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Urbana University is increasing its athletic offerings after the announcement Friday of wrestling and men’s volleyball being added as varsity sports.
Urbana will now have 17 athletic teams competing at the NCAA Division II level.
The Blue Knights previously had a wrestling program that competed at the NAIA level for nearly 20 years.
“Wrestling has such a strong level of performance here in the area and men’s volleyball aligns perfectly within the framework of our athletics structure,” said Dr. Christopher Washington, Executive Vice President and Provost. “This is exciting evidence that our academics and athletics programs are moving forward together by providing opportunities to students in areas of interest that are currently underserved.”
The addition of men’s volleyball was a result of the growing interest at the region’s high schools.
“Wrestling and men’s volleyball are two sports that are growing at the club and high school level while being under-represented at the collegiate level,” Executive Director of Athletics Larry Cox said. “We look forward to incorporating both sports into our Blue Knight family while remaining focused on our continued commitment to excellence in competition, the classroom and the community.”