NORTON, Mass. — Wheaton College (Mass.) will add Men's Volleyball as the 26th varsity athletic program at the school, it was announced today by Associate Vice President for Athletics & Strategic Programs, Gavin Viano.

Men's Volleyball is the fifth sport added to the school's stable of athletic programs within the past 12 months, joining Men's & Women's Water Polo and Men's & Women's Fencing. Wheaton athletics had maintained 21 varsity athletics programs up until the newest additions. 

The College will conduct a nationwide search to hire a Head Coach to lead Wheaton's newest addition in early 2024.

"Wheaton is excited to add the growing sport of Men's Volleyball to our portfolio of varsity sports," said Viano. "Women's Volleyball was one of the original Wheaton NCAA sports established by the College in 1974, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our women's program, we're excited to begin this new chapter within the sport of volleyball with the establishment of our men's program."

The Lyons' men's volleyball team is slated to begin competition during the 2025-26 academic year with a season that begins in mid to late January and concludes with the NCAA Championship in the final week of April.

There are currently 112 NCAA Division III men's volleyball programs that compete for the NCAA Championship. Additionally, there are four new Division III programs that will commence play in 2024. Wheaton will be the fourth member of the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference to sponsor men's volleyball, joining Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Springfield College.