AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen University has accepted an invitation to join the Northeast Conference (NEC) as an associate member for the sport of men's volleyball, Director of Athletics Traci Murphy announced today. It marks a significant stride for the program which has competed as an NCAA Division I-II independent since its inception.
Daemen will join the NEC along with fellow Western New York institution D'Youville University, bringing the NEC's stable of men's volleyball programs to eight. With support from the First Point Volleyball Foundation, the NEC announced men's volleyball as the league's 25th championship sport last September. Daemen, D'Youville and six NEC core members - Fairleigh Dickinson University, Long Island University, Merrimack College, Sacred Heart University, St. Francis College Brooklyn and St. Francis University (Pa.) - will compete for the inaugural NEC championship in 2023.
"Daemen University is pleased to become an associate member of the Northeast Conference," Murphy said. "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 Wildcats 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 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (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 Division I or II team to finish the 2021 season without a loss, have won 35 of their last 43 matches dating back to February, 2020.
Don Gleason was named head coach when the program was established in 2017 along with assistance from the First Point Volleyball Foundation (formerly MotorMVB). A Western New York native who has made assistant coaching stops at Yale University, Stony Brook University and the University at Buffalo, Gleason has guided Daemen to a 44-30 record since the program began competing in 2019.
"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," Gleason said. "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."
The geographic footprint of the NEC is similar to that of the East Coast Conference which remains Daemen's primary affiliation for sports other than men's volleyball. The NEC is one of two multi-sport Division I conferences to sponsor men's volleyball competition.
"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 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 University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
Follow the Daemen University men's volleyball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenMVB.
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.
