“My faith is extremely important to me and was the biggest deciding factor in choosing a college,” said Fitton, a member of Divine Unity Community Church in Harrisonburg. “I didn’t want to go to a big party school, but instead wanted to grow in my faith and use my testimony to inspire others.”

Fitton, who enjoys leading Bible studies, praying over people, and bringing others to Christ, said she’s excited to become a part of EMU campus ministries this fall. “EMU offers campus worship, Bible studies, and more opportunities that you can’t find on other campuses,” she said. “Many players on the volleyball team also openly express their passion for Christ, which is important to me.”

The volleyball star was named Region 1B Player of the Year and received honors as a first team selection at the All-District, All-Region, and All-State levels this past season. She will play for the Royals this fall and said Coach Casey Steinbrecher was another major reason for her choosing EMU. 

“I remember one of my first conversations with him, he just wanted to get to know me outside of volleyball,” Fitton said. “Other coaches wanted to know my interests and that kind of thing, but Casey stuck out to me by wanting to get to know what my family was like, my background, and more before getting to know me as a player.”

When she’s not on the court, she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business management. She said she will graduate high school with a cosmetology license and plans to earn her esthetician license either during or after college. Eventually, she said, she hopes to own and manage her own spa. 

A ‘life-changing’ opportunity

Fitton said her decision to attend EMU “felt right.” When she visited the campus early last year, she was struck by everyone’s friendliness toward her. “Everyone I walked past asked me how I was, without even knowing me,” she said. “The atmosphere on campus is refreshing. It’s quiet and peaceful while also being welcoming.”

She said she looks forward to forming close connections with classmates and professors and taking advantage of EMU’s distinctive intercultural program. “I love to travel and expand my understanding of the world,” Fitton said. “I believe an experience to study abroad is life-changing and opens doors for opportunity. When I visited, I knew EMU was a place I could see myself for the next four years.”

Read more about Reese
: Fitton named Region 1B Player of the Year and headed to EMU
: Luray’s Reese Fitton used faith, love to lead team during special season

Justin Reesor ’10 grew up in a Mennonite family in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, where he played volleyball in middle and high school. His cousin, Allan Reesor-McDowell ’02, played on the EMU men’s volleyball team—and Reesor had traveled to see him play at a tournament in New York. His uncle, Robert Reesor ’89, and sister, Denise Reesor ’07, also attended EMU.

While visiting his sister, Reesor fell in love with the EMU campus and Harrisonburg. “I thought it was a beautiful area, and I liked the idea of a small college with smaller classes and easier access to professors.” Reesor arrived in fall 2006 prioritizing academics and his social life, but after walking on during a scrimmage, he spent four years as a middle blocker on the EMU men’s volleyball team under Coach Steve Benson.��

Reesor made an immediate impact. In his first season, he was named the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Western Conference Rookie of the Year and EMU Newcomer of the Year. He earned spots on the NECVA All-Western Division Second Team in 2009 and the NECVA All-Western First Team in 2010. At the time of his graduation, Reesor led the Royals in career blocks (462) and sets played (406), and ranked fifth in career kills (867). 

While at EMU, Reesor majored in business administration and minored in accounting. He now serves as senior director of finance at Accumulus Synergy. He and his wife, Rachel Mast Reesor ’09, have three children: Emma (10), June (7), and Charlie (4). 

Reesor will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 10 a.m. in the MainStage Theater (University Commons 170) during Homecoming 2025. For a full schedule of Homecoming events and activities, visit��emu.edu/homecoming.

As a Royal, Troyer was a three-time All-ODAC First Team honoree and a two-time all-Region middle hitter. During her sophomore year, EMU women’s volleyball won the ODAC championship, defeating Bridgewater in a thrilling five-set championship match. At the time of her graduation in 1993, Troyer held EMU career records for kills (969) and blocks (347) and now sits third all-time on both of those lists. As an EMU basketball forward, Troyer graduated fourth all-time in career rebounds with 648. She played first base on the 1990 softball team that won the ODAC championship, is fourth all-time in the Royals’ record book for stolen bases in a season (1990) with 24, and earned a spot on the All-ODAC Second Team in 1992.

Troyer said she “had a great experience playing sports” at EMU with teammates that were her closest friends and a coaching staff that was “so supportive.” Troyer retired in June 2023 after teaching special education for 30 years at Turner Ashby High School (Bridgewater) where she coached girls’ varsity volleyball for 24 years and junior varsity softball for four years. 

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

The Lady Royals had a cumulative GPA of 3.34. EMU was the only school from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference to earn the award.

“Excellence doesn’t happen by accident, either on the court or in the classroom,” said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. “It takes consistent preparation, relentless effort, and determined leadership. A full year of academic achievement, by an entire team of individual students, is a remarkable achievement. What better way to start a new season than with a celebration of an award so emblematic of all that is necessary for sustained success.”

The AVCA Team Academic Award has become one of the AVCA’s fastest growing awards programs, seeing an impressive surge in teams honored over the past several years. Since the 2000-01 season, the number of recipients has increased every single year but one, while amassing an overall 300% increase over the span of the last decade. Since the award’s inception in 1993, the amount of award winners has increased from 62 to its current number of 622.

In Coach Jeff Tyson’s first year, Eastern Mennonite finished 4-19 in 2012. They host the six-team EMU Invitational to open the 2013 campaign on Aug. 30 and 31.

He takes over for Interim Coach Derek King, who guided the Royals to an 11-14 record last spring, their first season in the new .

Moore, who himself played for Eastern Mennonite during the 1996 season before transferring to D-I George Mason, is excited about the EMU program.

“EMU is in a unique position in that it is one of only two NCAA men’s volleyball programs in Virginia,” Moore explained. ��“Also, EMU has so many great attributes that you can’t discern by simply reading the website, such as the strong sense of community. ��Everybody here is dedicated to an individual’s complete growth as a person, not just the athletic or academic side, but spiritual and communal as well.”

Director of Athletics feels that his new coach is the right man for the job.

“After a lengthy search process, I am not only pleased to have the position filled, but to be filled with someone like Gary who brings experience in both collegiate and club volleyball programs,” said King.�� “His excitement for returning to EMU to continue the growth of the men’s volleyball program is evident and should help him to make a quick transition to this position.”

Moore is currently the lead coach and owner of in Hampton Roads, VA.�� Along with a widespread involvement on the club level and with USA Volleyball, he also has men’s and women’s coaching experience at Rutgers, Norfolk State and Christopher Newport.�� With D-III institutions regularly re-evaluating their travel costs as well as desires for automatic qualifiers on the conference level, Moore’s background should prove vital for EMU.

“With the men’s volleyball landscape in the NCAA going through significant changes which could have a major impact on our program,” King said, “Gary’s experience in several educational institutions, being a business owner and heavily involved in the club volleyball scene make him well suited to give leadership to the emerging nature of men’s volleyball in Division III and EMU’s place in that picture.�� His experiences should serve him well in navigating the unknowns of the future.�� I look for Gary to provide leadership in charting a course for the future of EMU’s program but also at the conference level.”

Moore’s business background also aids EMU in other ways, explains , Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students.

“In addition to his volleyball coaching skills, Gary also brings extensive experience in supervising fitness center operations,” said Nafziger.�� “His fitness background will benefit his players as well as faculty, staff, and the broader EMU community as he takes on a quarter-time role in the EMU fitness center.”

Having played both D-III and D-I volleyball, Moore will also have a unique perspective for his student-athletes.

“Coming back to EMU to coach is very special for me,” he said. ��“It’s my homecoming, and I am honored to be able to come back to make a bigger contribution to the men’s program and the school as a whole. There are so many people who are still here from when I played here, and I feel a deep sense of humility and obligation to make them proud.”

King echoed that perspective.

“He will be in a good position to help his players understand and benefit from all that EMU has to offer and will use volleyball as a way to develop Christian character in the young men he coaches.”

Nafziger added thoughts on Moore’s work in the classroom as a student.

“Gary’s academic record, including graduating with honors from Norfolk State University��while also serving as an assistant coach, provides a positive role model for his players to take their academics seriously in the midst of their athletic endeavors,” said Nafziger.

Moore’s wide-ranging connections should bolster his recruiting efforts.�� Personally, he is ready to affect young men in a long-lasting manner.

“Winning matches and establishing ourselves as a legitimate force is of course important,” he explained, “but that’s not all. ��I am just as interested in having our guys graduate and mature into men of excellence, character and integrity. ��Ultimately, that’s what’s most important, and with it, the program is sure to excel.”

Moore will assume his duties at Eastern Mennonite on October 1.�� The Royals open their 2013 season in late January, with the official schedule to be released later this year.

Prock relished in the libero role this year and will finish as one of the best back row players in D-III volleyball.�� Currently, his 3.25 digs per game has Prock second in the nation.�� The senior had 14 matches notching 10 or more digs, including a season high 20 in a four-set contest against Philadelphia Biblical.

He finishes his career at Eastern Mennonite in second place on the all-time digs list with 1,006.�� Ryan Detweiler holds the EMU record at 1,186.�� Prock was also a setter during his freshman season, and finishes 11th on the all-time assists list with 603.

The Royals closed the 2012 season with a record of 11-14.�� They were tied for third in the CVC East at 3-5, but missed the six-team CVC Tournament based on a tie-breaker with Thiel College.

Below is the full list of the CVC All-East Division Team:

Nolan Prock, Eastern Mennonite, Sr, LB
Ben Wolff, Juniata, Sr, MB
John Almquist, Juniata, Sr, S
Joe Bortak, Juniata, Fr, MB
Ross Madden, Juniata, So, OH
Dante McCoy, Thiel, Jr, RS
Eddy Klepper, Stevenson, So, MH
Ethan Mawhinney, Philadelphia Biblical, Jr, MH
David Moler, Stevenson, Fr, S
Noah Prickett, Philadelphia Biblical, Jr, OH
Michael Whitelock, Thiel, So, MH
Kyle Wisner, Stevenson, Fr, MH

EMU 3, Philadelphia Biblical 2
The match with the Crimson Eagles was one filled with wild momentum swings.

PBU jumped to a 9-2 lead in game one before the Royals tied the score at 15-15.�� The men squirted ahead and took a 25-23 win on a kill from (Columbus, OH/Worthington Kilbourne).

EMU fell behind early in sets two and three, taking identical 25-20 losses.

With their backs against the wall, the Royals responded, blowing open an early lead to a big 25-11 win in game four to force a decisive fifth set.

The men made a couple of comebacks in game five, including three straight blocks to cap a late 4-0 run which put them on top 14-13.�� PBU scored a point to tie things up, but Eastern Mennonite had the final say with two points for the 16-14 decision.

As a team, the Royals hit .302, landed nine service aces and made 13 team blocks.

(Hollywood, FL/South Broward) led all players with 18 kills along with two aces.�� (Chesapeake, VA/Hickory) had 13 kills to go with a solo stuff and five assists.�� He also had four aces.�� (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) landed 12 kills.

Barry finished with 48 set assists and two service aces.�� (Glen Allen, VA/Deep Run) was a huge presence from the middle of the net with nine kills, two solo blocks and six assists.

Libero (Virginia Beach, VA/Frank W. Cox) had a match high 18 digs.

What is your major? What do you hope to do?

I have a double major of Mathematics/Computer Science.�� I am hoping to find a job around Lancaster doing computer repair, technical support or something similar.

��

Why computer science and mathematics at EMU?

As high school went on, learning about computers and the programming behind how they work became more and more of an interest of mine.�� Math, despite being a good major to have if I choose to go to graduate school in the future, has always been my favorite subject ever since early elementary school.

��

What originally made you choose to come to EMU?

The match of being a Mennonite school and having a men’s volleyball program was a major drawing factor.�� The professors impressed me and I just loved the feel of the campus in general.

��

How have you been able to manage your time in the spring with volleyball and course work?

Learning to do homework on the road to away games and while staying at hotels, and using the small windows of time during the day to do school work are ways I’ve kept up with the course load.�� In some ways, volleyball is like my “break” from homework in the same way other students would take a break to exercise, hang out with friends, or watch a TV show.�� My break is just scheduled for me.

��

What has it been like being a student-athlete while at EMU?

It’s been a lot of fun being a student-athlete.�� On a few occasions during my first couple of years here, I would have people working in the cafeteria congratulate me on a game and ask when the next one would be.�� It’s an honor to have people on campus come watch our team play a sport we love.�� Missing class every now and then for trips can be a pain, but the professors are willing to help make sure you stay on top of your work.�� Being able to play volleyball competitively while studying to prepare for my future is a privilege I have thoroughly enjoyed.

��

What are one or two things you have learned from playing your sport here that you will take with you when you leave?

The whole experience of coming together as a team to accomplish a goal is definitely one thing that will stay with me.�� Playing volleyball here has also taught me to always work hard, even when things aren’t going my way.

��

What changes have there been for you after having the same coach for three years and now a new coach for your senior season?

I feel like it’s been relatively minor changes.�� Coach King and our assistant Dominick Porter have helped out with some practices in the past.�� King was actually my assistant coach in high school for a year which decreased the adjustment period for me.�� It took a little time to get used to how practice is run, but the transition has been pretty smooth in my opinion.�� Unrelated to the coaching change, it’s been a change playing a new position this year.

Eastern Mennonite 3, Philadelphia Biblical 0
The men snapped a three-match skid by beating PBU to close the day.�� EMU had a late 6-0 run to break open a close game one and win, 25-19.�� The Crimson Eagles led 24-22 in game two, but the Royals rattled off three straight and stole a 27-25 decision.�� Eastern Mennonite held a small edge much of game three and finished off with a 25-22 win.

Sophomore (Highland Springs, VA/Highland Spring)��led at the net, pounding out 19 kills, a career best for him in a three-game set.���� (Glen Allen, VA/Deep Run) landed eight kills and (Chesapeake, VA/Hickory) added seven.�� (Columbus, OH/Worthington Kilbourne) set up 31 assists as the men rebounded to a .295 attack percentage.

Prock had a whopping 14 digs in the sweep.�� Middles Grove and (Westerville, OH/Bishop Watterson) each had two solo blocks and two block assists.�� Knight had three assists, and he and (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) each had a pair of service aces.

The Royals stand at 7-8 on the season, including 1-3 in the CVC.�� They are one of three teams in the CVC East with one win.�� EMU has a week off before a tri-match at Philadelphia Biblical on Saturday, March 10.�� The men have a non-conference date with PBU to open the day and then play Ramapo.

Sunday, Feb. 5

Nazareth 3, EMU 0

The men opened their final day of play at the invite against No. 5 Nazareth. The Golden Flyers, also the 2011 National Champions, had already won their first three matches at the invite, and they made it four in a row with a sweep of EMU.

Game scores were 25-18, 25-17 and 25-11.

Kendall Garber (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) and John Grove (Glen Allen, VA/Deep Run) co-led Eastern Mennonite with six kills apiece. Garber also had a team high five digs. John Barry (Columbus, OH/Worthington Kilbourne) had 19 assists.

After a dominant defensive showing at the net in Saturday’s matches, the Royals had just one triple block against Nazareth.

Elmira 3, EMU 2

The Soaring Eagles were receiving votes in this week’s AVCA poll, but were just outside of the top 15. Eastern Mennonite went back-and-forth with Elmira, but came up on the short end.

Elmira won the first set 25-16, but the Royals came back with some good serving to win set two, 25-18. The trend continued, as the teams split three and four, 25-14 to Elmira and 25-19 to EMU.

The Royals started with a slight edge in the decisive fifth set. But the Soaring Eagles tacked in a couple of late points to sneak out a 15-13 closer.

Chris Moise (Hollywood, FL/South Broward) led a balanced attack for the men with 14 kills. Greg Knight (Chesapeake, VA/Hickory) had nine kills and three service aces. Garber and Grove each added eight kills while Barry put down seven of his own from the setter’s spot. He also had 35 assists.

Kyle Storc (Westerville, OH/Bishop Watterson) had two solo blocks and two block assists. Barry had nine digs and Moise added seven.

Eastern Mennonite, 3-4 on the season, now returns to Yoder Arena, where the Royals will host their next five matches. Those five are also the only home matches of the season.

Saturday, Feb. 4

EMU 3, Medaille 0

Eastern Mennonite opened up with Medaille, which entered as the No. 10 team in the AVCA National Poll and had already won its first three matches at the invite. The Royals jumped ahead early and took game one by a 25-20 score. The Mavericks regrouped, but EMU still had the leg up in a pair of tight 27-25 wins to close the match.

John Grove (Glen Allen, VA/Deep Run) was unstoppable out of the middle, hammering a career high 11 kills on just 14 attacks. His attack percentage of .786 was just shy of the school record of .833.

Chris Moise (Hollywood, FL/South Broward) added 10 kills and Kendall Garber (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) put down nine kills on 18 attempts. John Barry (Columbus, OH/Worthington Kilbourne) had a great time setting up the offense as he racked up 37 assists in the sweep.

The Royals also dominated the net defensively, with 12.5 blocks. Kyle Storc (Westerville, OH/Bishop Watterson) had six block assists and one solo stuff. Greg Knight (Chesapeake, VA/Hickory) added two of each, as well as two service aces.

Libero Nolan Prock (Virginia Beach, VA/Frank W. Cox) picked up 13 digs.

EMU 3, Fontbonne 0

The Royals turned around and took on Fontbonne from the CVC West. The Griffins proved no match for the men, as EMU ran away with a sweep. Game scores were: 25-21, 25-15 and 25-16.

Eastern Mennonite hit .462 as a team with just four errors, including .524 in set two and .765 in the final set.

Everyone got involved, led by Grove’s seven swats. George Greene (Highland Springs, VA/Highland Springs) had kills on all six of his attempts. Garber also had six, while Moise and Knight each landed five. Barry had 29 assists.

Prock again led in the back row, digging up 10 Fontbonne spikes. Garber added eight.

The Royals also had six total blocks, led by Storc’s five block assists.

EMU hosts a tri-match on Saturday, Feb. 11, against Pfeiffer and Philadelphia Biblical University. The men take on Pfeiffer at 10:30am and PBU at 7:00pm. The two other teams play each other early in the afternoon, with the EMU women’s basketball team also playing a home game at 4:00pm.

Gary Williams, Associate Athletic Director of Carthage College announced the forming of the Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC), a nation-wide men’s volleyball conference with ten NCAA Division III Institutions focused on academic and athletic excellence. Williams will serve as the conference’s first commissioner.

The CVC will consist of Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.), Fontbonne University (St. Louis, Mo.) Juniata College (Huntingdon, Pa.), Milwaukee School of Engineering (Milwaukee, Wis.), the College of Mount Saint Joseph (Cincinnati, Ohio), Philadelphia Biblical University (Langhorne, Pa.) Stevenson University (Stevenson, Md.), Thiel College (Greenville, Pa.) and the University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, Calif.).

Steve Benson, the men’s volleyball coach at EMU, said joining the Continental Volleyball Conference made a lot of sense for the program.

“It allows us to stay with local teams with whom we have relationships from the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association and expand to play high quality teams from the Midwest and West,” he said.

Division III formally adopted the NCAA men’s volleyball championship as the Association’s 89th championship at the 2011 Convention held this past January. The NCAA has sponsored a National Collegiate Volleyball Championship since 1970, which was open to any varsity collegiate program in all three divisions.

With the recent exponential growth of the sport on the Division III level, the NCAA has added the Division III Championship. This adoption and the awarding of an automatic qualifier bid to the tournament, was the catalyst to the formation of the CVC. The conference brings together some of the best teams from across the country to qualify for the proposed nine-team NCAA Division III Championship.

EMU has been waiting for a Division III championship for a number of years.

“It’s exciting for the NCAA to add men’s volleyball as an officially sanctioned sport,” said Benson. “We have been a supporter of Division III men’s volleyball for many years and it’s tremendous to see this come to fruition.”

The teams in the conference, although varied in location, create one of the nation’s best conferences. In 2011, five of the ten teams have been ranked among the top 15 teams in Division III. The conference will begin competition in 2012, consisting of an east and west division.

The East Division will be comprised of EMU, Juniata, PBU, Stevenson and Thiel. Carthage, Fontbonne, Milwaukee School of Engineering, College of Mount Saint Joseph, and UC Santa Cruz will form the West Division.

Each team will play divisional opponents twice and the top teams from each division advance to the conference tournament. The CVC conference tournament champion will receive an automatic bid into the first NCAA Division III Tournament to be held at Springfield College on April 27-29, 2012.

“The conference’s focus is to create a league that will provide nationally recognized and competitive competition opportunities for our member institutions, while remaining fiscally sound and reducing missed class time, enhancing the overall student-athlete experience,” said Williams. “We are committed to providing a high quality volleyball experience from coast to coast, while maintaining the integrity of our student’s personal and academic lives and fulfilling the mission of an integrated student-athlete experience that is a staple of the Division III philosophy.”

Williams believes that the strength of the conference is its diversity of institutions and the ability to inspire future growth in throughout the nation.

“The CVC also affords schools geographically separate from the majority of Division III men’s volleyball schools to create a league that will encourage future expansion and growth of programs in the Midwest and West regions of the country, while at the same time, providing a stable conference structure for schools that were not included in conference realignments before and just following the NCAA vote. Through our research of geographically diverse conferences such as the UAA and other single-sport models in men’s and women’s lacrosse we created a structure that will meet our goals and provide a competitive yet sound playing schedule.”

On his final regular season match Saturday in Harrisonburg, Coto was content to slam 14 kills without an error and lead his Royals to a 3-0 win over New Jersey City.

EMU closes the regular season with a record of 11-17 overall and 7-5 in NECVA play. The men now await word on an at-large berth to the NECVA Tournament, which is next weekend in Hoboken, NJ.

Frankie Coto had 14 kills on just 19 attempts in his final match on the EMU floor.

The Royals were in control much of the match against New Jersey City and used short runs to seal the wins in each game. A 5-0 run followed by a 4-0 run landed the knockout punch in game one, a 25-17 decision.

Trailing by one late in game two, EMU scored four straight to go ahead 22-19 en route to a 25-22 win.

The men then closed the match on a 9-1 run, with Coto fittingly landing the final kill of a 25-18 victory.

Coto led all players with his 14 kills and had a .737 attack percentage with no errors on 19 attempts. He holds EMU record for career blocks, single season total blocks, single season block assists and matches played. The middle blocker is also sixth on the school’s career kills list with 814.

Greg Knight (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) added 10 kills and a match high four service aces.

Kendall Garber (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) added seven kills as the Royals hit .356 as a team. Setter John Barry (Aaron Bridge, Oh./Worthington Kilbourne) had 33 assists.

Libero Nolan Prock (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox) led all players with 12 digs.

For the second time, NECVA Metro coaches have recognized his play, naming him Metro Player of the Week for matches played Feb. 28 – Mar. 6. Moise was also named Tri-Player of the Week three weeks ago.

Sophomore Chris Moise was named NECVA Metro Tri-Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Moise dominated opposing defenses last week, averaging 3.90 kills per game while hitting .273 from his outside position. He had 17 kills and seven digs as the Royals snapped a losing skid with a 3-1 NECVA Metro win at Lancaster Bible last Wednesday.

The sophomore then added double digit kills in each of EMU’s three-game losses against D-II Lees-McRae and King. For the week Moise had 39 kills and added 1.10 digs per game.

He easily leads the Royals with 3.16 kills per game on the season, and is second in blocks per game and third in digs.

Eastern Mennonite is 9-14 on the season, including 6-5 in Metro play. The is off until a weekend trip to Buffalo, NY, on Mar. 19-20.

The men will play both Hilbert and Medaille that Saturday before taking on D’Youville on Sunday.