Lee Hamilton to serve as women’s volleyball interim head coach

University of Regina Director of Sport, Community Engagement & Athlete Development Lisa Robertson announced Monday that Lee Hamilton will serve as the Cougars women’s volleyball team’s interim head coach for the 2022-23 season.

Hamilton has been involved with the U of R women’s team as an assistant coach since 2018.

“We were fortunate to have a coach with Lee’s experience on the current staff,” Robertson said. “He is obviously well respected by our players and I expect his tactical skill, leadership, and familiarity with the Cougars will help ensure a smooth transition for the program as we enter final preparations for the upcoming season.”

Hamilton will take the reins of a Cougar squad that expects to return several major contributors from last season including middles Claire Sheppard and Devyn Grimsrud, setter Cassadi Klapak, and left side Bailey Balaberda.

Originally from Regina, Hamilton graduated from Michael A. Riffel High School before putting together a remarkable playing career at Vancouver Island University. He was a two-time CCAA All-Canadian with the Mariners and finished as the runner up in CCAA Player of the Year voting following the 2012-13 campaign. He not only played professionally for two seasons in England and Sweden following his time at VIU, but was also competed with the national team at Volleyball Canada’s full-time training centre in Quebec.

After wrapping up his pro career, Hamilton returned to Regina and joined the U of R’s men’s team as an assistant coach during the 2016-17 season. He was also called upon to serve as interim head coach for six matches that season after head coach Greg Barthel was injured during practice.

Hamilton also has experience at the provincial level. He was an assistant coach for Team Saskatchewan’s 18U team on the men’s side at the 2017 Canada Summer Games, and will serve in that same capacity for the provincial women’s team at the Canada Summer Games next month in the Niagara Region.