The possibility of Division II men’s volleyball teams playing for their own NCAA championship moved one step closer to becoming a reality.
The NCAA Division II Championship Committee at its most recent meeting approved to advance a proposal that would create a men’s volleyball Division II NCAA Tournament starting in 2029.
This committee’s approval is one of several votes required in order for the NCAA to formally establish the new men’s volleyball championship. The proposal will next advance to the Division II Management Council and then potentially move to a final vote at the NCAA Convention in January.
Division I and Division II men’s volleyball teams currently compete for the same NCAA championship. Multiple men’s volleyball conferences also are comprised of both Division I and Division II programs.
Men’s volleyball historically did not have separate NCAA championships due to the limited number of teams. However, that has changed in the last 20 years with more colleges adding men’s volleyball.
Division III teams used to compete for the same men’s volleyball NCAA championship as Division I and Division II before having enough schools to split off and form their own NCAA Tournament in 2012.
A Division II NCAA Tournament also would result in a men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament exclusive for Division I schools.
Division II schools make up 39 of the 68 teams in Division I-II men’s volleyball. In addition, the amount of Division II teams will exceed more than 40 schools by 2027.
Despite having the majority of programs, no Division II team has advanced beyond the NCAA Tournament opening round since 2022.
Lewis in 2003 remains the only Division II school to win a men’s volleyball NCAA championship. The Flyers also were one point away from winning the 2015 championship before losing the NCAA Tournament finals in a fifth-game overtime.
The Division II Championships Committee’s decision to advance the proposal was based off of survey results from schools with Division II men’s volleyball programs. The majority of these Division II schools preferred to have their own championship instead of continuing to compete for a Division I-II championship, according to the meeting’s minutes.
The estimated cost to start a Division II men’s volleyball championship will be $550,000.
The Division II Strategic Planning and Finance Committee is slated to conduct a formal review of this budget request ahead of the 2027 NCAA convention.