St. Norbert to Add Men's Volleyball in 2019-20

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, May 2, 2018 | Men's Volleyball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College will add men's volleyball as an intercollegiate varsity sport for the 2019-20 school year, athletics director Tim Bald announced today. Men's volleyball will bring the total of varsity sports at St. Norbert to 23.

Men's volleyball will be the 12th men's sport added to St. Norbert athletics offerings. The men's volleyball season traditionally runs from January through April.

"We have a long and proud history of exceptional athletics at St. Norbert College, dating all the way back to 1916, when we offered our first intercollegiate athletic sport," St. Norbert president Brian Bruess said. "Twenty-two sports later, we are delighted to add men's volleyball to that list, and we look forward to building a winning tradition both in the classroom and on the court."

An emerging sport at the NCAA Division III level, 94 institutions sponsored men's volleyball during the 2018 season, with at least nine schools adding it for the 2019 campaign. The NCAA Division III men's volleyball tournament had a 12-team field this past season. Teams are allowed to compete on 22 regular-season dates.

"Men's volleyball is quickly growing at the Division III level, as well as recruiting areas in Green Bay, the Fox Valley and metro Milwaukee and Chicago," Bald said. "We look forward to growing our program and keeping St. Norbert College an attractive destination for prospective student-athletes."

The St. Norbert men's volleyball program will be an associate member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, which consists of 12 colleges and universities in Wisconsin and Illinois. Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Wisconsin, Dominican University, Lakeland University, Marian University and Milwaukee School of Engineering competed for the NACC men's volleyball championship this spring. Illinois Institute of Technology is joining the NACC in 2018-19, while Concordia University Chicago will also add men's volleyball next year.

"We are very pleased to have St. Norbert College join the NACC as an affiliate member for men's volleyball," NACC commissioner G. Steven Larson said. "They bring a commitment to both academics and athletics that mirrors the core values of the NACC. They will be a strong partner as we continue to grow the sport of men's volleyball."

The process of hiring a full-time coach who will supervise both the St. Norbert men's and women's programs is underway, Bald said.