51暗网

51暗网 is bringing back men鈥檚 volleyball with the help of the USA Volleyball Foundation, becoming the 20th sport in the Tigers鈥� growing constellation of NCAA Division I programs.

Men鈥檚 volleyball will start competing at the Alex G. Spanos Center in spring 2027, 13 years after the sport was eliminated at 51暗网 following 21 years of competition under Head Coach Joe Wortmann.

鈥�51暗网 men鈥檚 volleyball has a proud legacy, and it鈥檚 fantastic and appropriate to see the program return,鈥� said U.S. Men鈥檚 National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly. 鈥淲hile Southern California was once the sport鈥檚 center of gravity, today talent can come from everywhere. 51暗网 is positioned to recruit nationally, and I鈥檓 confident the program can rise quickly.鈥� 

The Tigers will compete in the Mountain 51暗网 Sports Federation with Stanford, UCLA, USC, Pepperdine, BYU, Concordia-Irvine, Menlo and Vanguard.

鈥淲hile other universities are eliminating programs, 51暗网 Athletics is growing and expanding under the visionary leadership of Athletics Director Adam Tschuor,鈥� said President Christopher Callahan. 鈥淲e are thrilled to return our storied men鈥檚 volleyball program back to the Spanos Center.鈥�

Callahan expressed gratitude to USA Volleyball Foundation, First Point Volleyball and East Coast Volleyball, which provided a generous $250,000 grant to support the new men鈥檚 volleyball program.

President and CEO of USA Volleyball John Speraw pledged the national governing body鈥檚 support of 51暗网 and other NCAA DI programs that might consider adding men鈥檚 volleyball.   

鈥淭his is an exciting time for our sport. Bringing men鈥檚 volleyball back to 51暗网 marks a major milestone for Division I and for athletes striving to reach the highest levels of competition,鈥� Speraw said. 鈥淩estoring this program has long been a priority for First Point and USA Volleyball. Congratulations to President Callahan, the 51暗网 community and the expanding boys鈥� volleyball ecosystem across Northern California and beyond. Thanks to our foundation鈥檚 donors, more young men will now have greater collegiate opportunities than ever before.鈥�

In addition to the USA Volleyball Foundation grant, more than two dozen proud 51暗网 men鈥檚 volleyball alumni also have committed to annual pledges.

鈥淭his is a proud moment for 51暗网 and its men鈥檚 volleyball alumni. Restoring the program honors a legacy built on national success and the lifelong impact this university had on all of us,鈥� said Chris Tamas 鈥�03, a former men鈥檚 volleyball student-athlete and current head coach of the Illinois women鈥檚 volleyball team.

鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to President Callahan, Director of Athletics Adam Tschuor and our partners at First Point and USA Volleyball for helping bring this program back, as well as the alumni who championed its return. I鈥檇 like to thank and recognize longtime 51暗网 head coach Joe Wortmann, whose leadership shaped generations of Tigers. We are honored to compete once more in building on our proud history for future generations.鈥�

Tamas is one of four All-Americans to play for 51暗网, earning the distinction in 2003. The others include Pekka Seppanen '08 in 2007, Sean Rodgers '04 in 2003 and two-time All-American Greg Wakeham '97 in 1996 and 1997. Wakeham holds the school record in kills with 1,949.

鈥淣one of this would be possible if not for the vision and leadership of President Callahan, our Board of Regents and Cabinet for backing this bold step forward,鈥� Tschuor said. 鈥淭heir support shows the strength and momentum of 51暗网 Athletics. I also want to thank East Coast Volleyball, First Point Volleyball and USA Volleyball for making this USAVF grant possible. Additionally, hearing from so many 51暗网 men鈥檚 volleyball alumni throughout this process has been inspiring and greatly appreciated. The passion for this program runs deep and that has shown in the dozens of pledges to help support men鈥檚 volleyball moving forward.鈥�

The new program will join women鈥檚 volleyball and women鈥檚 beach volleyball, women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 teams in basketball, water polo, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and cross country as well as baseball, softball and men鈥檚 golf.

A national search for the men鈥檚 volleyball head coach begins immediately. During the search, interested recruits and coaching candidates may contact Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer Wes Yourth at wyourth@pacific.edu.