After 31 years in MIVA, QU men’s volleyball team anxious to embark upon new adventure in GLVC

QUINCY — A new era in Quincy University men’s volleyball is formally underway.

Beginning today, QU’s program is now an official member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) after the conclusion of its season Saturday that ended a 31-year affiliation with the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).

Quincy had been competing under the MIVA banner since 1994.

The GLVC announced in late July it will begin sponsoring men’s volleyball as its 25th sport, starting in the 2025-26 academic year. That opened the door for QU’s program. Quincy is a GLVC member for most of its other men’s and women’s sports.

Both QU athletic director Josh Rabe and coach Omar Sanchez are excited about what’s on the horizon.

“This will be a new opportunity for our program,” Rabe said. “I think everyone’s excited. We’ve only had limited success in the MIVA.”

The GLVC is an NCAA Division II conference. The MIVA is a mix of Division I and Division II schools.

Quincy’s overall volleyball record is 334-564 during its association with the MIVA., including an 8-19 finish this season. The Hawks have not enjoyed a winning record since 2011 when they ended 22-14 overall and 3-9 in MIVA play. During the past 11 years, Quincy has gone 18-138 in the MIVA, including 2-14 this season.

Some of the MIVA schools are much larger than QU, including NCAA Division I Ohio State, Loyola (Ill.) and Ball State. Ohio State and Loyola are longstanding NCAA powers. Other MIVA members are among the nation’s leading Division II programs.

“We still plan on scheduling some of (current) MIVA opponents for non-conference matches,” Sanchez said. “We want to play against the best.”

That aside, Sanchez is looking forward to competing on a more level playing field inside the GLVC when it comes to conference play. He said for QU to annually go up against a MIVA schedule was like “David vs. Goliath.”

Sanchez said his players already have a combined sense of excitement and confidence about what the future holds.

“But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Sanchez warned.

The inaugural season of GLVC men’s volleyball will feature seven schools, including full-time league members Maryville, Missouri S&T, Quincy, Rockhurst and Southwest Baptist, plus associate members Roosevelt and Thomas More. Lewis, another GLVC school with a men’s volleyball team, has enjoyed some success in the MIVA and is not yet joining the new GLVC venture.

The inaugural GLVC Men’s Volleyball Championship Tournament will take place April 23-25, 2026, featuring a four-team, single-elimination format at a site yet to be determined.

Sanchez and Rabe said GLVC affiliation will be more budget friendly for the volleyball program. The MIVA stretches from Missouri to North Carolina.

“(Being in the GLVC) will help minimize costs,” said Sanchez, 36, who played at QU as a freshman (2007-08) before transferring to Lewis for his final three seasons of college play.

Rabe said the NCAA is expected to recognize men’s Division II volleyball as a championship sport in the next two years. Rabe also feels the more centrally located GLVC will aid Quincy’s volleyball recruiting efforts.

“It’s a new opportunity,” Rabe said. “Everyone is excited.”