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The growth of NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball in upstate New York keeps coming.
Roberts Wesleyan University announced recently that it will add a men’s volleyball program starting for the 2024 season.
This will be the third Division II school from northern New York to add a men’s volleyball program. Both Daemen and D’Youville, the other two men’s volleyball programs in the area, are located within 75 miles of Roberts Wesleyan.
Roberts Wesleyan is a private Christian university located in Rochester, New York and has an enrollment of 1,579 students. The Redhawks athletics department also is a member of the East Coast Conference, a NCAA Division II league primarily comprised of New York colleges.
Along with men’s volleyball, Roberts Wesleyan announced it would expand its varsity sports offerings to 20 teams with the additions of field hockey, women’s triathlon and esports.
“It’s an exciting time to be a Redhawk, and this expansion of our competitive teams provides a more robust athletics program. For 157 years Roberts Wesleyan University has been committed to education for character, and our athletic programs provide opportunities for students to become the best they can be on and off the field,” Roberts Wesleyan President Deana L. Porterfield said in a statement. “As an NCAA Division II university, we are committed to the development of the student-athlete, which pairs academic excellence with excellence in competition.”
Roberts Wesleyan will be the third East Coast Conference school with a men’s volleyball program. Daemen and D’Youville are both members of the East Coast Conference but compete in the NEC as associate members.