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The lady Heat celebrate their national-championship win in North Bay, ON. this past March. They are the reigning CCAA Champions and are looking to duplicate that feat this season. (Photo contributed)
By Chris Stanford
UBCO women’s volleyball head coach Steve Manuel and the fall 2009 version of the Heat will have their hands full just trying to live up to the legacy of last school year’s team, but it’s a challenge he relishes.
“Once you get to the top it’s hard to stay at the top, but it’s all part of the bigger picture of what we’re trying to accomplish here,” he said. “But it’s going to be good to get going,” he added as the lady and men’s Heat squads prepare to open their regular season in B.C. College’s Athletic Association play on the road against Camosun this Friday and Saturday.
Last year the lady Heat had an enviable season record of 14-2, were ranked number one in the country for 14 weeks, and took the BCCAA title en route to the gold medal in the CCAA National Championships, held in North Bay, ON in March. This year there are some new faces on the squad, but according to Manuel the ultimate goals remain the same.
“We’re still working hard to make the move to Canada West (Universities Athletic Association) so getting started with this season is really just another building block towards that as well as our ultimate goals of repeating as national champions,” said Manuel.
Canada West is part of Canada Interuniversity Sport, the governing body that is the equivalent of the American NCAA. UBC Okanagan has been trying to get acceptance into that elite group that includes all the big schools in the country for some time now, and the success of its volleyball program will speed that along, it is hoped.
Joining the C.I.S. would mean the Heat would be able to measure themselves against the highest level of competition available.
According to Manuel, the Heat will still have a strong side, with a total of seven returnees from last season’s championship team, along with five recruits.
Coming back to the team are middles Kaylan Gouldsborough and Sara Zaytsoff, setters Alycia Bradstock and Caitlin Nyhus, outside hitters Amanda Magyar and Kelowna native Alex Basso, along with last-season’s redshirt libero Robin Browne.
Two experienced transfers in the persons of Leigh Dreher from Vancouver Island University and Kirsten Lawson from the University of Winnipeg should help bolster the team and make an immediate impact. Outside hitter Dreher is a three-time BCCAA all-star and 2009 CCAA all-Canadian, while rightside Lawson was a member of team Manitoba at the U-16 and U-17 levels.
Rounding out the side will be rookies Lenai Schmidt of Vernon (libero), outside hitter Jillian Festival of Calgary and Kelowna’s Lindsay Loseth in the middle.
Gone from the national-championship squad are MVP and outside hitter Sheila McNee, as well as libero Erin Kolmatycki, starting right side Kailey Buller, Brenna White and Jackie Simmons.
“They’re some big holes to fill, but six out of seven returning players saw a lot of action last year,” said Manuel, in his ninth year coaching the Heat.
The men’s team will be looking to improve on their 12-4 record from last season, and their defeat at the hands of VIU in the bronze medal game at the provincials.
With five rookies on their 14-member squad, and the loss of three starters from the previous team, according to men’s head coach Greg Poitras, they will have to pull together to get off to a good start.
“All of our preseason has been against Canada West teams and out of province conferences,” he said. “Our goal is to win provincials and we expect to be among the top three in the league during the regular season.”
Returning to the squad are fourth-year outside hitter Trevor Briggs of Quesnel, along with third-years Mark Broome (middle blocker), libero Jeremy Kler, setter Preston Tucker and outside hitter Steven Clements, all from the Okanagan. Coming back for their second year will be six-foot, eight-inch middle blocker Aleks Bergen of Lake Country and BCCAA rookie of the year outside hitter Nate Speijer of Penticton.
Add to that a total of seven new faces and the Heat will see soon enough their stiff pre-season competition and practice has served them well.
This year Camosun College will host the provincials Feb. 25-27, 2010. The Heat’s first home games are Nov. 6 and 7 when they host Selkirk College for a pair of games each.
sport@kelowna.com
This weekend’s games begin at 6 p.m. Friday in Victoria as the lady Heat take on Camosun, with the men’s match following at 7:45 p.m. and the two teams playing again Saturday afternoon.
Go to web.ubc.ca/okanagan/athletics for more information
sports@kelowna.com
250-575-3981
The UBCO Heat men's team will open their season this Friday against Camosun along with the women's team. (Photo cointributed)
Tags: BCCAA, UBCO Heat, Volleyball
