Bolivar, MO.- Last May, history was made at SBU with the addition of a Men's Volleyball team to the athletics program. This addition will expand SBU athletics program to include 21 teams. Men's Volleyball has been recruiting from 2024 throughout 2025, in hopes to have an excellent first season in the spring of 2026.
 
To ensure a successful first season, the athletics department hired Coach Pono Yin last fall. After having a successful career as the women's volleyball assistant and team coordinator at Winthrop University, He is coming to SBU with big plans for the new team. "I am excited and honored to be in this position. Not every coach can say that they built a program from the ground up." Coach Pono has a huge emphasis on team culture. He says, "Our team will not only have good skill, but good character too." He has learned through his many years of volleyball that it is essential to be balanced in both aspects. Pono is excited that he gets to decide the benchmark of the team culture with all his new recruits.
 
As of right now, Coach Pono has nine players signed for the next season. The goal for the 2026 season is to build a team of about 14 players. Pono hopes that having this roster size will establish a competitive culture for the program. For the first season, Coach Pono's goal is to grow and compete as best as possible, while competing for the first GLVC championship. Looking long term, Coach Pono believes that he can build his team to the point where they are making the NCAA tournament consistently. Most importantly his overall goal is to leave a legacy behind. He recognizes the rare opportunity he is in to build a program from nothing. He hopes he can share this new sport with SBU and the Bolivar community and leave an impact.
 
Coach Pono says he is most excited to see his players on campus in August. He is taking a lot of pride in the type of people he is recruiting to come to SBU. His first commit to the program is Sam Fitzsimmons, a current high school senior from St. Louis, MO. Fitzsimmons attends Francis Howell North High School and plans to major in business administration at SBU. He says that he is so grateful to be a part of history in the making and to be at the foundation of the program. "The thing I am most excited for is my teammates. It feels like we are already really good friends and we aren't even at SBU yet." Another aspect Fitzsimmons is looking forward to is starting traditions and setting the bar for his future teammates.
 
Wade Atkins is another men's volleyball player Coach Pono is super excited to have on the team. Atkins is a transfer student from Highlands College and is a current student at SBU planning to major in digital marketing. "The biggest reason that led me to transfer to SBU was Coach Pono." Atkins expresses how excited he is to play for Coach Pono and start something that is unique. He also has a similar view on the importance of team culture. Atkins is eager to be able to be part of the building blocks of a team and its culture.
 
SBU athletics is excited to have Men's volleyball as a new program and to see what it will bring to the campus atmosphere next year. Coach Pono will continue to recruit for the team through the next year and to put the first ever men's volleyball team on the court.