Southern Virginia University achieved a historic milestone by securing its first NCAA DIII Men’s Volleyball Championship on April 28, 2025. The Knights triumphed over Springfield College in straight sets, 25-20, 25-23, 27-25, at the Cregger Center in Salem, Virginia.
Under the leadership of head coach Tom Peterson, who previously guided BYU and Penn State to national titles, Southern Virginia concluded the season with an impressive 38-1 record. This championship marks the culmination of a program that began in 2017 and has consistently reached the NCAA tournament over the past five seasons.
The Knights’ victory was propelled by standout performances, notably from Christian Sheaffer, who earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honors with 13 kills in the final match. The team also featured significant contributions from Utah natives Bryce Stringam, Mitchell Barney, Keanu Calles, and Kimo Hughey.
This championship win is a testament to Southern Virginia’s rapid ascent in collegiate volleyball and reflects the program’s dedication and growth over the past eight years.
2025 DIII Men’s Volleyball Championship Bracket-
2025 DIII men’s volleyball championship schedule:
*All times listed in Eastern Time
- National championship | Monday, April 28
- Southern Va. 3, Springfield 0
History of the 2025 DIII Men’s Volleyball Championship
In its first-ever tournament appearance, Cal Lutheran won the DIII men’s volleyball title last year. Springfield, which won all but two of the first seven tournaments, retains the record with five titles.
See below for the full year-by-year results:
| Year | Champion (Record) | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Cal Lutheran (26-5) | Kevin Judd | 3-0 | Vassar | Dubuque, IA |
| 2023 | Stevens Institute (35-3) | Dan Buehring | 3-1 | North Central (IL) | Owings Mills, Md. |
| 2022 | Carthage (24-3) | JW Kieckhefer | 3-1 | Springfield | Kenosha, Wisc. |
| 2021 | Carthage (23-0) | JW Kieckhefer | 3-2 | Benedictine (IL) | Salem, Va. |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | SUNY New Paltz (28-7) | Radu Petrus | 3-1 | UC Santa Cruz | Union, NJ |
| 2018 | Springfield (31-2) | Charlie Sullivan | 3-0 | Stevens Institute | Kenosha, Wisc. |
| 2017 | Springfield (28-2) | Charlie Sullivan | 3-1 | SUNY New Paltz | Springfield, Mass. |
| 2016 | SUNY New Paltz (33-2) | Radu Petrus | 3-1 | Springfield | Rochester, N.Y. |
| 2015 | Stevens Institute (31-4) | Patrick Dorywalski | 3-0 | Springfield | Hoboken, N.J. |
| 2014 | Springfield (27-7) | Charlie Sullivan | 3-0 | Juniata | Huntingdon, Pa. |
| 2013 | Springfield (32-3) | Charlie Sullivan | 3-0 | Nazareth | Rochester, N.Y. |
| 2012 | Springfield (33-5) | Charlie Sullivan | 3-0 | Carthage | Springfield, Mass. |
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