2026 Best Colleges for Men’s Volleyball (Division II) in Great Lakes

For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 5 colleges for Men’s Volleyball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.

To help you decide, College Factual evaluates each program using a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.

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Top 5 Colleges for Men’s Volleyball (Division II)

Learn more about these schools below:

1

Lewis University
Romeoville, IL

85% Academic Quality Percentile

29 Team Participants

Our analysis found Lewis University to be the best college for Men's Volleyball (Division II) in the Great Lakes Region. Based in Romeoville, IL, Lewis University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $21,306, against $21,306 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $9,669 per athlete.

2

McKendree University
Lebanon, IL

73% Academic Quality Percentile

21 Team Participants

McKendree University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Lebanon, IL, McKendree University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $19,160, compared with $19,160 spent per athlete. The school awards about $6,695 in athletic aid per athlete.

3

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

77% Academic Quality Percentile

17 Team Participants

Roosevelt University is one of the top schools for Men's Volleyball (Division II), at #3. This private not-for-profit school is set in Chicago, IL. The program generates about $14,014 in revenue per athlete, against $14,014 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $8,633 per athlete.

4

Quincy University
Quincy, IL

67% Academic Quality Percentile

31 Team Participants

Quincy University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Volleyball (Division II). Located in Quincy, IL, Quincy University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $12,496 per participant, with expenses of about $13,442 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,507.

5

Central State University
Wilberforce, OH

66% Academic Quality Percentile

20 Team Participants

Central State University earned the #5 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Wilberforce, OH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,440, compared with $15,440 spent per athlete. The school awards about $3,799 in athletic aid per athlete.

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Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.

This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.

References

• NCAA Academic Progress Rate & Graduation Success Rate — National Collegiate Athletic Association (athlete academic outcomes).
• Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) — U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (team participation, revenue, expenses, and aid).
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics (institutional data).

See our data sources and methodologies.