Nicholas Hoag (born August 19, 1992) is a Canadian professional volleyball player who plays as an outside hitter. He represented Canada at three consecutive Olympic Games—Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024—and captained the national team at Paris. Listed at 200 cm in international competition data, Hoag has been part of Canada’s senior national-team program since 2013. In 2026, he agreed to continue his professional career in Beijing, with his Chinese league season scheduled to begin in January 2027.
His club career has taken him through France, Italy, Poland, Türkiye, Qatar and Kuwait before the move to China. Hoag won three French championships across Tours Volley-Ball and Paris Volley, lifted the Italian Cup with Perugia and won the Turkish Supercup with Fenerbahçe. Internationally, one of his defining individual tournaments came at the 2015 NORCECA Championship, where Canada won its first men’s continental title and Hoag was named both Most Valuable Player and Best Server. He later helped Canada take bronze in the 2017 FIVB World League.
Player Information
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nicholas Hoag |
| Date of Birth | August 19, 1992 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Born | Gatineau, Quebec, Canada |
| Hometown | Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada |
| Position | Outside Hitter |
| Height | 200 cm |
| Weight | 91 kg |
| Spike Reach | 350 cm |
| Block Reach | 323 cm |
| Dominant Hand | Right |
| Previous Clubs | Tours Volley-Ball; Paris Volley; Revivre Milano; Diatec Trentino; KPS Stocznia Szczecin; Sir Safety Conad Perugia; Asseco Resovia Rzeszów; Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta; Arkas Spor; Al Arabi S.C.; Kuwait Club |
| Current Club | Beijing BAIC Motor |
| National Team | Canada Men’s National Volleyball Team |
| National-Team Number | 4 at the 2025 Men’s World Championship |
| @nickhoag7 |
Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings
Hoag was born in Gatineau, Quebec, and grew up in Sherbrooke, where he attended Le Triolet high school. Volleyball was already deeply embedded in his family. His father, Glenn Hoag, represented Canada at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games and later became a longtime coach of the Canadian men’s national team. His mother, Donna, also played for Canada’s national program, while his older brother Christopher reached the national-team level as well.
Despite that environment, volleyball was not the only sport Nicholas played as a child. He eventually chose to concentrate on volleyball at about age seven. His development then moved quickly into the Canadian pathway: Volleyball Canada records him in its programs from 2009, including youth, junior and senior levels. He competed at the 2011 FIVB Junior World Championship and later played alongside Christopher at the 2013 Universiade.
Rather than following a conventional university-volleyball route into the professional game, Hoag developed through Canada’s high-performance system and was ready for an overseas move while still young. In 2013, he began his professional career with Tours Volley-Ball in France, starting a club career that would eventually span several of Europe’s strongest domestic leagues and later extend into the Middle East and Asia.
Club Career
Hoag’s first professional stop became one of the most successful periods of his club career. He joined Tours Volley-Ball for the 2013–14 season and was part of a team that won both the French championship and Coupe de France. Tours repeated the league-and-cup double in 2014–15, giving Hoag four major domestic trophies in his first two professional seasons. The club also won the French Supercup during that period.
He stayed in France for 2015–16 but moved to Paris Volley. Paris entered the playoffs from sixth place before reaching the championship match and defeating Sète in straight sets. Hoag scored 14 points in the final and was identified as the match MVP as Paris secured the French title. That championship gave him a French league title in each of his first three professional seasons.
Italy came next. Hoag played for Revivre Milano in 2016–17 and Diatec Trentino in 2017–18 before beginning the following season with KPS Stocznia Szczecin in Poland. In December 2018, Sir Safety Conad Perugia brought him back to Italy. Perugia described him at the time as a complete outside hitter with particular strengths in serving and attacking, and he became part of the squad that won the 2018–19 Italian Cup.
Hoag returned to Poland with Asseco Resovia Rzeszów in 2019–20, then began a four-season stretch in Türkiye. He joined Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta for 2020–21 and won the Turkish Supercup before spending three seasons with Arkas Spor from 2021–22 through 2023–24. His years with Arkas also included repeated appearances in European club competition.
The next stage took him outside Europe. Hoag joined Al Arabi S.C. in Qatar for 2024–25. At the 2025 West Asian Men’s Club Championship, Al Arabi finished second behind Al-Rayyan, and Hoag was selected as one of the tournament’s two outside hitters on the Dream Team. He then signed for the 2025–26 season with Kuwait Club.
By mid-2026, Hoag had considered ending his playing career and moving into a non-playing role in the United States. That plan changed when a more lucrative offer arrived from China. He accepted a deal with Beijing BAIC Motor for the following season, adding China to a professional résumé that had already included six countries outside Canada.
Club Career Timeline
| Seasons | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 to 2014–15 | Tours Volley-Ball | France |
| 2015–16 | Paris Volley | France |
| 2016–17 | Revivre Milano | Italy |
| 2017–18 | Diatec Trentino | Italy |
| 2018–19 | KPS Stocznia Szczecin | Poland |
| 2018–19 | Sir Safety Conad Perugia | Italy |
| 2019–20 | Asseco Resovia Rzeszów | Poland |
| 2020–21 | Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta | Türkiye |
| 2021–22 to 2023–24 | Arkas Spor | Türkiye |
| 2024–25 | Al Arabi S.C. | Qatar |
| 2025–26 | Kuwait Club | Kuwait |
| 2026–27 | Beijing BAIC Motor | China |
National Team Career
Hoag entered Canada’s senior national-team setup in 2013 after progressing through the country’s junior program. He was still one of the youngest players in the group at the 2014 FIVB World Championship, where Canada finished seventh—at the time its best result in the competition. That tournament marked the beginning of a long run in which Hoag became part of Canada’s core group through World Championships, continental tournaments, World League and Nations League campaigns, Olympic qualifiers and three Olympic Games.
The 2015 season produced both a team breakthrough and Hoag’s most significant individual international awards. Canada took bronze at the Pan American Games in Toronto and then won the NORCECA Championship for the first time, beating Cuba 3–1 in the final. Hoag scored 15 points in the championship match and finished the tournament as both MVP and Best Server.
Canada won Group 2 of the 2016 FIVB World League before qualifying for Rio 2016, its first Olympic men’s volleyball appearance since Barcelona 1992. Hoag was the youngest player on the Canadian Olympic team. Canada reached the quarterfinals and finished fifth after recording pool victories over eventual medalists Italy and the United States. A year later, Canada won bronze in the 2017 World League, one of the program’s most important global podium finishes, while also taking bronze at the 2017 NORCECA Championship.
His leadership role became increasingly visible during the following cycle. Hoag captained Canada at the 2019 FIVB World Cup, where the team finished ninth. Canada subsequently qualified for Tokyo 2020 and reached the Olympic quarterfinals again, finishing eighth. Hoag remained part of the program through another World Championship cycle and helped Canada win silver at the 2023 NORCECA Championship.
He was also captain during Canada’s successful 2023 Olympic Qualification Tournament in Xi’an. Canada finished 5–2 and secured a place at Paris 2024, giving the program a third consecutive Olympic appearance. At Paris, Hoag competed in his third straight Games and served as Olympic captain for the first time. Canada ultimately finished 10th.
Hoag remained involved in the next cycle. He sat out the 2025 Volleyball Nations League but returned as captain for the Men’s World Championship in the Philippines. In Canada’s opening win over Libya, he scored 20 points—15 attacks, four aces and one block. Canada advanced from Pool G before its tournament ended with a four-set round-of-16 loss to Poland.
In 2026, Hoag chose not to play the national-team summer in order to recover physically before his next professional season. He made clear that the decision was not an international retirement and left open the possibility of returning to Canada if his health, level and motivation make another Olympic run realistic. By Paris 2024, he had become the first Canadian men’s volleyball player to appear in three Olympic Games.
Playing Style & Strengths
Hoag has spent his career as a right-handed outside hitter, a position that requires far more than front-row scoring. At international level, an outside hitter must contribute in serve reception, attack from both the front and back row, transition play, serving and blocking while remaining available for difficult out-of-system swings. Hoag’s longevity across multiple leagues is closely tied to that broad role rather than to functioning as a specialist in only one rotation.
At 200 cm, he has the size to attack and block effectively on the left side while still carrying the ball-control responsibilities of an outside hitter. Database listings give him a 350 cm spike reach and 323 cm block reach. When Perugia signed him in 2018, the club described him as technically complete across the major skills while specifically highlighting his serving and attacking.
Serving has a particularly strong competitive record behind it. Hoag was named Best Server at the 2015 NORCECA Championship, and that part of his game has remained capable of changing individual matches. A decade later, he produced four aces as part of his 20-point performance against Libya at the 2025 World Championship.
His later career has also placed more emphasis on experience and leadership. Hoag has captained Canada across several international seasons and Olympic qualification, and he was the team’s captain at Paris 2024 and the 2025 World Championship. That role fits a player who has competed under different tactical systems and in domestic leagues across France, Italy, Poland, Türkiye and the Middle East.
Major Achievements
Selected National Team Honors
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Silver |
| 2015 | Pan American Games | Bronze |
| 2015 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Gold |
| 2017 | FIVB World League | Bronze |
| 2017 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Bronze |
| 2019 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Bronze |
| 2023 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Silver |
Hoag also appeared at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Canada’s finishes were fifth, eighth and 10th respectively.
Selected Club Honors
| Season | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | French Championship — Tours Volley-Ball | Winner |
| 2013–14 | French Cup — Tours Volley-Ball | Winner |
| 2014–15 | French Championship — Tours Volley-Ball | Winner |
| 2014–15 | French Cup — Tours Volley-Ball | Winner |
| 2014–15 | French Supercup — Tours Volley-Ball | Winner |
| 2015–16 | French Championship — Paris Volley | Winner |
| 2018–19 | Italian Cup — Sir Safety Conad Perugia | Winner |
| 2020–21 | Turkish Supercup — Fenerbahçe | Winner |
| 2024–25 | West Asian Men’s Club Championship — Al Arabi S.C. | Runner-up |
Selected Individual Awards
| Year | Competition | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Most Valuable Player |
| 2015 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Best Server |
| 2025 | West Asian Men’s Club Championship | Dream Team Outside Hitter |
Personal Life & Relationships
Volleyball runs through several generations of Hoag’s immediate family. His father Glenn was an Olympic player for Canada before moving into coaching, while his mother Donna also represented the Canadian national team. Nicholas’s older brother Christopher was part of the national-team program and played with him at the 2013 Universiade. That background meant elite volleyball was familiar long before Nicholas began his own professional career, although he also played other sports while growing up.
Away from competition, Hoag has spoken about an interest in the wine industry and enjoys reading and discovering restaurants while travelling. Those interests fit naturally with a club career that has placed him in several different countries and volleyball cultures.
Hoag is engaged to American setter Lauren Carlini, who represented the United States at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In a June 2026 interview with Le Journal de Québec, Hoag said that he and Carlini had made the decision about his move to China together and were planning to marry the following summer. The shorter January-to-April Chinese season was one factor he cited in making the move because it would reduce the amount of time they spent apart.
Net Worth & Salary
Reliable public reporting does not establish a precise figure for Hoag’s net worth, but unusually detailed information is available about two of his recent professional contracts because Hoag discussed the figures himself.
Speaking to TVA Sports about his 2024–25 season in Qatar, Hoag said he earned more than US$200,000 while playing for Al Arabi and that the income was tax-free in Qatar. When he subsequently signed a one-season contract in Kuwait, he described the salary as being around US$300,000.
His next offer from China was also financially significant. Hoag said in June 2026 that he had initially decided to stop playing and had found work with LOVB in the United States. He turned down the first two approaches from China before a larger offer persuaded him to extend his professional playing career for at least another year. He did not publicly give an exact value for the Beijing contract.
Those reported contract amounts are salary information tied to specific seasons rather than evidence of an overall personal net-worth estimate.
Where Is Nicholas Hoag Playing Now?
As of October 2026, Hoag remains an active professional player and is preparing for his move to Beijing BAIC Motor for the 2026–27 Chinese season. He completed the previous season in Kuwait, and the Beijing schedule he described is expected to run from January through April 2027.
His international status is different from a conventional retirement. Hoag chose to take the summer of 2026 away from Canada’s national team after more than a decade of near-continuous involvement, citing the need for physical and mental recovery. He specifically said he had not retired internationally and left open a possible return, including the possibility of pursuing Los Angeles 2028 if he is healthy, motivated and still playing at the required level.
That leaves Hoag in an unusual late-career position: his club career is continuing with a new league and country, while his future with Canada remains deliberately open rather than formally closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What position does Nicholas Hoag play?
Nicholas Hoag is an outside hitter. The role combines left-side attacking with serve reception, back-row responsibilities, serving and blocking.
How tall is Nicholas Hoag?
Hoag is listed at 200 cm, or about 6 ft 7 in, in international competition data. Some other official profiles have listed him at 201 cm.
What club does Nicholas Hoag play for?
Hoag is signed with Beijing BAIC Motor for the 2026–27 season in China. He said the Chinese season would begin in January 2027 and run through April.
How many Olympics has Nicholas Hoag played in?
Hoag has competed at three Olympic Games: Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. He captained Canada at Paris.
Is Nicholas Hoag related to Glenn Hoag?
Yes. Glenn Hoag is Nicholas Hoag’s father. Glenn represented Canada at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics and later coached the Canadian men’s national team. Nicholas’s mother Donna and older brother Christopher were also part of Canada’s national volleyball program.
Who is Nicholas Hoag’s fiancée?
Hoag is engaged to American setter Lauren Carlini. In June 2026, he said the couple were planning to marry the following summer.
References
- Volleyball Canada — Nick Hoag Athlete Profile
- Canadian Olympic Committee — Nick Hoag Team Canada Profile
- Volleyball World — Nicholas Hoag Player Profile
- Volleyball Canada — Team Canada’s Paris 2024 Men’s Volleyball Team Unveiled
- Volleyball Canada — Canada Ends 2025 Worlds’ Run
- CEV — Nicholas Hoag Player Profile
- NORCECA — 2015 Men’s Continental Championship
- Sir Safety Perugia — Nicholas Hoag Signing Announcement
- FIVB — 2025 West Asian Men’s Club Championship
- TVA Sports — Nicholas Hoag on His Qatar and Kuwait Contracts
- Le Journal de Québec — Nicholas Hoag Continues His Career in China
- Le Journal de Québec — Nicholas Hoag Takes the 2026 National-Team Summer Off
- Volleybox — Nicholas Hoag Player Profile