Courtesy of Fitchburg State Sports Information

FITCHBURG, Mass. – Fitchburg State University Athletic Director Sue Lauder announced today that the school plans to add women's volleyball this coming fall as its 17th varsity athletics program.

Fitchburg State had sponsored women's volleyball as one of its NCAA Division III sports as recently as 2003 before it and two men's programs were discontinued due to budgetary considerations.

"Fitchburg State is pleased to bring back women's volleyball," Lauder said, noting that "it offers more female student-athletes the opportunity to compete in collegiate athletics while pursuing their undergraduate degrees."

Fitchburg State, which competes in the Massachusetts Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), will become the eighth and final MASCAC institution to sponsor the sport. The conference also includes Bridgewater State, Framingham State, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State, Westfield State and Worcester State.

The search for a head coach will begin later this semester, and the team will compete as a club program in 2016 before taking on a full varsity schedule in 2017.

Women's volleyball will join the other varsity sports basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, soccer and softball. Fitchburg State's varsity sports for men include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, ice hockey, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and soccer.

About 400 Fitchburg State student-athletes compete in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.