The wrestling program will be reclassified to compete at the NCAA Division II level, and the men's volleyball program will compete at the club level.
The Warriors' wrestling program has competed at the Division I level as a member of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) since 1977 and previously was a member of the NCAA's College Division (currently Division II) since it was founded in 1963. ESU will join four other Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) institutions at the Division II level - Kutztown University and Shippensburg University, along with Gannon University and Mercyhurst College, which will join the PSAC as full members in 2008-09.
The men's volleyball program, which has competed in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) as a varsity sport since 1977, will play at the club level effective with the 2009-10 academic year. While ESU is a member of Division II, the Warriors have competed for a berth in the Division I tournament, the only men's volleyball championship recognized by the NCAA since it was introduced as a championship sport in 1970. ESU is currently the only PSAC institution with a men's volleyball program.
A recent assessment of the university's athletic department, which included an outside consultant and participation from the entire athletic division, resulted in a series of recommendations that have an impact on varsity athletics at ESU, explained Dr. Tom Gioglio, Director of Athletics. University President Dr. Robert Dillman and Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Doreen Tobin were in agreement to enact several of the recommendations resulting from the athletic division's assessment.
"We are moving forward with several recommendations to strengthen our athletic department, which include restructuring the wrestling and men's volleyball programs," said Gioglio. "The assessment also included recommendations on facilities, staffing and other facets of our department, and we look forward to implementing those as we strive to provide a top-notch competitive experience for our student-athletes at ESU."
This marks the first restructuring of ESU's athletic department since 1990, when the men's and women's gymnastics, men's and women's swimming and men's golf programs were discontinued at the varsity level. Women's swimming returned as a varsity sport in 1995. ESU announced the addition of women's golf in January and will begin intercollegiate competition this fall.
ESU will sponsor 22 varsity sports in 2008-09, the third-most in the PSAC, trailing only West Chester and Millersville, which offer 27 and 23 sports, respectively.
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