached that height, there are still opportunities to excel in other positions even as a 6-footer. Therefore, if I were a 6’0″ women’s middle, I would consider switching positions as soon as possible.

What Should You Do If You’re Not Quite Tall Enough?

The middle blocker position differs from outside hitter or setter, where compensating for a lack of height is feasible through exceptional skills and jumping ability.

The primary reason for this, as elaborated above, is the necessity for adequate length to swiftly set blocks.

Changing Position: Your Sole Hope!

Given this rationale, if you aren’t projected to reach 6’8″ as a male or 6’1″ as a female volleyball player, the most advisable course of action is to consider changing positions.

The earlier the better.

This becomes particularly challenging when you’re a 6’6″ guy or 6′ gal, and your high school, club, or college team urges you to play middle solely because you’re significantly taller than the alternatives.

Yet, if your goal is to reach the pinnacle of the sport, it would be prudent to decline to play as a middle blocker and instead seek more experience as an outside hitter, opposite, or even a setter!

I would prefer to be a 19-year-old 6’6″ outside hitter with poor passing and hitting skills than an exceptional middle blocker. This choice allows me the opportunity to learn and develop into a proficient passer and strategic attacker.

Becoming an elite middle blocker at 6’6″ is not a feasible goal, as players of that height do not typically excel in that position.

Closing Remarks

Being a middle blocker poses its challenges, and these challenges intensify if you happen to be undersized, especially considering that the top middle blockers often reach heights of 210cm.

Playing middle blockers is accessible to almost anyone, whether in high school, on a club team, or just for recreational enjoyment.

However, the opportunity to play middle blocker at the professional/international level of the game is reserved for only a very small percentage of the population.

In reality, to consider pursuing this role at the elite level, a minimum height of approximately 203cm for men or 186cm for women is necessary.

Relying solely on vertical jump height and talent won’t suffice for competing as an undersized middle because you’ll never be able to position your hands quickly enough for effective blocking.

Regrettably, for most of us, this restricts the opportunity to play middle blocker to a recreational level at best.

Fortunately, there are numerous other positions for the rest of us to try our hand at!

Also Read: Top 5 Best Middle Blockers In Volleyball 2024