Northeast Volleyball Club Acquires SoNo Field House

Northeast Volleyball Club (NEVBC) is thrilled to announce the acquisition of the 54,000 square foot SONO Field House, an iconic Fairfield County sports landmark located at 365 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Northeast Volleyball Club, currently housed in Wilton, is the premier volleyball club and training facility in Fairfield County. The new facility will double NEVBC’s current volleyball court capacity and enable more families and young athletes to participate in the club’s many programs year-round.

The grand opening for volleyball use is slated for early June 2022. The building will be rebranded as the Northeast Athletic Center (N.A.C.) and serve as an elite volleyball training center and Fairfield County’s first dedicated volleyball facility, including:

● Six (6) Olympic-caliber indoor volleyball courts with Taraflex flooring

● 12,000 square foot indoor turf field for soccer, lacrosse, and multi-sport camps

● Collegiate-level weight room for strength & conditioning

● Café area, academic tutoring spaces and auxiliary space for office and meeting areas

NEVBC owners, husband and wife duo Cat Dailey Minyard and Garrett Minyard, have made it their mission to grow the sport and elevate the level of volleyball in the area. Cat, a former pro volleyball player and Ivy League standout at Yale University, commented “It has always been our dream to have our own volleyball facility for our athletes to call home. We are grateful for the support of so many amazing families in our volleyball community that allowed us to make this vision a reality. We are especially thankful for the dedication of Richard Casner, a commercial real estate professional and passionate volleyball parent, who guided us through the process every step of the way.”

With record high numbers of athletes at NEVBC each season, there was clearly a need to expand. According to NEVBC co-owner Garrett Minyard, “Volleyball is exploding in popularity across the country right now, and yet, Connecticut has historically been behind in developing top volleyball athletes. The new Northeast Athletic Center will tremendously accelerate the growth of the game in Connecticut and our region. We’ll be able to serve our expanding community of passionate volleyball families and provide more young athletes with the highest quality volleyball experience - and nothing makes us happier.”

The facility will continue to offer 12,000 square feet of turf area for lacrosse, soccer, other indoor sports, and Summer camps. The new owners noted “Indoor field rentals and lacrosse clinics will carry on without interruption in Spring 2022 during the installation of N.A.C.’s 6 new volleyball courts and other amenities. We look forward to serving existing SONO Field House clients and community members.” The acquisition of SONO Field House was financed by Webster Bank, as well as New England Certified Development Corporation via a U.S. Small Business Administration-backed loan.