Men’s Volleyball: Setting Up a Successful Season
Maya Bartleson | March 28, 2024
Warren Wilson College’s (WWC) Athletic Department announced their new men’s volleyball team in Dec. 2023 and the inaugural season has officially started with a successful record. The Owls are currently sitting with a 7-12 record but maintained a winning streak for the first three weeks of their season until they fell to some tough teams.
The men’s volleyball team shows amazing potential as a program with an aggressive offense and a consistent defense. The team is coached by Jack Stark. Going into the first game of the season, Stark told his players to “go out, have fun and really soak it all in.” At the team’s home games, the stands are packed with eager fans. Stark explained that the first home game of the season had an amazing crowd that gave the boys “the best scenario of what a college game was like.”
Ian Nicholson, one of the captains of the team, explained how amazing it is to be a part of the team. Nicholson stated, “It feels pretty cool that my name is going to be on the roster of a team making history.”
Nicholson is one of just many student-athletes on campus whose names have gone down in WWC history. The men’s volleyball team is just one of many sports that had their inaugural season this year. With WWC’s new NCAA DIII standing, the school has introduced many teams like women’s volleyball, rugby and lacrosse within the last couple of years. Track and field will be making a debut next spring.
Robin Martin, the athletic director at WWC, explains that when the athletic department decides what teams to add to the athletic department, they “pick a sport that not only will be good for the athletic department but also our community.” So far, the department has found success in merging different parts of the community, most recently at the volleyball games.
Although this historical starter season is impressive, the volleyball team has even higher hopes for the program. Nicholson states that he is excited to bring more people to campus to play volleyball and continue building the program into a “powerhouse.” Stark backs up his captain and explains that the addition of the team will make people look at WWC and Asheville and say, “Oh, there’s volleyball here.”