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Wayne Cavadi | krikya18.com | December 11, 2023

DII volleyball teams with the most NCAA DII national championships

Cal State LA wins the 2023 DII women's volleyball championship

West Texas A&M had a chance to become the first repeat DII women's volleyball champion since Concordia-St. Paul in 2016 and 2017 this season, but Cal State LA had other plans. The Golden Eagles brought the trophy back to the West Coast winning its first-ever DII women's program national championship. 

The Buffs quest for No. 5 is put on hold, but there have been plenty of national champions with multiple titles in the history of DII women's volleyball — 10 to be exact. In 2022, West Texas A&M defeated Concordia-St. Paul — the all-time winningest DII women's volleyball program in championship history with nine — for its fourth national championship. That victory moved the Buffs into a tie with the Tampa Spartans and Portland State for second place among active DII programs. 

Here are the programs that have captured the most titles in championship history.

2023 RECAP: How Cal State LA made program history with first title

Concordia-St. Paul, 9 (2007-13, 16, 17)

Concordia-St. Paul Athletics DII volleyball

The Golden Bears are the benchmark when it comes to DII volleyball greatness. The Brady Starkey era has been one of the most dominant in all of DII volleyball's history. Starkey took over in 2003 and led the Golden Bears right to the championship match. They fell that season to North Alabama, but by 2007, the Golden Bears were championship-bound on an annual basis. Not only did they go on to win every national championship from 2007 to 2013, but they also went on a 43-match unbeaten streak, not losing until they were eliminated from the 2014 tournament.

MORE: Championship history

Tampa, 4 (2006, 14, 18, 21)

The Spartans are the latest to move up the all-time list. If there is a DII fall festival, you can pencil in Tampa to make the finals. Tampa's first three titles have come at fall festivals, and the Spartans even finished as national runners-up at the 2010 festival. They broke that trend in 2021, claiming their fourth title. 

Portland State, 4 (1984, 85, 88, 92)

Portland State joined Division I officially in 1996, but not before the Vikings left their mark on the DII scene. In 1983, Portland State lost the national championship to Cal State Northridge by a score of 3-2. The Vikings would avenge that loss, becoming the first repeat champions in DII volleyball history. In both '84 and '84, the Vikings defeated the same Cal State Northridge team that spoiled their first trip to the title game. 

West Texas A&M, 4 (1990, 91, 97, 2022)

West Texas A&M Athletics DII volleyball

It had been a while, with the Buffs having not won a title since last millennium, but their 3-1 victory over the Golden Bears bump them up into an elite club of four-time champions. The Lady Buffs were the second team in DII volleyball history to repeat, claiming the title in 1990 and again in '91. They have since become a familiar tournament face, racking up 27 appearances over the years, becoming one of the many to fall to the Golden Bears in their return to the 2009 title match. West Texas A&M is one of the most dominant programs in Lone Star Conference history with 20 regular season titles and 16 tournament titles to add to its trophy case. 

Barry, 3 (1995, 2001, 2004)

NCAA Photos DII volleyball

The Bucs entered the DII volleyball scene in 1988 with a modest 16-12 record. Seven short years later they were national champions, capturing the first of three titles spread out over ten seasons.

Five teams have won two championships. Cal State Northridge is one of those five teams, and perhaps the most perplexing. The Matadors went to every national championship match from 1982 to 1988 but were only able to walk away victorious in 1983 and '87.  Northern Michigan has two titles as well and those trophies came in repeat fashion, winning in 1993 and '94. Hawaii Pacific, BYU-Hawaii, and UC Riverside round out the two-time winners.

See the year-by-year results below.

YEAR CHAMPION (RECORD) COACH SCORE RUNNER-UP SITE
2023  Cal State LA (24-10) Juan Figueroa 3-1 West Texas A&M Moon Township, PA
2022 West Texas A&M (33-4) Kendra Potts 3-1 Concordia-St. Paul Seattle, Wash.
2021  Tampa (34-2) Chris Catanach 3-0 Washburn Tampa, Fl.
2020 No tournament (COVID-19)        
2019 Cal State San Bernardino (33-0) Kim Cherniss 3-1 Nebraska-Kearney Denver, Co.
2018 Tampa (33-4) Chris Catanach 3-2 Western Washington Pittsburgh, Pa.
2017 Concordia-St. Paul (34-3) Brady Starkey 3-0 Florida Southern Pensacola, Fla.
2016 Concordia-St. Paul (32-4) Brady Starkey 3-0 Alaska Anchorage Sioux Falls, S.D.
2015 Wheeling Jesuit (39-4) Christy Benner 3-0 Palm Beach Atlantic Tampa, Fla.
2014 Tampa (33-1) Chris Catanach 3-0 S'west Minnesota State Louisville, Ky.
2013 Concordia-St. Paul (35-3) Brady Starkey 3-0 BYU-Hawaii Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2012 Concordia-St. Paul (34-4) Brady Starkey 3-2 Tampa Pensacola, Fla.
2011 Concordia-St. Paul (34-2) Brady Starkey 3-0 Cal State San Bernardino Cal State San Bernardino
2010 Concordia-St. Paul (32-4) Brady Starkey 3-1 Tampa Louisville, Ky.
2009 Concordia-St. Paul (37-0) Brady Starkey 3-0 West Texas A&M Concordia-St. Paul
2008 Concordia-St. Paul (37-1) Brady Starkey 3-2 Cal State San Bernardino Concordia-St. Paul
2007 Concordia-St. Paul (36-4) Brady Starkey 3-1 Western Washington Washburn
2006 Tampa (35-1) Chris Catanach 3-1 North Alabama West Florida
2005 Grand Valley State (32-1) Deanne Scanlon 3-1 Nebraska-Kearney Nebraska-Kearney
2004 Barry (34-1) Dave Nichols 3-1 Truman Barry
2003 North Alabama (33-7) Matt Peck 3-0 Concordia-St. Paul Cal State San Bernardino
2002 BYU-Hawaii (27-2) Wilfred Navalta 3-0 Truman West Texas A&M
2001 Barry (32-2) Dave Nichols 3-0 South Dakota State Grand Valley State
2000 Hawaii Pacific (28-0) Tita Ahuna 3-0 Augustana (S.D.) Augustana (S.D.)
1999 BYU-Hawaii (30-2) Wilfred Navalta 3-0 Tampa Battle Creek, Mich.
1998 Hawaii Pacific (31-5) Tita Ahuna 3-1 North Dakota State Kissimmee, Fla.
1997 West Texas A&M (37-1) Debbie Hendricks 3-2 Barry Cal State Bakersfield
1996 Nebraska-Omaha (35-2) Rose Shires 3-2 Tampa Central Missouri
1995 Barry (34-2) Lenid Yelin 3-1 Northern Michigan Barry
1994 Northern Michigan (32-4) Mark Rosen 3-1 Cal State Bakersfield Cal State Bakersfield
1993 Northern Michigan (38-1) Jim Moore 3-1 Cal State Bakersfield Northern Michigan
1992 Portland State (36-1) Jeff Mozzochi 3-2 Northern Michigan Portland State
1991 West Texas A&M (36-2) Jim Giacomazzi 3-0 Portland State West Texas A&M
1990 West Texas A&M (38-1) Kim Hudson 3-0 North Dakota State Cal State Bakersfield
1989 Cal State Bakersfield (21-15) David Rubio 3-0 Sacramento State Cal State Bakersfield
1988 Portland State (36-5) Jeff Mozzochi 3-0 Cal State Northridge North Dakota State
1987 Cal State Northridge (35-6) Walt Ker 3-2 Central Missouri Nebraska-Omaha
1986 UC Riverside (29-7) Sue Gozansky 3-0 Cal State Northridge Sacramento State
1985 Portland State (36-5) Jeff Mozzochi 3-1 Cal State Northridge Portland State
1984 Portland State (33-4) Jeff Mozzochi 3-0 Cal State Northridge Portland State
1983 Cal State Northridge (30- 6) Walt Ker 3-2 Portland State Florida Southern
1982 UC Riverside (31-5) Sue Gozansky 3-0 Cal State Northridge Cal State Northridge
1981 Sacramento State (28-6) Debby Colberg 3-0 Lewis UC Riverside
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