CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Lesley University Director of Athletics Jen Benway has announced Jim Ray as the newest Head Coach of the Men's Volleyball program.

"We are very eager to welcome Jim to our staff," said Benway. "He is an extremely accomplished coach who truly enjoys working and connecting with student-athletes and holds a deep knowledge and passion for volleyball. We are confident that he will bring our program to another level and make an immediate impact here on our community."

Ray has more than twenty years of volleyball coaching experience and has been the longtime girls varsity volleyball head coach at Tewksbury High School where he has led the program to two Merrimack Valley Conference Small School Championships and has been a three-time recipient of the Merrimack Valley Conference Coach of the Year Award. In 2010, Ray was honored as the Lowell Sun Newspaper Coach of the Year. He also was the boys varsity volleyball coach at Billerica High School from 2009-2012.

In addition to his coaching duties at THS, Ray has also served as a Girls Junior Olympic Club Coach at the PUMAS Volleyball Club in Andover, Mass. for the past 11 years.

"I am very excited to be a part of the Lesley University Athletics family," said Ray. "I'm looking forward to making the transition to the college game and, most importantly, working together with the current members of the men's volleyball team and staff. I hope to unleash their potential and expand the program for future success."

Ray is a Level 1 USA Volleyball Accredited coach and is involved with the Gold Medal Squared Coaches Program, a nationwide organization aimed to improve the quality of volleyball playing and coaching throughout the United States.