FREDERICK, Md. – Hood College will add a men's volleyball program as its 24th varsity sport. The team will compete in its inaugural varsity season in 2023. Men's volleyball will then join the Blazers' other NCAA Division III programs in the Middle Atlantic Conference.
"We are excited to add men's volleyball to our growing athletic program at Hood College," said Dr. Andrea Chapdelaine, Hood's president. "As a fast-growing sport in Maryland and other regions, men's volleyball will expand our athletic recruitment and the diversity of athletic experiences we offer our students."
Men's volleyball will become the first NCAA varsity sport added to Hood's athletic program since women's golf was elevated to varsity status in the fall of 2016. Hood added a varsity esports program in the summer of 2021, however, esports is not sponsored by the NCAA.
"As we continue exploring new ways to meet the needs of our students, community and prospective student-athletes, a sport with significant upward momentum that we identified was men's volleyball," said Dr. Kolb. "As with many of our sports, these offerings will allow us to recruit and retain new students while expanding our geographic recruiting footprint. We will look forward to competing in the MAC during the 2022-2023 season."
When the Blazers begin competing at the varsity level in the MAC, it will be the conference's 11th program, joining Alvernia University, Arcadia University, Eastern University, King's College, Messiah University, Misericordia University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Stevenson University, Widener University and Wilkes University.
"The MAC is thrilled Hood will join as the 11th men's volleyball program in the conference," said Megan Morrison, executive director of the MAC. "Men's volleyball in the MAC has shown exceptional growth, not only in the number of programs being sponsored within the conference, but also in the strength of the MAC programs on the national level."
In all, 108 institutions competed in Division III men's volleyball in 2019, based on the most recent NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rate Report. Sponsorship of men's volleyball at the Division III level has more than doubled since 2010, when just 53 institutions competed in the sport. The number of student-athletes on Division III rosters has increased by 236 percent over that time.
"As a Division III school, Hood College is committed to educating the whole person and knows that athletics can play an integral part in a student achieving their full potential both in the classroom and on the court, as well as the life of our college," Dr. Chapdelaine said.
