Regent University to Expand Athletic Program with Men’s Volleyball
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (Jan. 30, 2024) – Regent University has announced the addition of men’s volleyball as a varsity sport, beginning in the 2024–25 season. As a member of the NCCAA, Regent University will be the fifth member institution to field a men’s volleyball team. Recruiting to begin immediately.
“As Regent University continues to grow, we are committed to advancing our Regent Royals athletic program,” said Michael Allen, Director of Athletics at Regent. “Men’s volleyball is one of the fastest-growing sports at the Division III level. As we continue to move towards NCAA Division III membership, this is the next major step to meet the requirements and expectations of sporting opportunities for our university.”
Allen has named Katelyn Totherow as the program’s first head coach. Totherow currently serves as the head coach for the women’s volleyball program at Regent. This past season, she guided Regent to the school’s first ever South Region Tournament title and a berth in the NCCAA National Championships. Totherow was also named the South Region Coach of the Year, and her team was ranked #10 in the nation.
“Adding men’s volleyball is a huge step for Regent Athletics. It is wonderful to see the faith that the university has in our ability to start a new program,” said Totherow. “I look forward to the opportunity to build the men’s volleyball program with the same focus and determination we have applied to building the women’s program over the past few years. I am excited about the opportunity to begin mentoring young men to become Christian Leadership to Change the World, both on and off the court.”
Men’s volleyball programs have doubled in number in the last 10 years, and the Royals will be the second institution in Virginia Beach to field a program. Boys’ volleyball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for high school boys, with 22% growth in high schools since 2018, according to the Oklahoma Boys Volleyball Association. The addition of this fast-growing sport will increase Regent’s athletic offerings to 10 teams.
The addition of the program is in line with the university’s pursuit of NCAA Division III membership. Stay tuned to www.regentroyals.com for updates on the progress of the Royals’ new program.
About Regent University
Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with more than 13,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021), and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for 11 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2023).
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