OFFICIAL MIVA RELEASE
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – In yet another historic day for the Northern Kentucky University Athletics department, the Norse men's volleyball program has found a home in one of the top conferences in the nation as the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association commissioner, executive council and member school representatives have voted that the NKU men's volleyball program will be welcomed into the MIVA, effective July 1, 2025.
Competition for the Norse in the MIVA will begin as the team hits the court for their inaugural season during Spring 2026.
"When we launched this new program, our aim was more than just building a team; it was to provide our student-athletes with the opportunity to compete for championships at the highest level," vice president and director of athletics Christina Roybal said. "Joining the MIVA has made that goal a reality."
The Norse are led by Jim Palilonis, the first head coach in the history of the program. Paililonis is no stranger to the MIVA, where he has competed for nearly 20 years, spending three years as an assistant coach at Purdue Fort Wayne after 16 seasons at Ball State. In 18 of those 19 seasons, Palilonis' squads were .500 or better. Palilonis played a key role in PFW's three winning seasons while he was on the sidelines. The Mastodons went 47-38 overall (.553) and advanced to the MIVA Tournament all three years during his time with the program. While at Ball State, he helped the Cardinals to 15 winning seasons, which included five 20-win campaigns.
"I am honored and grateful to be accepted into such a prestigious conference as the MIVA," said Palilonis. "After spending many years at two of the older member institutions I understand the rich tradition and history of those who have come before us. I also have tremendous respect for my fellow colleagues who are currently making the MIVA one of the strongest in the country. The opportunity to play at the highest level against the best competition is very exciting as we build our program at Northern Kentucky."
Northern Kentucky will officially transition into the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association on July 1, 2025, and will be immediately eligible for the MIVA Tournament in its inaugural season in 2026.
"As one of the premier men's volleyball conferences competing for the National Collegiate men's volleyball championship, we are pleased to welcome Northern Kentucky as a member of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association," MIVA commissioner Tim O'Brien added. "NKU fits perfectly in the MIVA footprint and will be an incredibly valued member that will help strengthen and stabilize our conference as the collegiate landscape continues to shift and the sport of men's volleyball continues to grow."
With the addition of Northern Kentucky, the MIVA will now have seven NCAA Division I programs: Ball State, Ohio State, Lindenwood, Loyola Chicago, Northern Kentucky, Purdue Fort Wayne and Queens. Division II programs Lewis and McKendree round out the nine-team league.
ABOUT THE MIVA
The Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association is the country's longest-standing Division I/II men's volleyball conference. The MIVA was established in 1961 and has been a home for 46 men's volleyball programs over its 63-year history. MIVA members have won five national championships. MIVA membership includes schools from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and will now expand to Kentucky.
MIVA MEMBERSHIP
Ball State: 1961-present
Ohio State: 1961-present
Purdue Fort Wayne: 1981-present
Lewis: 1994-present
Quincy: 1994-2025
Loyola Chicago: 1996-present
Lindenwood: 2013-present
McKendree: 2014-present
Queens: 2024-present
Northern Kentucky: Joining July 1, 2025
FOLLOW NORSE VOLLEYBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I men's volleyball team through
@NKUNorseMVB on X,
@nkunorsemvb on Instagram, nkunorsemvolleyball on Facebookand
subscribe to the NKU Norse YouTube channel.
