Cal Wickens

Cal Wickens

Cal WikensCal Wickens retired as head coach on the men's volleyball program after the 2025 season, following 21 seasons behind the benches leading the way. He moved into a volunteer assistant coaching role beginning in the 2025-26 year.

In his final season in 2025, Nazareth finished ranked 13th nationally after going 19-11, and fell to No. 1 NYU in the UVC Semfinals.  

For his career, Wickens had more the 800 wins between the men's and women's volleyball programs at Nazareth. On the men's side he went 436-189 (.698 win percentage). On the women's side, he was 407-273, a .599 win percentage.  

In 2024, Wickens' 20 wins in a season for the 12th time in his career. He stepped down as the Nazareth women’s head coach after the 2022 season.

Wickens started the men's volleyball program at Nazareth in 2005 and quickly established the Golden Flyers as one of the top teams in Division III. They proved that wholeheartedly in 2011 by hosting and winning the Molten Division III national championship. Four Nazareth players earned All-American honors and Wickens was chosen Division III Coach of the Year as the Golden Flyers went 31-3 overall.

In 2023, Nazareth won 20 matches and Wickens' son Owen earned Empire Player of the Year and Seth Terzo was Defensive Player of the Year. Wickens and Terzo each earned all All-America honors from the AVCA. The team also boasted nine players on the UVC All-Academic team including a pair of National Academic awards.

In 2024, Nazareth went 20-10, and advanced to the UVC semifinals. Wicken's son repeated as Empire 8 Player of the Year, in addition to being named an AVCA First Team All-American. In addition, Owen led the nation in aces per set and .0964 after tallying 81 on the season which was also a school record.

Under Wickens, Nazareth had deep post-season runs in 2012, 2013 and 2015 with records of 27-9, 36-2 and 28-7 respectively. The Golden Flyers were represented in three of the first four NCAA Division III Tournaments (in 2012, 2013 and 2015) and lost in the finals in 2013 in a season that featured a 31-match winning streak. Wickens was named Division III Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons. They reached the NCAAs again in 2015 and advanced to the national semifinals.

Wickens' 20-year men's coaching record of 417-178 (.701) includes a 71-45 record in United Volleyball Conference matches with conference titles in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Nazareth first ascended to No. 1 in the Division III rankings in 2008 and has hovered among the nation's elite ever since. In 2009, Nazareth finished 28-5 overall and reached the finals of the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association Tournament. Wickens was recognized as the NECVA West Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2009 as well as United Volleyball Conference Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2013.

In 2010, after a somewhat lackluster regular season, Wickens helped Nazareth become a surprise winner of the NECVA Tournament as the No. 15 seed in the 16-team event. The Golden Flyers recorded four straight upset wins to win the title and gain their first-ever berth in the Molten Division III Tournament.

Wickens took over the Nazareth women's program prior to the 2003 season and promptly guided the Golden Flyers to the Empire 8 Conference title as well as their fourth straight trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

A native of Santa Monica, Calif., Wickens started the Rochester Volleyball Club in 1979. The club includes the Volley FX girls' team and the Pace Bootlegger boys' team. The boys' team won the 18-and-under AAU National Championship in 1990 and has been national runner-up six other times. The team also captured the USA Men's National Championship in 2000.

Wickens also has coached at numerous camps and clinics and served for 10 years as try-out coach for the USA High Performance/Youth National Team.

Wickens has an Associates in Occupational Studies degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.