For the first year in Fresno Christian history, boys volleyball hopes to play a full season. In the 2020 fall season, the sport had a one-month season before school shut down for COVID-19.

Steve Guglielmana heads the team. He also coached the girls team and is the ​​founder of Triumph Volleyball Academy (TVA), one of five volleyball club teams in Fresno.

“Fresno Christian in this first season should see a good amount of success,” Guglielmana said. “The young men here on campus have great attitudes and seem willing to learn and strive for success.”

Guglielmana hopes that more boys will join volleyball when they see friends have fun with the sport. He wants schools and athletes to recognize that volleyball is a major global sport not exclusively for girls.

“Once boys start playing… they understand how exciting and fast paced it is,” Guglielmana said. “It’s not until you can witness firsthand the level of athleticism it requires to succeed in the men’s game that you can understand. Just recently a professional league for players out of college has started and I don’t think it will be long before you see top professional matches like they have in Europe.”

Three of the players on the team, Donovan Guglielmana, ‘24, Cooper Saelzler, ‘23 and Tyler Hamm, ‘25, played in national championship matches on a TVA team. Nevertheless, Guglielmana encourages boys with no experience to give volleyball a try.

Eagles will be playing a wide variety of schools both in the valley and on the coast. On Mar. 26, the team will host their own “Eagle Freedom Classic,” where part of the proceeds from the tournament will go towards the Wounded Warrior Project.

The first scrimmage will be held in the Fresno Christian Gym on Feb. 1. Guglielmana encourages Eagles fans to come ready to hype up the team.