Situated in the heart of New York City, New York University (NYU) is home to both a men’s and a women’s volleyball team. Both teams compete at the Division 3 level and are categorized into Region IV. Both volleyball teams also participate in multiple college conferences, most notably the University Athletic Association (UAA). They are often included in various invitationals and match games with other similarly-ranked schools.
While most other team sports at the school are also D3, it’s worth noting that the NYU fencing team competes in the D1 category. Across most sports, the NYU Violets have proven to be fierce competitors, with many teams placing at or near the top of their various regions and conferences.
NCAA Tournament Participation
Though not a D1 or D2 school, NYU’s volleyball teams have shown themselves to be capable competitors in past NCAA tournaments. The women’s team is especially formidable, having finished at the top of their region in the 2021 tournament. In fact, the women’s team boasts a win percentage that is comparable to that of many of the top D1 and D2 teams.
The men’s team saw a more even balance in their wins and losses in last year’s tournament, winning 10 out of their 21 games. However, the team has performed more effectively in the recent past, with a 16-9 record in 2018 and a record of 18-10 in 2017. They also won their first four games in 2020, a season that was unfortunately cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
ECAC Honors
The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) comprises 220 member institutions from Maine to South Carolina and as far west as Missouri. The tiers of competition include D1, D2, and D3 schools. The NYU women’s volleyball team received four individual honors from the ECAC in 2021, including three for its players and one for its head coach.
The NYU men’s volleyball team most recently received ECAC accolades in 2019, with one player being named to the first team all-ECAC and another player being named to the second team.
UAA Appearances
The University Athletic Association (UAA) is an athletic conference comprised of D3 teams from across the country. NYU’s women’s volleyball team won the conference in 2021, their first UAA championship title in the school’s history.
The men’s volleyball team at NYU did not participate in the 2021-2022 University Athletic Association conference.
Invitationals, Meets, and Matches
The men’s and women’s teams participate in several invitationals, meets, and special matches with other colleges and universities. NYU women’s volleyball has performed exceptionally well at these games, with a 3-0 showing at last year’s DeSales University Invite and a 3-1 defeat of both SUNY Cortland and Kean University at the Kean Tri-Match. They also triumphed 3-0 over both Stockton University and Lycoming College at the Stockton Tri-Match in 2021.
Conclusion
NYU features a combination of cosmopolitan location, rigorous academics, and serious commitment to its NCAA division and various conferences. It has shown itself to be an excellent school for D3 volleyball, especially women’s volleyball. The NYU Violets are out to prove you don’t need to attend a D1 or D2 school to play rigorously competitive sports in college.