Setting up a new dynasty: Men’s volleyball comes to campus

Despite it all, the University of St. Francis (USF) keeps on digging, gaining a new ace up its sleeve! We have all witnessed the women’s volleyball team break records year after year, and now, USF has proudly announced its 21st intercollegiate athletic program: a men's volleyball team. 

This new addition to our athletic program will compete at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level and in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). 

With men’s volleyball expanding in popularity across the United States, especially within the Midwest, USF is making a strategic play for the upcoming spring 2027 season. It’s been a while since USF added a team, so the prospect is beyond exciting!

USF’s new line up is bound to encounter some teams with powerful offensive and defensive skills. In accordance with the 2025 CCAC men's volleyball team records, St. Xavier University (SXU) had an overall record of 31-1 in the 2025 season, meaning that they won 31 matches out of 32. In conference play, SXU went undefeated winning all 12 matches, earning them a conference ranking 1st place.

USF President, Dr. Ryan Hendrickson, believes that the addition of a men's volleyball team can bring a heightened profile to the University of St. Francis, which helps provide additional visibility to the university.

Assistant Athletic Director and women's volleyball coach, Cara Currier, shared a similar sentiment and hopes this addition can add to the USF experience, explaining that with so many athletes being residents or from the area, sports can get a lot of buzz. The attention for these sports is not limited to our campus, but also extends to the local community.

In addition to more eyes on our campus, it will attract new students, demonstrating growth in enrollment. Currier explained that although they started late in the game, they have started seeking out students and anticipate recruiting 12-15 athletes for their first season.

The recruitment team is seeking athletes with character who will bring and continue to create a good balance of talent on the court. However, a new line-up isn’t the only thing they're looking for; with the recent announcement of Currier’s retirement a search for her successor has begun.

USF will hire one coach, who will look to lead both the women’s and men’s volleyball teams to success. Currier is looking for a coach who knows the game and understands what St. Francis means, as she explained, that coaching an intercollegiate sport requires a different variety of skills.

Beyond embodying our core values, a new coach must themselves have character, leading with attitude, effort, and trust.  These characteristics are ones that Currier has carried during her 25 years of coaching at USF, which has created a culture based on respect and attitude, leading to success.

Ever since Currier took over as head coach in 2002, she aimed to build a community within the team, leaving an impact on her athletes. 

Currier hopes her legacy will carry on with a coach who has the capability to create a team with a common goal to focus on offence. She hopes to witness women's volleyball continue to thrive, and men to meet that standard of community that has led to success.