Somerset, NJ -- Mirroring the rapid growth of men's volleyball nationwide, the Northeast Conference (NEC) has boosted membership in the league's newest championship sport heading into its inaugural season.
Daemen University and D'Youville University have accepted invitations from the NEC Council of Presidents and will join the conference in 2022-23 as associate members in men's volleyball.
The NEC announced the launch of men's volleyball as a championship sport last September with six core member institutions – FDU, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn and Saint Francis U -- set to compete under the conference umbrella.
The addition of Daemen and D'Youville will bring NEC men's volleyball sport sponsorship to eight institutions.
"The Northeast Conference is excited to announce the addition of Daemen University and D’Youville University as associate members beginning with the inaugural year of NEC men’s volleyball competition," said NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris. "This partnership is win-win on so many levels -- it provides additional competitive opportunities for the six NEC institutions, gives a conference home to two rising programs and serves to strengthen the sport of men’s volleyball at the collegiate level. We are excited to welcome the Wildcats and Saints to the NEC family."
Daemen just completed the program's fourth season, posting a 16-6 overall record to establish a new benchmark for wins. The 2022 campaign included the program's first-ever win against an EIVA member (a 3-2 victory over Princeton), five matches against future NEC rivals and a runner-up finish at the Independent Volleyball Association Championship. The Wildcats, who were the only NCAA DI or DII team to finish the 2021 season without a loss, have won 35 of their last 43 matches dating back to February, 2020.
The Wildcats have been led since the program's inception by head coach Don Gleason. A Western New York native who has made assistant coaching stops at Yale, Stony Brook and Buffalo, Gleason has guided Daemen to a 44-30 record during his tenure.
"We are thrilled to be presented with the opportunity to join the Northeast Conference, and I would like to thank all the parties involved for making this possible," said Gleason. "As our program grows, it is important for our student-athletes to have a road to the NCAA Tournament. It is exciting to be a part of the growth of this sport and the decision to accept Daemen into the NEC not only helps our program, but also men's college volleyball as a whole."
Daemen AD Traci Murphy echoed Gleason's words on the impact this move to the NEC will make on the Wildcats' program.
"Daemen University is pleased to become an associate member of the Northeast Conference. Today marks a transformational step forward for our men's volleyball program, one that the Daemen community, our fans and alumni can be proud of, not to mention the many Western New Yorkers who enjoy the game. Elevating our men's volleyball program into the NEC will significantly improve the experience for our student-athletes and it puts Daemen at the forefront of the sport's growth at the collegiate level - something the NEC is very committed to. This is an exciting new opportunity to compete for championships and I am excited about the future of Daemen men's volleyball as we continue to build our program The Wildcat Way."
The D'Youville men's volleyball program has had a rich history since its inception in 1984, including a run to the 1999 NCAA DIII final and No. 3 national ranking. This past season, the Saints recorded their most wins in a season since 2016, picked up their first win over a DI opponent in 16 years and competed in six matches against NEC opponents.
The Saints are coached by D’Youville men’s volleyball alum Chris Krueger. Krueger returned to his alma mater in 2019 after successful coaching stints at Hilbert and Canisius.
“This is a great day for D’Youville and our men’s volleyball program," said Krueger. "The acceptance of the program into the NEC provides us with many opportunities that we never had as an independent. I sincerely want to thank the coaches, administrators and staff from the NEC, as well as our administrators here at DYU for all the work it took to make this happen. We’re excited to get going this upcoming season!”
Ona Halladay, D'Youville's Director of Athletics, also weighed in on the significance of the move for the program.
“We are honored to be accepted into the Northeast Conference as an associate member for men’s volleyball. The NEC will offer new competitive opportunities for our student-athletes against strong opponents. The ability to compete in the NEC aligns directly with our goals at D’Youville University to grow and provide impactful experiences to our student-athlete. We could not be more thrilled for the future of D’Youville Athletics and the men’s volleyball program as NEC members, and want to thank Noreen Morris and all the NEC members for this opportunity.”
The NEC and the Big West are the lone multi-sport NCAA Division I conferences to sponsor men’s volleyball competition.
First Point Volleyball Foundation will serve as an official corporate partner in the presentation of NEC men's volleyball through the 2024-25 season.
About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 41st season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout seven states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Boston (#9), Baltimore (#26), Hartford/New Haven (#33) and Providence (#53). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 24 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions in 2022-23 will include Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU, Merrimack, Mount St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.