York University Athletics & Recreation announced on Friday that Michael Wahbi will be the head coach of the Lions men's volleyball team for the 2017-18 season.
 
Wahbi took over the reins of the program in the fall of 2016 and led the Lions to their best regular season since 2005. The squad finished in first place in the OUA West Division with a 15-3 record and put together a 10-match winning streak down the stretch.
 
The rookie head coach was named the OUA West coach of the year for his outstanding efforts, which included moving fifth-year middle blocker and team captain Alex Duncan-Thibault to outside hitter and watching him go on to lead the OUA in scoring and earn the division's most valuable player award as well as U SPORTS first-team all-Canadian honours.
 
"Michael made a huge difference in a short time and we are thrilled that he will be back to lead our men's volleyball team again next year," said Jennifer Myers, executive director of Athletics & Recreation. "In just one season he has turned around our program and returned the Lions to the top of the OUA. We look forward to seeing what new heights can be reached under his guidance."
 
Wahbi's return to York last year brought him back to his alma mater and a team he had previously coached for six years. He graduated from York in 2002 with an honours degree in sociology and was an assistant with the Lions men's volleyball team from 2004-10. He spent three years as the lead assistant coach with the Toronto Varsity Blues (2011-14) and he is currently also the director of Waves Volleyball Club in Etobicoke.
 
"York feels like home to me. The first year was such an incredible experience and I'm really excited to be back," said Wahbi. "We may have lost a captain but we've gained a family culture and we are riding a huge wave of momentum. I want to give sincere thanks to the York's administration for trusting the Lions men's volleyball program in my hands."
 
Wahbi's other coaching roles have included serving as the head coach of the Pakmen U18 Black team (2015-16), the 14U Pakmen team that won the OVA silver medal in 2013 and the Region 5 Summer Games team that won the bronze medal in 2010. He was also an assistant coach to Jeff Chung for the gold-medal winning U19 Team Ontario team in 2012.
 
The Lions men's volleyball team will return to action this fall looking to defend their OUA West Division title. The regular season will kick off in late October, with the full schedule to be released at a later date.