By William Kim
The habits and character of the Springfield College men’s volleyball program, the top ranked team in the country, are indicative of a special quality that becomes evident as soon as an observer steps onto the floor. Even without the presence of head coach Charlie Sullivan, the entire team was participating in full speed warm-up drills and volleyball skills training 15 minutes prior to the beginning of practice.
The standard that has been created by Sullivan to empower his student-athletes to proactively engage in their own success would command respect from any visitor.
“Energy & body language is non-negotiable,” said Sullivan on the expectation of his team. Sullivan has selected an up-and-coming staff that matches his enthusiasm. With the combination of the consistent work ethic from every player on the team, the standard of excellence has led men’s volleyball to stand and stay at the top of national rankings for a significant portion of the 2025-2026 season.
The Pride are the only Division III team that has earned a total of more than 65 points according to the NCAA Power Index, also known as the NPI – 65.085 specifically. In the eyes of the American Coaches Volleyball Association, or AVPA, they have stood on top of the ranking mountain for nine out of the 11 weeks of the 2025-2026 season. This is all in preparation for the 2026 Division III Men’s National Volleyball Championship that will be hosted at Blake Arena from April 24-26.
The eight seniors on the team have led the Pride to the top of the ranking charts.
“This is a special senior class that was recruited knowing that the Volleyball Championships would be held at home in Springfield,” said Sullivan. “This season has given us the time to celebrate our success and also gain experience from problem solving while maintaining a winning record. Teachable moments of validation and clearly communicating through moments of chaos has led to our success.”
Assistant coach Jeremy Brown added context to the Pride’s non-negotiable belief in positive energy & body language, stressing the importance of these traits.
“I’ve single handedly seen championships won from the energy that came from the bench,” Brown said. “When you know that your teammates have your back, the love and support is felt on the court and is a game changer.”
Brown also praised this season’s first-year class for their game changing energy, specifically during an intense five-set match against Wentworth on April 1 to defend the team’s #1 ranking.
“We were down 2-1 going into the fourth set and the freshman game changers helped us get the energy back late in the fourth and we kept it during the fifth set to end the game,” Brown said.
The Springfield College men’s volleyball program has been on a path of growth throughout this year, and it has led them to the No. 1 position in various rankings. Sullivan and his staff will undoubtedly prepare a couple more weeks of growth for the team as the national tournament nears.
(Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)