The tournament will be held at Blake Arena on the Springfield campus. As the host institution, Springfield, a four-time winner of this event, will receive an automatic berth to the four-team championship. The tournament field will also include a representative from the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) and the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA). The fourth team will be an at-large selection from either the Midwest or West regions.

"We are excited to serve as host of this prestigious event," Springfield Senior Associate Director of Athletics Craig Poisson said. "We look forward to providing a first class experience for the best Division III men's volleyball teams in the country, and in doing so continue Springfield College's proud tradition of hosting championships."

Now in its 12th year, the Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship has grown in scope and stature during its first 11 seasons. The championship was formed due to a need for a culminating event for NCAA Division III men's volleyball. While the NCAA sponsors a national collegiate championship for men's volleyball, programs from all three divisions compete for just four berths into the yearly tournament.

Juniata College (Pa.) enters the 2008 season as the four-time defending champion of the Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship, while Springfield won three titles in a row from 2001-2003.

The Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship committee consists of Kathy DeBoer (AVCA executive director); Doug Beal (USA Volleyball chief executive officer); Jeff Mosher (USA Volleyball coordinator of boys' and men's development); Ivan Marquez (EIVA Commissioner and Concordia-N.Y. athletic director/EIVA representative); Bob Newcomb (UC Irvine/at-large representative); Al Scates (UCLA head men's coach/AVCA board of directors men's representative); Gerry Matacotta (NECVA executive director); Dan Harris (Milwaukee School of Engineering athletic director/Midwest-West representative); and Stuart Robinson (SUNY New Paltz athletic director/NECVA representative).

Molten U.S.A., Inc. is the "Official Volleyball of the Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship." Sports Imports is the "Official Net System Supplier of the Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship." Mizuno USA is the "Official Apparel & Shoe Sponsor of the Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship."

Past Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship Results
2007: 1. Juniata; 2. Carthage; 3. Springfield; 4. Stevens
2006: 1. Juniata; 2. UC Santa Cruz; 3. Stevens; 4. Rivier
2005: 1. Juniata; 2. Carthage, 3. Stevens; 4. Medaille
2004: 1. Juniata; 2. Medaille; 3. UC Santa Cruz; 4. Eastern Mennonite
2003: 1. Springfield; 2. Juniata; 3. La Verne; 4. Stevens
2002: 1. Springfield; 2. La Verne; 3. NYU; 4. Lehman
2001: 1. Springfield; 2. D'Youville; 3. Clarke; 4. Vassar
2000: 1. UC San Diego; 2. NYU; 3. D'Youville; 4. Stevens
1999: 1. La Verne; 2. D'Youville; 3. Clarke; 4. Juniata
1998: 1. Juniata; 2. La Verne; 3. Springfield; 4. Eastern Mennonite
1997: 1. Springfield; 2. New Jersey Institute of Technology; 3. Juniata; 4. UC San Diego

For more information and history on the tournament, go to this link on the AVCA Web site: http://www.avca.org/collegiate/Menmolten/testMensMoltentournindex.asp.

published: 10/05/2007