Limestone to add men's volleyball team next year

Limestone College's Director of Athletics Mike Cerino has announced the addition of men's volleyball as a varsity sport for the 2009-10 academic year. The squad will begin competition in the spring of 2010.

Approximately 80 institutions sponsor men's volleyball at the collegiate level. There are 30 squads in NCAA Division I and II programs which compete together for the national championship. The remaining schools compete in Division III.

Limestone's current women's volleyball coach Tim Loesch will assume head coaching duties for the men's team. Loesch will continue his head coaching duties for the women's team.

"I am thrilled about establishing a men's volleyball program at Limestone," Loesch said. "When I accepted the women's volleyball head coaching job here five years ago, this was a possibility that I discussed with the administration. Limestone has always had a strong tradition of supporting many collegiate sports and I feel men's volleyball is a good fit for us. It will create good synergy with our outstanding women's program here and I welcome this growth to our Limestone volleyball family."

The Limestone College men's volleyball program will be the only collegiate team in South Carolina. Two other Conference Carolinas schools also sponsor men's volleyball: Lees- McRae and Mount Olive. Pfeiffer is adding men's volleyball as a varsity sport for the spring 2010 season.

With the addition of men's volleyball, the Saints will have 22 varsity sports next year. Earlier this month, Limestone announced that it will add field hockey.

Limestone has a strong tradition of bringing emerging sports to the South.

Limestone helped pave the way for collegiate lacrosse and swimming in the region. The Saints fielded South Carolina's first collegiate lacrosse team in 1990. The swimming teams are the only NCAA Division II swimming programs in South Carolina and among the few in the two Carolinas.

"Much thanks to our President, Dr. Walt Griffin, and our Director of Athletics Mike Cerino for their hard work in making this happen, as well as their faith in me to lead this endeavor," Loesch said. "With all the support we have received for volleyball here, I am confident that our men's program will be a success."