For the 12th time in program history and the first time since 2018, the Springfield College men’s volleyball finished atop the Division III world and claimed the 2026 NCAA National Championship title. The Pride knocked off third-ranked Carthage in straight sets in front of 2,000 inside Blake Arena to win its sixth NCAA Division III National Championship title.
AVCA Men’s DIII All-America and National Awards Announced
Men’s DIII AVCA All-Americans
The 2026 teams include 28 players—14 each on the first and second teams—from 18 schools. New York University leads the way with four players on the two teams, and Carthage College, Messiah University, and Springfield College have three apiece.
Alex Kagoro of Messiah University is the 2026 AVCA Men’s DIII Player of the Year. The Irondequoit, N.Y., native enjoyed a brilliant year, averaging a Division III-leading 4.78 kills per set and 5.36 points per set, which is third on the DIII lists this season.
Men’s DIII AVCA Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year
Jamie Peterson of Wittenberg is the Men’s DIII Coach of the Year, and the assistant being honored is Matt Marshall of Messiah. Peterson becomes the first female coach to win the award. Wittenberg beat three ranked times at the NCAA Regional, which marks the first time the Tigers have posted three consecutive wins over Top-20 opponents.
AVCA Men’s NAIA All-American and National Awards Announced
Men’s NAIA AVCA All-Americans
The 2026 teams include 24 players—12 each on the first and second teams—from 13 programs, and leading the way are Campbellsville University, Mount Mercy University, Park University, St. Xavier University, and The Master’s University with three apiece. An 15 additional players received AVCA honorable mention honors.
Isaac Seltzer of The Master’s University is the 2026 AVCA Men’s NAIA Player of the Year. The senior has helped the Mustangs to a 22-1 record, which includes five wins over NCAA Division II schools. Seltzer heads into the 2026 NAIA Championship ranked seventh in hitting percentage (.439), and he’s helped the Mustangs rank second in the category as a team (.400).
Men’s NAIA AVCA Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year
Jared Goldberg of The Master’s is the Men’s NAIA Coach of the Year, and the assistant being honored is Gus Tuaniga of Westcliff University. Goldberg, who is in his sixth season at The Master’s, had led this year’s squad to a 22-1 record and another berth in the NAIA Men’s Volleyball Championship. This is the second time in the past three years Goldberg has earned AVCA NAIA Coach of the Year honors.
The NCAA Men’s Volleyball Committee announced the field of 12 teams vying for the 2026 National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship. The regional-round will be played on May 1 and May 2. The winning team from each regional-final will advance to the finals site on May 9 and 11 at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. All matches prior to the National Championship will be broadcast on ESPN+ with the National Championship airing on ESPN2.
The Golden West College men’s volleyball team successfully defended its crown as the top program in the state after sweeping past Long Beach City College in the finals of the 2026 3C2A Men’s Volleyball State Championships.
Finger Lakes Community College are NJCAA Champions
The Finger Lakes Community College men’s volleyball team completed a historic run to the top, defeating Ocean County College 3-1 to capture the program’s first-ever NJCAA National Championship.
Judson captured the NCCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship in dominant fashion, sweeping Redeemer University in straight sets (25-22, 25-18, 25-16).
View the list of athletes receiving to the 2026 AVCA/MaxPreps Player of the Week Award. In order for players to be featured on the list, coaches must update their athletes’ stats each week on MaxPreps.com.
The AVCA, in partnership with VolleyStation, has launched AVCA VolleyLine, a new digital hub that connects the volleyball community through accessible, reliable match results. AVCA VolleyLine, which is live now, gives you scores in one place.
AVCA-USAV Regions Men’s Recruiting Panel on May 19
Don’t miss the AVCA-USAV Regions Men’s College Coaches Recruiting Panel! LIVE on Zoom, May 19 at 7:30pm ET. Head college volleyball coaches from all divisions will answer Q&A about recruiting and scholarship opportunities in their division. Plus, get the scoop on the AVCA Boys Showcase and Skills Clinic.
Submit a proposal to be considered as a speaker for on-court, beach court or classroom presentations at the AVCA Annual Convention. The application window will close on May 11.
USAV Men’s Beach Collegiate Challenge Series Announced
USA Volleyball announced the expansion of the annual Men’s Beach Collegiate Challenge with two premier events — one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast — representing the organization’s first coast-to-coast staging of the competition. The 2026 edition moves the event to two vibrant beach volleyball hubs – Manhattan Beach, California, and Dania Beach, Florida. The East Coast Challenge moves from Stevenson University in Maryland to the Rita Crockett Beach Sports Academy in Florida, Sept. 25-27, while the West Coast Challenge will be on the south side of the Manhattan Beach Pier, Oct. 9-11. Registration for both events is now open.
USA Volleyball announces that Casey Patterson has been named assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Beach National Team. He will join head coach Matt Fuerbringer in leading the program’s top athletes through the 2026 season and beyond.
MiddleHitter.com: Mark Pavlik, a Legacy of Excellence
With a coaching tenure that spans over three decades, Coach Pavlik has transformed not just a team but an entire program, earning respect and admiration from players, fellow coaches, and fans alike. At the conclusion of the ’26 NCAA men’s volleyball season, Coach Pavlik will be retiring. He certainly left Penn State in a better place since he arrived in 1989.
Can Men’s Volleyball Save Colleges from Financial Doom?
Small U.S. colleges facing declining enrollment are adding niche sports like men’s volleyball to attract tuition-paying students, since the sport is rapidly growing and relatively inexpensive to run. Read this report from The Hustle.
Rob Espero continues his weekly men’s volleyball show with insights of recent results with coaches Jay Hosack, Theo Edwards, Nickie Sanlin, Dan Friend, and Brad Rostratter.
Mira Costa (30-2), the defending CIF-SS champion, is the top seed in Division 1. The Mustangs’ Bay League rival, Redondo Union (26-3), is the second seed. The teams split their two league matches this season and shared the league title.
MiddleHitter.com: What NCAA Should Look Like to Grow
Joe McCurdy argues that simply expanding the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament isn’t enough—true growth requires a much larger, more inclusive bracket that increases at-large bids, reduces overreliance on automatic qualifiers, and better reflects the sport’s rapid expansion.
Did we miss one? Contact bradley.wilson@avca.org and let us know. Programs are also visible on the AVCA’s map:
Recent Hires and Job Openings
Recent Hires
Spring Arbor University has announced the hiring of Parker Saenz as the first head coach of its men’s volleyball program.
The Nichols College Division of Athletics and Interim Director of Athletics Kristan Mallet have announced the hiring of Sebastian Noordzy as the sixth head coach in the history of the Nichols College men’s volleyball program.
