SWEET BRIAR, Va. – Sweet Briar College is proud to announce the return of volleyball for the 2025 season. The program will bring the College's varsity sport offerings to 12 with Alejandro "AJ" Escobar, Jr. named head coach of the team.
Sweet Briar previously offered volleyball as a varsity sport from 1994-2010 and saw success on the court with three student-athletes named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Conference Team in 1995, 2001 and 2002. The Vixens will compete as an independent during the 2025 season before petitioning to join the ODAC in 2026.
"At Sweet Briar, we believe in turning challenges into opportunities," said President Mary Pope M. Hutson '83. "We are heartbroken for the St. Andrews community following the announcement of the University's closing, but we are proud to be a teach-out partner and a place of hope and continuity for their young women who will transfer to Sweet Briar. Welcoming Coach Escobar and these students will strengthen our community and marks an exciting chapter in Vixen Athletics. Adding volleyball as one of our sports reflects Sweet Briar's commitment to providing bold women with opportunities to lead, compete, and thrive."
Escobar comes to Sweet Briar from St. Andrews University, and brings with him some of the university's women's volleyball team roster following the announcement of St. Andrews' closure on May 5. Escobar gained coaching experience at Miami United Volleyball Club in Florida, Terra Environmental Research Institute, a high school in Miami that earned a district championship win, followed by his appointment at St. Andrews as coach to both the men's and women's volleyball teams. Escobar played volleyball at St. Andrews as a student.
"I am so grateful for what President Hutson has provided to me, especially after the unexpected closure of my alma mater," said Coach Escobar. "I cannot wait to continue developing what I started at St. Andrews and to support women's athletics at Sweet Briar College."
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Visit sbc.edu/apply for more information for high school seniors interested in playing volleyball at Sweet Briar College beginning this coming academic year.
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