FREDERICK, Md. (Volleyball) – Hood College will add a men's volleyball program as its 24th varsity sport. The team will compete as a club program in 2022 before its inaugural varsity season in 2023. Men's volleyball will then join the Blazers' other NCAA Division III programs in the Middle Atlantic Conference.
Kevin Russell has been tasked with starting the men's program as its first head coach and will also be the head coach of the women's program.
"We are excited to add men's volleyball to our growing athletic program at Hood College," said Dr. Andrea Chapdelaine, Hood's president. "As a fast-growing sport in Maryland and other regions, men's volleyball will expand our athletic recruitment and the diversity of athletic experiences we offer our students."
Men's volleyball will become the first NCAA varsity sport added to Hood's athletic program since women's golf was elevated to varsity status in the fall of 2016. Hood added a varsity esports program in the summer of 2021, however, esports is not sponsored by the NCAA.
"As we continue exploring new ways to meet the needs of our students, community and prospective student-athletes, a sport with significant upward momentum that we identified was men's volleyball," said Dr. Kolb. "As with many of our sports, these offerings will allow us to recruit and retain new students while expanding our geographic recruiting footprint. We will look forward to competing in the MAC during the 2022-2023 season."
When the Blazers begin competing at the varsity level in the MAC, it will be the conference's 11th program, joining Alvernia University, Arcadia University, Eastern University, King's College, Messiah University, Misericordia University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Stevenson University, Widener University and Wilkes University.
"The MAC is thrilled Hood will join as the 11th men's volleyball program in the conference," said Megan Morrison, executive director of the MAC. "Men's volleyball in the MAC has shown exceptional growth, not only in the number of programs being sponsored within the conference, but also in the strength of the MAC programs on the national level."
In all, 108 institutions competed in Division III men's volleyball in 2019, based on the most recent NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rate Report. Sponsorship of men's volleyball at the Division III level has more than doubled since 2010, when just 53 institutions competed in the sport. The number of student-athletes on Division III rosters has increased by 236 percent over that time.
"As a Division III school, Hood College is committed to educating the whole person and knows that athletics can play an integral part in a student achieving their full potential both in the classroom and on the court, as well as the life of our college," Dr. Chapdelaine said.
Russell arrives at Hood after recruiting the first class for the men's volleyball program at Wabash. He spent the 2019 season as an assistant coach at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
"I'm so pleased to have been given the opportunity to direct the women's volleyball program and to build the men's program at Hood College," said Russell. "It's really an honor to have Dr. Sue Kolb place her confidence in me to lead both programs. It is clear to me that Hood is a special environment. The culture of "family" was consistently demonstrated by the student-athletes, the athletic department staff and other campus stakeholders who took the time to speak with me during the hiring process, and I'm grateful for their votes of confidence."
Russell served as the head men's volleyball coach at Wentworth Institute of Technology for the 2000 and 2001 seasons, guiding the Leopards to 13th in the NCAA Division III rankings.
He worked with the USA Volleyball Women's National Team in 2014 as a technical assistant, helping the team capture a gold medal at the 2014 World Championships. His role included video scouting of opponents' service reception and training of setters.
"Kevin separated himself from the other candidates when he explained how he will revitalize our women's program and build our men's volleyball program from the ground up," said Kolb. "His passion and energy around collegiate volleyball is extraordinary. Adding a coach like Kevin not only excites me for our current athletes but enhances my excitement for adding men's volleyball. While we have done extensive research with adding men's volleyball to Hood College, Kevin has reaffirmed this addition is something our athletic department has needed, and we will now truly be able to offer prospective students a sport that is rapidly growing in our region."
Russell was the director and a coach for the Bamboo Volleyball Club from 2014-19. He previously served as the girls' coach of the SMASH Volleyball Club from 2011-2013. He was the men's head coach of the Reebok Volleyball Club from 1987-88, leading the squad to a fifth-place finish in the nation playing against teams containing national-team players.
He began his coaching career at the University of Rhode Island in 1984 as an assistant coach for the women's volleyball team prior to joining the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs.
A veteran men's open player, Russell earned a try-out with the Men's National Volleyball Team and played for the fifth-place team in the Men's Open Division of the USAV Championships vs. national team players.
Russell graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He earned a Master of Arts degree in teaching from Salem State University in 2009 and secured CAP Level III certification from USA Volleyball in Colorado Springs in 2015.