MIVA History

They had no idea that such simple beginnings would have such a huge impact upon the future of a sport. On Feb. 4, 1961 representatives of Ball State University, Detroit Institute of Technology, Earlham College, George Williams College, Lancing College, Michigan State University, Ohio State University and Wittenberg College met in Lansing, Mich. to form the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Conference, the nation's first men's college volleyball league. The league started through the efforts of Jim Coleman of Wittenberg College and Don Shondell of Ball State University. Later the league name was changed to the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The Midwest's premier volleyball conference has provided the foundation for the sport in the region at every competitive level, from juniors to the United States national teams More than forty schools have participated in the MIVA during its history.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the organization shall be to provide a men's intercollegiate volleyball association through which member institutions maintain athletic programs in conformity with the dignity and purpose of higher education.  The members shall incorporate intercollegiate men's volleyball within their respective educational programs and shall place and maintain such athletics under the same administrative and academic control as that which exists in their other educational programs.

MIVA Timeline

Ball State, 1961-present
Ohio State, 1961-present
Detroit Institute of Technology, 1961-62
Earlham College, 1961-85
George Williams College, 1961-85
Michigan State, 1961-62, 1967-70
Wittenberg College, 1961-62
Kentucky, 1962-68
Lansing Community College, 1962-63
Calvin College, 1962, 1970
Indiana Tech, 1962-73
Louisville, 1965
Indiana, 1965-69, 1973-79
Southern Illinois, 1966
Illinois-Chicago, 1967-70
Valparaiso, 1967-68
Toledo, 1965-70, 1981-82
Purdue, 1969-75, 1982-86
Cincinnati, 1969, 1980-82
Anderson College, 1970
Bowling Green, 1971-85
Kellogg Community College, 1970-85
Michigan, 1970, 1975, 1982-86
Wright State, 1978-79
Wisconsin, 1979-80
IPFW (Indiana-Purdue at Ft. Wayne), 1981-present
Notre Dame, 1983-88
Wooster College, 1984
Hardin Simmons, 1986
Graceland College, 1987-90
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1991-97
Lewis, 1994-present
Quincy, 1994-present
Thomas More College, 1995-97
Loyola-Chicago, 1996-present
Mercyhurst, 1997-2008
Clarke College, 1998-2007
Findlay, 2001-05
Carthage, 2005-07
MSOE (Milwaukee School of Engineering), 2005-07
Central State, 2006-07
Grand Canyon, 2010-present