Nicholas Hoag

Biography

Nick Hoag was the youngest member of the Rio 2016 men’s volleyball team, but hails from what some might call Canada’s first family of volleyball. His father Glenn was part of the team that finished fourth at Los Angeles 1984 and has been coaching the men’s national team since 2006. It had been one of his dreams to be coached by his father as part of the national team. His mother Donna was on the national team after a successful university career. His older brother Christopher joined him on the national team for a few years. The brothers played together at the 2013 Universiade after the younger Hoag had competed at the 2011 FIVB World Junior Championships. Hoag was also the youngest member of the Canadian team that posted a best-ever seventh place finish at the 2014 FIVB World Championships.

In 2015 he won bronze at the Pan American Games in Toronto. He was named Best Server and tournament MVP as Canada won the gold medal at the 2015 NORCECA Continental Championship. In 2016 he helped Canada win FIVB World League Group 2 which earned the team a spot in the elite Group 1 or the first time since 2013. In his Olympic debut at Rio 2016, the Canadian team finished fifth, winning their preliminary round matches against eventual silver and bronze medalists, Italy and the United States.

In Group 1 of the FIVB World League in 2017, Hoag and the Canadian team had their best ever result, winning the bronze medal. They also won their first of what would be two consecutive bronze medals at the NORCECA Continental Championships. The following year, Hoag helped the Canadian team to a top-10 finish at both the FIVB World Championship and the newly formed FIVB Nations League. The next year Hoag was named team captain for the 2019 FIVB World Cup and he led Canada to a top-10 finish. They earned qualification for Tokyo 2020 by going undefeated at the NORCECA Continental Qualifier in January 2020. Canada finished eighth at Tokyo 2020 after making it to the quarterfinals. 

Hoag turned professional in 2013 and has been picking up hardware ever since. In his first two seasons he won both the French Championship and French Cup with Tours VB and would win the French Championship again in 2016 with his new club, Paris Volley. After a handful of years in both the Italian and Polish leagues, highlighted by winning the 2019 Italian Cup with Sir Safety Perguia, he joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe SK for the 2020-21 season, winning the 2021 Turkish Supercup.

A Little More About Nick

Getting into the Sport: Grew up around volleyball but played other sports as a child before deciding on volleyball at age 7… Outside the Sport: Greatly intrigued by the wine industry… Enjoys reading, discovering new restaurants around the world… Odds and Ends: Favourite quote: “It’s not the choices you make but how you assume them that defines you.” – Glenn Hoag…