EIVAVB.com :: Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association

Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Club Conference

Another Year of Growth for EIVA
Posted: 1/12/2012
The EIVA has grown steadily in recent years, and that trend has continued in 2012. As the 2012 regular season officially begins, the EIVA welcomes four new member schools, with at least two more potential newcomers on the horizon. The State University of New York at Binghamton becomes the seventh institution in the D-I North, while a long-time EIVA and national powerhouse in the University of Maryland rejoins the D-I Central after a yearlong hiatus. St. Bonaventure will join the D-II North, and Lynchburg College of Virginia will be welcomed into the D-II South this season. "I am happy to report another year of growth for the EIVA," said Commissioner Neiad Ammary. "The conference has grown and improved in organization every year since I have been Commissioner. We are already the largest collegiate volleyball conference in the nation. It's great to know that so many teams have maintained their loyalty to the EIVA over the years, and even greater to know that more teams are interested in joining us in the future. I think the new teams will intensify the competition within the divisions, which already feature some long-standing rivalries between traditional foes." Colgate University and Niagara University have also expressed interest in joining the EIVA. "A lot of credit has to be given to the Divisional Representatives from each of the regions, since they do a lot of work throughout the year not only to organize and monitor the competitions, but also to advise each existing program and help welcome new teams into the fold." With 24 teams battling in Division I and 31 teams battling in Division II, gold medals at the 2012 EIVA East Coast Championships will be harder than ever to earn.

Kansas City to Host 2012 NCVF National Championships
Posted: 9/7/2011

The National Collegiate Volleyball Federation, in cooperation with USA Volleyball, has selected Kansas City and the Kansas City Convention Center Bartle Hall as the host city and venue for its 2012 NCVF Collegiate Club Championships to be played April 5-7, 2012. The event is run in partnership with USA Volleyball who is responsible for identifying venue options for the NCVF Championship Tournament.

Nittany Lions, Overmeyer Overcome
Posted: 4/3/2011

This time, Penn State didn't come up short. Four times in the past five seasons, the Nittany Lions fought their way through pool and bracket play, all the way to the conference finals, only to lose to Maryland and Virginia Tech, twice each. Yesterday, though, the Lions got some revenge, clawing out a tough win over the three time defending champion Hokies in the semifinals 2-1 (22-25, 25-21, 15-10) before an exciting showdown with perennial power James Madison in the finals. It would be the first time the two teams faced each other all season. The Dukes, led by talented young Setter Phil Slocum, reached the final match by defeating upstart Delaware in the semifinals 2-0 (25-23, 25-16). Like Penn State, James Madison had a history of coming up short in the championship tournament, losing semifinal matches to Penn State several times in recent years. This time, though, the Dukes reached the finals, determined to win it all. JMU gave Penn State all it could handle in the championship match, coming out hot and winning the first set 25-19. The Dukes controlled much of the second set and appeared to be just moments away from wrapping up a title, but the Nittany Lions refused to die and fought back to take the second set 25-23, thanks in large part to the gritty defensive efforts of Libero and team captain Austin Overmeyer. The frustration visible on his face, Overmeyer chose not to complain when several close calls didn't go Penn State's way, including one halfway through the third set when the Libero unnecessarily slid under net and across the centerline, over-anticipating a ball that ended up not trickling over the net anyway. Instead, Overmeyer made several key passes and heroic digs that allowed the Lions' Setter Steve Semler to distribute the ball to a slew of capable attackers, and ultimately allowed Penn State to win the set 15-12 and claim the 2011 EIVA Championship. Overmeyer was voted Most Valuable Player, while teammates Steve Semler and Tyler Still were voted onto the All-EIVA team, along with JMU's Phil Slocum and Brandt Martin, Virginia Tech's Aaron Taylor, and Delaware's Bobby O'Grady.

In Division II, Brockport returned to championship form, defeating Northern rival Niagara County Community College 2-1 (23-25, 25-13, 15-12) to claim their second EIVA title in three seasons. Brockport Outside Hitter Andrew Laluk was voted MVP, while Middle Hitter Brian Page and Opposite Steve Sisson earned All-EIVA honors, along with NCCC's Kyle Tomczak and Andrew Braun, Virginia Tech's Winfield Whittington, and Fredonia's Rene Ferris.

Division I
Bobby O'Grady	#15	OH	Delaware
Aaron Taylor	#4	MH	Virginia Tech
Brandt Martin	#23	OPP	James Madison
Phil Slocum	#10	S	Jame Madison
Steve Semler	#16	S	Penn State
Tyler Still	#7	OH	Penn State
Austin Overmeyer MVP	#5	LIB	Penn State
Division II
Rene Ferris	#17	OH	Fredonia
Winfield Whittington	#16	OH	Virginia Tech B
Kyle Tomczak	#3	OH	Niagara
Andrew Braun	#2	S	Niagara
Brian Page	#16	MH	SUNY-Brockport
Steve Sisson	#11	OPP	SUNY-Brockport
Andrew Laluk MVP	#7	OH	SUNY-Brockport

Bulls, Lions, Dukes Claim Division Crowns
Posted: 3/29/2011
The North, Central, and South champions have been crowned in the EIVA's Division-I tier for 2011. It was business as usual for Buffalo, who won yet another North title, finishing with a 15-1 divisional record throughout the season. The Bulls' only loss came mid-season, at the hands of second place Army (10-6). For the third consecutive year, the Penn State Nittany Lions (15-0) are the pride of the Central Division, trailed by the University of Delaware (12-3). Perhaps the biggest story, though, is the change in power down South, where the James Madison Dukes (15-1) finished atop the three-time reigning EIVA champion Virginia Tech Hokies (11-4). The Hokies, however, will have a chance to defend their East Coast crown at the EIVA Championships on Saturday at the United States Naval Academy. The field of teams for the championship event is set to be released by mid-week.

U.S. Naval Academy to Host EIVA Championships
Posted: 3/9/2011
For the first time in recent memory, the EIVA East Coast Championships will not be held at the University of Maryland's Reckord Armory. Instead, the 2011 championships will be held in the Wesley Brown Field House and MacDonough Hall at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. The event, scheduled for Saturday, April 2nd, will feature 24 teams -- 12 in Division I and 12 in Division II. The top four teams from each of the North, Central, and South divisions will be invited to compete.

NCVF National Rankings Released
Posted: 3/2/2011
The NCVF released its second set of polls for Division I and Division II today. The latest poll shows a lot of movement in Division I. Fresno State claimed the top spot with a win at Far Westerns, as Indiana made a big leap up to #2 after winning the Hoosier-Illini Classic. Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Illinois, and UC-Santa Barbara round out the top five, while previously top ranked Utah Valley fell to #6 and Notre Dame made a big jump to #7. As a result of recent losses, the EIVA's top teams all dropped in the polls. Penn State fell to #17, James Madison fell to #20, Virginia Tech fell to #21, Buffalo fell to #23, while Pittsburgh fell to Honorable Mention. The University of Delaware, however, moved up in the rankings and received Honorable Mention after gaining impressive wins in the EIVA Central Division. The EIVA North is well represented in the latest Division II poll, with Cortland #8, Brockport #17, Fredonia #25, and Albany receiving Honorable Mention.

NCVF National Rankings Released
Posted: 2/4/2011
The National Collegiate Volleyball Federation released its first polls for Division I and Division II today. Utah Valley University tops the list as the #1 team in the nation according to the inaugural Division I poll, which is based on preseason and regular season results, as well as commissioner recommendations. Fresno State, Illinois, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and Wisconsin-Madison round out the top five. Six EIVA teams were also recognized: Virginia Tech #7, James Madison #9, Penn State #11, Pittsburgh #17, Buffalo #19, and Rutgers - HM. In Division II, three EIVA teams were recognized: SUNY-Cortland #13, SUNY-Brockport #20, and SUNY-Fredonia #23. The next polls are set for release in early March.

Buffalo, Army Make Early Statement in North
Posted: 2/1/2011
The Buffalo men's volleyball team is off to another good start in the EIVA North. Just as they have done for the past several years, Buffalo began conference play with a sweep of their divisional rivals. UB posted a perfect 5-0 match record at the first North Divisional Play Date hosted by the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. Buffalo dropped only one set to Cornell all day. Army looks to be much improved in 2011. The Black Knights went 4-1 on the day, losing only to Buffalo. Cortland sits in third place in the division with a record of 3-2, while Syracuse is 2-3, Cornell is 1-4, and RIT is 0-5.

Houston Announced as Host City for 2011 NCVF Championships
Posted: 9/20/2010

The National Collegiate Volleyball Federation in cooperation with USA Volleyball has selected Houston, TX and Reliant Park as the host city and venue for its 2011 NCVF Collegiate Club Championships to be played April 7-9, 2011. “We are very excited to go deep into the heart of Texas this year and know that all our teams will be thrilled to be a part of the collegiate sports extravaganza that will surround the championship event, said Sante Perrelli, President of the NCVF. Houston is a hospitable and world class city, with world class sporting venues. We are thankful to USA Volleyball and the Greater Houston Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, for extending this opportunity to our students, fans, administrators and staff this year. Giddyup!” “The National Collegiate Volleyball Championship is a fantastic addition to the ultimate sports week in Houston,” said Greg Ortale, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. “From the NCAA Final Four and the PGA’s Shell Houston Open to Rockets and Astros games, sports fans from Houston and around the country will have a plethora of options in early April. We look forward to welcoming the 300 teams competing in the championship, which will have a $6.3 million direct spend for Houston’s economy. Let’s play ball!” -- To view the full press release, visit the NCVF website.

EIVA Teams Finish Strong at National Championships
Posted: 4/6/2010
Most players, fans, officials, and volleyball enthusiasts agree that the 2010 NCVF Collegiate Volleyball Championship tournament in Louisville, KY was a smashing success. Thirty EIVA teams competed in the three day event, culminating another exciting year of collegiate club volleyball. In Division I, the James Madison Dukes were the class of the EIVA, pulling off several upsets on their way to the semifinals and a 3rd place finish. JMU defeated #3 Illinois in nail biting fashion (25-23, 21-25, 15-13) in the quarterfinals of the gold bracket before falling to #7 Lakeland in the semifinals. Defending EIVA Champions Virginia Tech, ranked #4 coming in to the tournament, got off to a great start, going undefeated throughout the first two days. However, the Hokies got an unlucky draw against #2 Utah Valley in the first round of the gold bracket, losing a hotly contested match 2-1 (22-25, 34-32, 9-15) before a large crowd of spectators. Like Virginia Tech, Penn State also finished tied for 9th place overall. The Nittany Lions lost a heartbreaker to Wisconsin-Whitewater (28-26, 23-25, 12-15) in the first round of Saturday's gold bracket. Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania turned heads by advancing to the silver bracket and finishing tied for 25th. George Mason finished 26th with a win over Ball State in the bronze final. Several EIVA players were named to the All-Tournament Team. James Madison's Daniel Fanning was named to the 1st team as a Middle Hitter, while teammates Hank Thornhill (OH), Patrick Hodge (MH), and Phil Slocum (S) were voted onto the 2nd team. Virginia Tech's Brian Pine (RSH) and Penn State's Austin Overmeyer (L) received recognition as Honorable Mention. ----- In Division I-AA, Liberty, Delaware, Cornell, and Virginia all advanced to the gold bracket. Liberty finished tied for 3rd overall, beating Cornell in the quarterfinals before losing to runner-up Cincinnati in the semifinals, while the Delaware Blue Hens finished tied for 5th, losing to national champion DuPage for the second year in a row. Virginia was ousted by West Virginia and was forced to settle for 9th place. Liberty's Gerrit Buintjes (MH) and Delaware's Mike Videtto (L) were 1st Team All-Tournament selections, while Liberty Libero Jared Horrigan and Delaware OH Connor Jackson were named to the 2nd Team. Cornell's Alex Fisher (RSH) and Ryan Winn (MH), Delaware's Kent Davidson (OH) and Brian Stump (OH), and Virginia's Robert Hott (MH) were recognized on the Honorable Mention. ----- In Division III, Virginia Tech B finished tied for 3rd place, while Pittsburgh B finished tied for 5th. Virginia Tech's Alex Horner (OH) earned 1st Team accolades, along with Pittsburgh's Ali Nabavian (MH).