LANGLEY, B.C. – The defending Canada West champion Trinity Western’s women’s volleyball team will open the season ranked first in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll, as the Spartans begin their 2019-20 season this weekend playing at the University of Alberta.
The Spartans, who have captured three of the last five conference titles, return a strong core from last year and look primed to take yet another swing at both Canada West and U SPORTS glory.
Every Spartans women’s volleyball game will be available live and on demand this season on Canada West TV – the official streaming home of the conference. Passes are now on sale.
COACH RYAN HOFER
“We’re excited to get started and see the results from all the work that the team has put in. I think overall, we have a pretty good group. I believe we can take a run at winning a Canada West and U SPORTS championship. If things go well and we stay healthy and we continue to improve, I believe we have the players to be a contending team this year.”
OUTSIDE HITTERS
Led by fourth-year Hilary Howe (Calgary), who most recently represented Canada at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Puerto Rico, and second-year Savannah Purdy (Victoria), who was last year’s Canada West Rookie of the Year, the Spartans outside hitting will once again be a strength of the team. Howe, who was a Canada West First Team All-Star, led TWU with 3.24 kills per set (9th in CW) and 4.1 points per set (7th in CW) last year, while Purdy was second on the Spartans with 2.62 kills per set. Beyond Howe and Purdy, look for the likes of Ansah Odoom (Surrey, B.C.) and Meaghan Mealey (Calgary) to battle for playing time alongside Jayden Bontkes (Langley) and Michaella Crema (Surrey).
SETTERS
With star setter Brie King (Langley) joining DSC Volleyball Damen in Dresden, Germany this year as she prepares to be part of Team Canada for the Olympic qualifier in January, the setting duties will be shared by third-year Dora Komlodi (Calgary) and Olivia Heinen (Abbotsford, B.C.). The duo has shown well in preseason, helping the Spartans to a 4-1 record. Last year, Heinen played in 61 sets over 18 games, averaging 5.08 assists per set, while Komlodi was largely a key serving sub for the Spartans.
MIDDLES
With Michaelyn Sych (Airdrie, Alta.) and Avery Heppell (Langley) back, TWU will once again have an imposing presence in the middle. Last year, Sych, who was a Canada West Second Team All-Star, led the conference in blocks per set with 1.33 and was second in CW in hitting percentage at .379. Heppell wasn’t far behind, averaging 1.03 blocks per set (8th in CW) along with 0.45 aces per set (8th in CW). Beyond TWU’s leading duo, look for fifth-year Jessica Bailey (Surrey, B.C.) and first-year Jayda Harder (Waldheim, Sask.) to have a valuable impact in the middle.
LIBEROS
After winning the starting libero job in her first year, Emma Gamache (Abbotsford, B.C.) will once again help lead the Spartans defensively. Her 3.49 digs per set had her ninth in the conference, while her 0.88 assists per set put her second in Canada West amongst starting liberos. Fourth-year Alexis Jonker (Langley) will look to work in as the team’s second option.
BY THE NUMBERS
2018-19 CW regular season record: 19-5, 2nd
2018-19 CW post-season record: 5-0, 1st (5th)
Head coach: Ryan Hofer (15th season) / 221-84 Career CW reg. season record
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2019 / 3
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 2016 / 1
2018-19 CW regular season ranks:
Points per set: 17.5, 2nd
Kills per set: 12.76, 3rd
Hitting percentage: .234, 2nd
2018-19 CW regular season leaders:
Kills: 3.24 – Hilary Howe, Left Side
Digs: 3.49 – Emma Gamache, Libero
Blocks: 1.33 – Mikaelyn Sych, Middle
Aces: 0.45 – Avery Heppell, Middle
Assists: 9.22 – Brie King, Setter
Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
Kirsten Kampmann / OH / 1st / Chilliwack, BC / Unity Christian
Jayden Bontkes / OH / 3rd / Langley, BC / King’s University
Jayda Harder / M / 1st / Waldheim, SK / Waldheim School
Tamar Bil / OH / 1st / Maple Ridge, BC / Maple Ridge Secondary
Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
Brie King / S / Langley, BC / 4
Ashtyn McKenzie / OH / Vernon, BC / 3
Micaylee Pucilowski / OH / Kelowna, BC / 5
2019 CW WVB PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Team – Points (First-place votes)
Trinity Western Spartans – 134 (5)
Alberta Pandas – 128 (4)
Mount Royal Cougars – 118
UBC Thunderbirds – 106 (3)
Calgary Dinos – 90
Thompson Rivers WolfPack – 89
MacEwan Griffins – 83 (1)
Manitoba Bisons – 75
Saskatchewan Huskies – 62
UBCO Heat – 47
Brandon Bobcats – 30
Winnipeg Wesmen – 28
Regina Cougars – 24
NOTE: Coaches ranked all opponents 1-12. First-place votes worth 12 pts., second-place worth 11 pts. etc.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men’s hockey and as an independent team in men’s rugby. The men’s and women’s hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.
[SOURCE: Trinity Western University]