“When I started here, there wasn’t a lot of respect for Howard’s volleyball program outside of the University, but together, we’ve been able to build it up, along with programs throughout the MEAC,” Kupferberg added. “And with the help of administration, we’ve been able to start adding assistant coaches who, after doing well here, have moved on to USC, Iowa State and other Power 5 programs. We’re showing that the HBCU coaching tree is strong and our players have gone on to do great things in fields like business, medicine, communications. Just seeing the growth of the program and the impact having a championship team here on campus can have is so very valuable to me. That’s what I cherish more than anything.” 

Volleyball Continues Its Dominance

Last season, the team was 17-15 overall with an 11-3 MEAC record, enough to earn a postseason berth to the National Invitational Volleyball (NIV) Tournament. Back-to-back MEAC Player of the Year Rya McKinnon and All-MEAC First Team Cimone Woodard and All-MEAC Second Team athletes Kayla Diaz and Claire Simpson have shown that the Bison are poised for similar success for the 2024 season.  In 2021, the team earned its sixth MEAC Championship, it’s 13th overall, tying Florida A&M University (FAMU) for the most volleyball championships in MEAC history. 

Kupferberg is proud of reaching the 400-win mark, but is clear that this has always been a team effort. 

“The wins just mean that we’re going in the right direction. I don’t think we’re anywhere near how far we can go,” Kupferberg said. “I'm one piece of the puzzle. The players, the support staff, leadership from the University, that’s what really has built this program.”  

The Bison begin MEAC play at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C. before heading to Durham, N.C. to take on North Carolina Central University on Sunday. The team returns home to Buss Gymnasium on Friday, October 4 for an evening matchup against Delaware State University.  

Bringing him on was a wise decision that has obviously yielded great results, said Kery Davis, director of athletics for the University. 

“Kup has absolutely played a pivotal role in creating a championship culture here with our volleyball team,” Davis said, adding how proud he is of Kupferberg ’s 400th win. “He has high expectations for his student athletes, both in the classroom and on the court. And it’s been a delight to see the program flourish under his leadership. We look forward to continued success and excellence this season and beyond.” 

A Chicago native, Kupferberg was a standout football and basketball player before he decided to give volleyball a try as a high school freshman. He then went on to play volleyball at Miami University of Ohio, where he also began coaching the school’s volleyball club, guiding them to national prominence. After graduating with a degree in sports management in 2000, Kupferberg embarked on a career in coaching volleyball. From 2006 to 2011, he was the head coach of the women’s volleyball team at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Fla. After four consecutive winning seasons with Jacksonville University, Kupferberg accepted an offer to lead the Bison in 2012.