Nazareth picked to host Molten Championship in 2011
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and USA Volleyball (USAV), in conjunction with Molten U.S.A. Inc., are pleased to announce that Nazareth College has been selected as the host institution for the 2011 Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship to be played April 15-16, 2011. The tournament will be held at the Robert A. Kidera Gymnasium on the Nazareth campus.
As host institution, Nazareth will receive an automatic berth to the four-team tournament. Nazareth, which will begin its seventh season in 2011, will be making its second straight appearance after finishing fourth in 2010. The field also will include the champion from the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) and the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA). The fourth team will be an at-large selection from either the Midwest or West region.
"We're excited to host the Molten even and bring it back to the East Coast," said Nazareth Coach Cal Wickens. "We've only had men's volleyball at Nazareth for six years, so we're happy to be part of that movement and the next step for men's volleyball."
Nazareth finished 19-16 overall in 2010 and was ranked sixth nationally in the final Division III poll released by the AVCA. The Golden Flyers used a late-season surge to become a surprise participant in the Molten Championship hosted by Carthage as they won their first-ever NECVA title as the tournament's 15th seed.
Now in its 15th year, the Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship has grown in scope and stature during its first 14 seasons. The championship was formed due to a need for a culminating event for NCAA Division III men's volleyball. While the NCAA sponsors a national collegiate championship for men's volleyball, programs from all three divisions compete for just four berths into its yearly tournament.
The NCAA Division III Championships Committee, however, recently reviewed a proposed timeline for action leading to an inaugural NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship. The legislative proposal is likely to be considered at the 2011 NCAA Convention and, if approved, the first NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship would be conducted in 2012.
Springfield won the Molten Championship for a record-tying sixth time in 2010. Either Springfield or Juniata has won all but two of the previous 14 Molten Championships, dating back to the tournament's beginning in 1997.
Past Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship Results
2010: 1. Springfield, 2. UC Santa Cruz, 3. Carthage, 4. Nazareth
2009: 1. Juniata, 2. Stevens, 3. UC Santa Cruz, 4. Ramapo
2008: 1. Springfield, 2. Vassar, 3. UC Santa Cruz, 4. Juniata
2007: 1. Juniata, 2. Cathage, 3. Springfield, 4. Stevens
2006: 1. Juniata, 2. UC Santa Cruz, 3. Stevens, 4. Rivier
2005: 1. Juniata, 2. Carthage, 3. Steverns, 4, Medaille
2004: 1. Juniata, 2. Medaille, 3. UC Santa Cruz, 4. Eastern Mennonite
2003: 1. Springfield, 2. Juniata, 3. LaVerne, 4. Stevens
2002: 1. Springfield, 2. LaVerne, 3. NYU, 4. Lehman
2001: 1. Springfield, 2. D'Youville, 3. Clarke, 4. Vassar
2000: 1. UC San Diego, 2. NYU, 3. D'Youville, 4. Stevens
1999: 1. La Verne, 2. D'Youville, 3. Clarke, 4. Juniata
1998: 1. Juniata, 2. La Verne, 3. Springfield, 4. Eastern Mennonite
1997: 1. Springfield, 2. NJIT, 3. Juniata, 4. UC San Diego