There will be a 15th sport coming to Benedict College.
School President Roslyn Clark Artis and Director of Athletics Willie Washington announced Wednesday that men's volleyball will begin competition in the 2020-21 season.
The announcement coincided with the news that Benedict will receive a $150,000 grant from First Point Volleyball Foundation and USA Volleyball to support the new program.
"It is only fitting that the HBCU of the year should take the lead, as we always do, in new initiatives," said Artis.
"We are pleased to announce that Benedict College will be among the six schools in the SIAC conference who will begin men's volleyball in the 2020-2021 academic year. The SIAC will be the first historically black college and university conference to start men's volleyball. It is fitting that the HBCU of the year be in that number."
"This will offer more opportunities for more athletes to come in and be a part of an already great program," said Washington. "Because of the grant we are receiving, that grant is going to make it possible that we can build the program and sustain the program."
Washington announced that Gwendolyn Rouse, Benedict's women's volleyball coach for the past 32 years, will assume the additional duties of coaching the men's team. The women play in the fall, while the men will compete in the spring.
Along with the other five schools starting men's volleyball in the SIAC – Central State, Kentucky State, Paine, Morehouse and Fort Valley State - men's volleyball is played by nine Division II schools in Conference Carolinas, including Erskine (Due West), Limestone (Gaffney) and North Greenville (Tigerville) in South Carolina. Four schools sponsor the sport in the South Atlantic Conference, including Coker (Hartsville). The season begins in January and runs through March, with the NCAA Tournament in April.