ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball program will be a member of the newly formed 12-team United Volleyball Conference (UVC) this upcoming season, as announced on Tuesday, Aug. 31, by Dr. Catherine B. Hill, president of Vassar College.
The UVC consists of 12 outstanding NCAA Division III athletic and academic institutions. The membership includes Bard College, D'Youville College, Elmira College, Hilbert College, Medaille College, Nazareth College, New York University, Penn State-Behrend College, the Stevens Institute of Technology, the SUNY Institute of Technology, New Paltz and Vassar.
"On behalf of the UVC Presidents Council, we are delighted by the establishment of the United Volleyball Conference," said Dr. Hill. "We are looking forward to the first season of UVC play. The conference will be a wonderful addition for our student-athletes."
Since 2004, New Paltz has competed in the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA). The UVC will act as a division of the NECVA.
The inaugural season is prepared to commence with 10 of its members in the first competitive campaign. NYU is completing its final season with the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, while Penn State-Behrend recently added the sport, and its first season will be in 2011-12. The UVC has already been recognized by the NCAA as an officially sanctioned single-sport conference, an important move as the Division III membership prepares to adopt men's volleyball as a Division III Championship sport this January at the annual convention. Approval by the membership would give Division III men's volleyball an NCAA Tournament effective 2011-12.
"The UVC features an excellent blend of outstanding academic and athletic institutions," said Chuck Mitrano, commissioner of the UVC and of the Empire 8 Conference. "With the outstanding leadership of the presidents, athletic directors and coaches, it is going to be a vibrant and exceptional conference in the service of its membership for many years to come."
The Hawks fashioned an overall record of 19-16 during the 2010 season, which included a 7-2 mark in the NECVA. New Paltz qualified for the 2010 NECVA Tournament but ultimately fell in the first round to Medaille in five sets.
"With the NCAA preparing to host a Men's Volleyball Division III Championship, joining the United Volleyball Conference will be the first step in positioning our student-athletes for a chance to compete for a national title," New Paltz director of athletics Stuart Robinson said. "Any time you can compete for a national title is special, and I am happy that our male volleyball players will now have that same opportunity."
