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Cal Baptist will compete in the toughest men’s volleyball conference starting next season.
Cal Baptist announced Friday that it has been accepted as the newest member of the MPSF for men’s volleyball.
Teams currently in the MPSF have won all but four NCAA championships since men’s volleyball became an NCAA sanctioned sport in 1970. In addition, 11 of the 12 MPSF teams were ranked in this week’s top 15 national coaches poll.
Cal Baptist, which is in the second year of a three-year transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II, was accepted by a unanimous vote.
The Lancers will play a full MPSF schedule in 2013 and will be eligible for MPSF championships in 2014. The addition of Cal Baptist will also increase the MPSF schedule from 22 to 24 matches — eliminating two non-conference matches for most teams in upcoming seasons.
“The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation is excited to bring CBU into the NCAA’s top men’s volleyball conference,” MPSF Commissioner Al Beaird said in a statement. “Traditionally, CBU has played most of our teams each season and has been quite competitive. All MPSF teams have supported the addition of CBU and the MPSF Administrative Committee unanimously approved CBU’s membership. This is a great move for CBU and serves to strengthen the MPSF and the sport. Everyone wins with the Lancers in the MPSF.”
Cal Baptist one of two NCAA Division II programs in the conference, joining UC San Diego.
The Lancers as a NAIA team in previous seasons have competed against MPSF opponents in non-conference. Cal Baptist is also 87-82 all-time against NCAA Division I-II in its program’s 12-year history.
“We are thrilled to be accepted into the MPSF for men’s volleyball,” Cal Baptist athletics director Micah Parker said in a statement. “It is a great conference and will provide our team with the opportunity to play the best men’s volleyball teams in the nation. It had been difficult to schedule when we were in the NAIA, but now we are assured of 24 matches with some big name universities coming to the Van Dyne Gym. I want to thank Al Beaird for all the work he did to help us with this transition.”