Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) Men’s Volleyball will enter the 2025 season in a new conference. After previously being part of the Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC), they are joining the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) in the conference’s first year of sponsoring Men’s Volleyball.
“The switch from the CVC to the ODAC brings a fresh sense of excitement and motivation,” Senior Jamaury Starks said. “It’s a chance to represent our school in a way that feels more integrated, and we’re ready to rise to the occasion.”
The conference will feature seven teams in the 2025 season. EMU, Randolph-Macon and Roanoke who all competed in the CVC previously. Averett and Virginia Wesleyan, who are both second year programs that competed as independent in 2024. In addition the conference will include two first-year programs in Randolph and Lynchburg. The conference will continue to expand in the future as Bridgewater and Shenandoah are also adding men’s volleyball to their competitive athletics in the 2026 season.
According to the ODAC website, Brad Bankston, the conference Commissioner said, “I am excited to add men’s volleyball as the ODAC’s 26th varsity sport,” making it the 11th Division III conference to sponsor Men’s Volleyball. “I look forward to watching our conference members thrive in this new championship environment,” he added.
Starks spoke on the importance of showing the team’s capability of competing at a high level in the new conference. “It’s an opportunity to make a strong first impression, not just on the other teams but also on the committee that worked to make Men’s Volleyball an official ODAC sport,” he said. Coach Omar Hoyos Aliff also noted that being in the CVC consistently brought a high level of competition with multiple nationally ranked teams and looks forward to the level of play the ODAC will continue to bring. He said, “the ODAC has three or four teams that any given night could surprise and create challenges.”
Ahead of the 2025 season, the Royals are projected to finish 3rd in the ODAC Preseason Polls falling behind Randolph-Macon and Roanoke. However, the Royals did receive one first-place vote. Coach Hoyos Aliff spoke on the goals for his team ahead of the season. He said, “our focus is to grow through the season and finish strong. Our mentality is similar to last year; it is not how you start, but how you finish.” Starks added that “finishing strong last season was a huge confidence boost, and I think it set the tone for what’s to come.”
EMU’s young squad is made up of nine first-year players, five sophomores, one junior and just one senior. Despite the youth, Coach Hoyos Aliff is excited about the season ahead. “They work hard and go after each other in every practice. They are getting better by the minute and the competitive mentality is accelerating their development as players,” he said. Starks also expressed the young squad’s readiness to “take on the competition and show everyone just how much we’ve been preparing for this moment.”
Although EMU Men’s Volleyball has been around since 1991, much longer than any other ODAC program, collegiate Men’s Volleyball has seen growth in recent years. EMU hopes to continue to become an attractive spot for potential recruits as the ODAC expands and becomes more competitive. Starks said “a successful season will not only put us on the radar for recruits but also draw more attention to EMU as a whole.”
Coach Hoyos Aliff said, “the men’s volleyball footprint at the college level is going to face several changes within the upcoming years and there will be higher talented student athletes looking at DIII universities.”
The Royals men’s volleyball team opened their season last weekend in Geneva, New York, playing three games. They secured a win against Bard College but faced two losses against the Statesmen of Hobart College. They will be in action again this Saturday in Stevenson, Maryland at 2p.m. and 4p.m.
