Lok-Tin Yao was officially named new Lesley men's volleyball coach on Tuesday, December 6, announced athletics director Jen Benway.

"I am very excited to add Lok-Tin to our coaching staff," said Benway. "He is a young, motivated, ambitious coach that is determined to help guide the men's volleyball program into a conference contender."

Yao comes to Lesley from Wheaton College in Norton, MA, where he served in 2011 as assistant women's volleyball coach under head coach Craig Letourneau, assisting in all areas of the Lyons program.

Added Benway, "With his coaching experience and will to succeed, I am confident Lok-Tin will make an immediate impact in the overall success of our program."

Prior to his time at Wheaton, Yao coached with Letourneau on both the men's and women's volleyball teams at Emerson College in Boston. Yao assisted with recruiting, practice supervision and planning and overall organization of both Lions volleyball programs. On the women's side, he helped the Lions to a 10-2 Great Northeast Athletic Conference record, while the men's team finished in fourth place and qualified for the GNAC playoffs.

Yao boasts head coaching experience on the high school level, as he led the Charlestown High School girls volleyball team in 2010 as its head coach. Under his tutaledge, the program improved from 8-8 to 11-7 in his single season at Charlestown, advancing the Townies to the MIAA State Tournament.

He also served as a volunteer assistant coach from 2007-2010 at Boston Latin Academy, assisting in player skill development and program organization of Latin's winning boys' and girls' high school programs.

As a player, Yao served as an outside hitter and defensive specialist at his alma mater of Mount Ida College in Newton, MA, also of the GNAC. He holds a National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Education Certification.

Yao takes over a Lynx program that went 3-23 in 2010, going 0-8 in New England Collegiate Conference play. 

The Lynx open 2012 at Wentworth Institute of Technology on Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m.