Riverdale, N.Y. — Men's volleyball, women's golf, and women's acrobatics and tumbling have been added as varsity sports at Manhattan College starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, President Milo Riverso, Ph.D., P.E. and Director of Athletics Irma Garcia announced. The additions give Manhattan 21 varsity sports at the NCAA Division I level beginning in Fall 2025.
"Manhattan College is proud to have competitive Division I sports teams," said Riverso. "We also provide our student-athletes with a great academic education that prepares them to become successful in their careers and personal lives. Adding three sports teams: women's golf, acrobatics and tumbling, and men's volleyball, will not only expand our tremendous sports program; it will also provide three new opportunities to shape well-rounded Manhattan College graduates."
"Our athletic program has a long tradition of excellence," said Garcia. "These additional teams will offer more opportunities for student athletes to compete and excel."
Manhattan men's volleyball is the beneficiary of a $100,000 grant from First Point Volleyball Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping increase men's volleyball opportunities across the country. First Point has supported the development of 42 men's college volleyball programs.
"It is so exciting to see yet another NCAA DI athletics department add men's volleyball. We are in an incredible period of growth for boys' and men's volleyball so Manhattan College is adding at a really good time," said John Speraw, head coach of USA Men's National Team, head coach of UCLA Men's Volleyball, and First Point's volunteer board chairman. "We are impressed with the college's leadership and their commitment to men's volleyball. The Manhattan College community is going to love this dynamic sport."
For the 2025-2026 academic year there will be 31 D1 men's volleyball teams. Men's volleyball plays the majority of their games in the spring season along with some additional opportunities to compete in the fall. Manhattan will compete as an associate member in the Northeast Conference.
Women's golf will enter the extensive ranks of D1—which presently accommodates 277 members—and will compete in the MAAC beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. The league's circuit currently consists of MAAC members Fairfield, Mount St. Mary's, Niagara, Quinnipiac, Siena and associate members Dayton, La Salle, Loyola Chicago, and Albany. Iona is also set to start competing for the 2025-2026 academic year. The MAAC has held a championship for women's golf since 2001, and the NCAA has hosted a championship format in the spring since 1982.
Like the men's team, the women's team will practice at the same courses. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the Jaspers mainly practiced at The Summit Club at Armonk. Additionally, the women's team will also compete in both the fall and spring. Manhattan will begin its search for a full-time women's coach.
Women's acrobatics and tumbling is an NCAA Emerging Sport and falls under the governance of the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA). USA Gymnastics also oversees acrobatics and tumbling as a team sport through sponsorship of youth programs.
"We are thrilled to welcome Manhattan College to the NCATA community and proud to be one of the new athletic programs they will sponsor," said NCATA Executive Director Janell Cook. "Manhattan College will be an incredible addition to the opportunities within the NCATA for young women training in gymnastics and cheerleading to compete at the varsity level while completing their academic pursuits."
Manhattan will be one of 12 programs in D1, joining Baylor, Duquesne, East Tennessee State, Iona, La Salle, Long Island, Missouri State, Morgan State, Oregon, Presbyterian, and Quinnipiac. Championships are held every April at a campus of one of the D1 programs where the winners of event and team titles are determined.
Acrobatics and tumbling is a spring sport with a 144-day season competing at the D1 level. The search for a head coach will begin immediately.