Ashley Erickson of the Briercrest Clippers has been named the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.
Erickson received the award at the 2020 CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship banquet, hosted by Cégep Garneau in Québec, QC.
“Briercrest was the top scoring team in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) for the fifth year in a row,” said Fred Batley, CCAA Women’s Volleyball Convenor. “This truly attributes to Ashley’s ability to distribute the ball so well to her teammates – and the Clippers have been successful year after year.”
Erickson, a fifth-year setter, led the Clippers to a first-place finish in the ACAC South Division with an impressive 22-2 record.
The two-time CCAA All-Canadian once again controlled Briercrest’s potent offence, which averaged 11.23 kills per set. Erickson ranked second in the conference with 9.05 assists per set and, in October, became the ACAC’s all-time assists leader. She ended her remarkable career with 3,727 regular season assists.
Erickson is also a great defender; she led all ACAC South Division setters with 1.99 digs per set. She also contributes in other important ways with her serving and clever attacking on second contact.
Just as important, Erickson is a selfless leader who serves her team at Briercrest College & Seminary extremely well. The Clippers floor captain leads by example with her incredible discipline and work ethic. She is also a great competitor but always demonstrates humility and fair play.
“Ashley is first and foremost a tremendous person whose selfless leadership has set the culture of our team for the past five years,” said Nolan Weinmaster, Head Coach of the Briercrest Clippers. “Her whole career, she has been making everyone around her better and giving our team the opportunity to succeed because of the often unnoticed, but incredibly important things she does so consistently well.”
Erickson coaches every summer at the Briercrest Volleyball Camp, where she has invested in the young lives of hundreds of teenage players. She, along with her Clippers teammates, has also embarked on a mission trip with Athletes in Action Canada to Costa Rica, where she assisted in leading volleyball camps for underprivileged kids.
Other nominees for the CCAA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year award were Karoline Tormena of the Vancouver Island University Mariners (Pacific Western Athletic Association), Janelle Albert of the Fanshawe Falcons (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association), Justine Raymond of the Élans de Garneau (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) and Marissa Macauley of the Holland Hurricanes (Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association).
CCAA Player of the Year winners receive a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA Championship banquet.