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Concordia-Irvine after competing as an independent will be a part of the conference in two years.
The Eagles announced Wednesday that they have accepted an invitation to become a member of the MPSF starting in the 2018 college men’s volleyball season.
Concordia-Irvine is entering the final year of its three-year transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II membership and played as an independent team without a conference last season. In addition, the program will be immediately eligible for the postseason as a full Division II member when it joins the MPSF.
“We are thrilled to be voted into the MPSF in 2018. It is exciting to be a part of the growth of men’s volleyball and we look forward to competing in the most storied and best volleyball conference in the nation,” coach Shawn Patchell said in a statement. “Many thanks to President Krueger, Dr. Gary McDaniel, and Mo Roberson for their energy in making this transition to the NCAA and MPSF possible.”
The addition of Concordia-Irvine comes after six schools announced earlier this summer it would leave the MPSF to compete in the new Big West men’s volleyball conference beginning in 2018. The other teams that will remain in the MPSF by the time Concordia-Irvine joins includes BYU, Cal Baptist, Stanford, Pepperdine, UCLA and USC.
The Eagles finished last season 10-7 with home victories against Princeton and Grand Canyon.
A team from the MPSF has won two of last six NCAA championships and all but six NCAA championships since the conference formed in 1992.
“It is arguably the best men’s volleyball conference in the country at any level, even with some institutions leaving, and for us to have the opportunity to compete with USC, Stanford, Pepperdine, etc., is incredible,” Concordia-Irvine athletics director CUI Mo Roberson said in a statement. “Once I was afforded the opportunity to lead this amazing department, this was one of the boxes that I wanted and needed to check. With the support and help of Dr. Gary McDaniel, Al Beaird, and coach Shawn Patchell we were able to get it done. My administration charged me with elevating our athletics program and this certainly helps move us in that direction.”