On Thursday, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) made history by becoming the first DI HBCU athletic program to field a men’s volleyball program.
Thanks to a $250,000 grant from First Point Volleyball Foundation, Dr. Heidi M. Anderson, University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s sixteenth President, and Tara A. Owens, Vice President of Athletics and Recreation, were able to make the exciting announcement.
“We’re trailblazers in many ways at UMES” said President Anderson. “and this is yet another example of us carving a new path by adding men’s volleyball to our robust athletic program. With volleyball’s popularity on the rise everywhere it made sense to launch men’s volleyball. I think our community will join me in getting behind this dynamic sport, just as we have been strong supporters of our outstanding women’s team.”
The new men’s volleyball program will begin competing in the 2025-26 season in the Northeast Conference (NEC). Not only will the Hawks be the first NCAA D1 institution to add men’s volleyball, but they’re also the 68th school to “sponsor the fast-growing sport at the NCAA D1-D2 level.”
“We successfully added men’s volleyball at my previous institution and went on to have great success as Central State won a conference championship. The sport has a great amount of popularity and is a growing sport. I think our community will be blown away by the athleticism of this sport and the talent on the court,” said Owens, who is in her second year as UMES’ athletic director. “It is especially exciting to have the opportunity to compete in the NEC. I would like to thank NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris for the invitation to play men’s volleyball in the NEC. We look forward to the growth of the sport on the college level and will encourage our fellow institutions in the MEAC to explore the possibility of adding men’s volleyball.”
UMES joins other HBCUs that are expanding their athletic offerings including Fisk University (gymnastics), Talladega College (gymnastics) and Morgan State (wrestling and Acrobatics and Tumbling).
The $250,000 grant from First Point Volleyball Association, which will be distributed over three years, will help establish the men’s program and assist with start-up costs, scholarship support, upgrades to facilities, and other elements related to the university’s men’s and women’s volleyball programs.
The Foundation, which was established in 2016, has helped start 40 new programs at the college level and are currently funding 80 new scholarships in men’s volleyball. According to the university’s release, UMES intends to fund 4.5 scholarships, which is the maximum allowed by the NCAA for D1 and D2 volleyball.
Now that the funding is secure, the school will begin a search for a head coach.
