ATLANTA, Ga. – The Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) is pleased to announce the addition of the University of Louisiana Monroe and Missouri State University to its membership in the sport of Beach Volleyball beginning with the upcoming 2020 season. The Warhawks and the Bears will compete at the 2020 CCSA Championship April 17-19 in Huntsville, Ala., at the John Hunt Sand Volleyball Complex.
Jerome P. Rodgers, Commissioner of the CCSA said "we are delighted to welcome the University of Louisiana Monroe and Missouri State University as our newest conference members and we look forward to their future contributions."
Louisiana Monroe and Missouri State become the 13th and 14th members of CCSA Beach Volleyball. They join current members UAB, College of Charleston, FAU, FIU, Florida State, Georgia State, LSU, South Carolina, Southern Miss, TCU, Tulane and UNCW. Last season, the Warhawks faced two CCSA Beach Volleyball teams while the Bears faced six, including a 3-2 win over Tulane to end their season.
"ULM is excited to join the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association in beach volleyball," Director of Athletics Scott McDonald said. "The CCSA provides our beach volleyball program a high-level of competition with a championship experience for our student-athletes. ULM's student-athletes, coaches and our entire staff look forward to beginning beach volleyball competition in the CCSA this spring."
This is the eighth season of ULM Beach Volleyball and just the first under Head Coach Charlie Olson who was hired in August of 2019.
"This is a huge step for our program," Olson said. "Not only will it benefit our team, but also the student-athlete experience as a whole. We now have the opportunity to extend our regular season and play for championships. The CCSA will challenge us to bring in better recruits and improve our competition levels. We couldn't be more excited about this opportunity to provide our team. Thank you to the administration for this chance. We won't disappoint."
"The CCSA is a strong conference and gives Missouri State a platform for national recognition," said Head Coach Terri Del Conte. "We are excited for the chance to play high-profile teams and that our student-athletes have the opportunity to be spotlighted for their accomplishments."
Missouri State enters its third season, starting its Beach Volleyball program in 2018. Del Conte led a team that posted a winning record last season, going 13-11 overall and picking up the first Division I wins in school history.
"I'm excited for our team to have a conference affiliation moving forward," said Director of Athletics Kyle Moats. "That certainly helps with their identity and gives them something tangible to play for every year. I know our student-athlete experience will certainly be enhanced with this move."
The 2020 season will mark just the fifth season of Beach Volleyball for the CCSA as it added the sport in the summer of 2015, its first sport addition since formation of the league in 2008. The CCSA was one of only five conferences to sponsor Beach Volleyball in its first year as an NCAA sport in 2016.