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After seven seasons, Coker is putting an end to its men’s volleyball program.
The Coker athletics department informed Off the Block earlier this week that it has opted disbanded its men’s volleyball team effective immediately.
Coker, a NCAA Division II team located in South Carolina, concludes with a 71-99 all-time record. The program played its inaugural season in 2013 in the ConfCarolinas but then spent the last six seasons as an independent teams without a conference affiliation.
Despite finishing its final season with a losing record, Coker entered 2019 having three consecutive winning seasons. The Cobras during that span reached the IVA Tournament finals in back-to-back years.
The team the last two years has competed with a limited roster, including having six active players for the second half of the 2018 season.
Coker will honor the scholarships for any men’s volleyball players who opt to remain at the school. In addition, the Cobras have granted the full release for any players wishing to transfer.
Eight players were slated to return to the Cobras for the 2020 season. Among those players is setter Brandon Ravelo who was named the 2019 Off the Block Independent Teams Freshman of the Year.
This is the fourth NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball program in the last five years to disband and the second on the East Coast. Pacific ended its program following the 2014 season, while Cal Baptist and Pfeiffer eliminated its team in 2017.
While Coker is ending its program, there will still be an increase in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball programs for 2020. Tusculum, Urbana and St. Francis-Brooklyn will play their inaugural seasons next year.