September 24, 2020 – By NJP

Drew University in Madison, New Jersey will be adding both Men’s and Women’s Volleyball programs. The Women’s program will start in 2021 and the Men’s in 2022. Drew has been nicknamed the “University in the Forest” because of its wooded 186-acre campus. As of fall 2019, more than 2,000 students were pursuing degrees at the university. The new programs will give NJ high school volleyball players one more local option to play in college, especially as the end of COVID-19 still seems a distant possibility.

Drew becomes the 9th Men’s college volleyball program in New Jersey following D1 programs Princeton and NJIT, and D3 programs Stevens, Rutgers-Newark, Kean, NJCU, Ramapo, and College of St. Elizabeth. Drew will be a D3 program. Drew becomes the 25th Women’s college volleyball in NJ.

Gary Preston Jr. has been selected as the first Ranger Men’s Head Coach and Allysa Broccoli will be the Women’s Head Coach as well as the Director of Volleyball.

Preston, who will also serve as an assistant women’s volleyball coach, has coached at both the collegiate and club levels over the last four years. he is a New Jersey City University graduate and played varsity volleyball 4 years for the Gothic Knights. For more on Gary’s coaching roles, click this link to his bio on the Drew University website.

Broccoli arrives at Drew after a successful four-year run as the head women’s volleyball coach and assistant athletic director at Hunter College. She guided the Hawks to four straight CUNYAC titles as well as four NCAA Division III tournament appearances. For more on Alyssa’s storied background, click this link to her bio on the Drew University website.