Feb. 27, 2024 – Canada West has announced its 2023-24 men’s and women’s volleyball All-Star and All-Rookie team selections, as the conference’s playoffs continue with the semifinal round beginning on Thursday night.
WVB | UBC, Manitoba lead All-Star selections
The UBC Thunderbirds and Manitoba Bisons proved themselves as conference powerhouses all season long and are well represented on this year’s All-Star roster. The conference leading T-Birds led the way by placing four total All-Stars, including first team selection Lucy Borowski and second team selections Claire Cossarini, Akash Grewal and Kacey Jost.
Borowski was a key driver that led UBC to a dominant 22-2 record, hitting for 2.90 kills-per-set. Grewal was second in conference hitting percentage with an impressive .311 mark, while Jost was fourth in total digs with 270.
The Bisons featured a trio of All-Stars, including first team nods for Raya Surinx and Katreena Bentley, and a second-team selection in Julia Arnold. Surinx took another dominant step forward this season after being named last year’s Rookie of the Year. It’s an impressive feat for the second year star, who led the conference by a wide margin with 388 kills, 70 more than the nearest competitor. Her teammate Bentley played a key part in that success, leading CW in assists per set with 10.92.
Trinity Western middle Kaylee Plouffe and Alberta outside hitter Lauryn Tremblay made the jump to the first team after being named second team All-Stars last season. Plouffe was once again a force on both sides of the net, leading the conference in both hitting percentage (.404) and blocks per set (1.32). Meanwhile, Tremblay had a strong senior season while striking for 3.32 kills per set and recently led the Pandas into the semifinals with an opening round sweep of Trinity Western.
UFV’s Gabrielle Attieh, who was named CW Player of the Year last season, returns as a first team All-Star after leading the Cascades to an impressive 20-4 record. A well-rounded star, Attieh placed top ten in many categories including kills, hitting percentage, service aces and digs. She was joined on the All-Star list by her sister Lauren, who was named to the second team.
MacEwan’s Mariah Bereziuk rounds out the first team, as the fourth year outside hitter from Boyle, Alta. led the Griffins offensively by posting 3.95 kills per set, the second highest mark in the conference.
The future of the conference looks bright based on a strong All-Rookie team, with Winnipeg and Alberta leading the way with a pair of selections each. Brooke Duncalfe and Grace Vallis represented the Wesmen after strong debut seasons, while Ronnie Dickson and Abby Guezen featured for the Pandas. The team was rounded out by Keira Gent (TRU), Sophia Magus (Saskatchewan) and Anya Fehr (Calgary).
MVB | All-Star teams put conference parity on full display
Canada West men’s volleyball is renowned for its parity and this season was no different, with student-athletes from 10 different schools comprising the 2023-24 first and second All-Star teams. Alberta, Trinity Western, UBC and Mount Royal all landed a pair of student-athletes, while Saskatchewan, Calgary, Thompson Rivers, Brandon, Winnipeg and Fraser Valley each had a solo representative.
That list of schools represented grows to 11 once you factor in the All-Rookie team, which includes UBCO’s Jack Taylor.
The first All-Star team is headlined by a collection of strong offensive talent including TRU’s Sam Flowerday, who set a WolfPack single season record with a conference leading 418 kills. Trinity Western’s Henry Rempel and Alberta’s Isaac Heslinga were no-doubt selections, with Rempel topping the conference leaderboard in kills-per set (4.23) and Heslinga leading the way in hitting percentage (.380).
MRU’s Chris Byam is the sole returnee from last year’s first All-Star team, completing after another strong season where he finished fourth in the conference with 4.06 kills per set.
The first-team was rounded out by UBC setter Mason Greves, Winnipeg left side Isaiah Olfert, and Brandon middle Paycen Warkentin. Greves was vital to the T-Birds success, recording 10.13 assists per set and 207 digs, both representing the third highest marks in the conference. Olfert threw opposing defences off guard with his fiery serve, notching 44 service aces, second most in the conference, to go along with the fifth highest hitting percentage (.296). Warkentin was a beast in the middle for the Bobcats, recording the most blocks in the conference with 122, including a CW best 20 solo blocks.
Saskatchewan placed a pair of middles on the All-Rookie team, with Jacob Baird and Lucas Musschoot earning nods after terrific debut seasons. Rookie kills leader Piers de Greeff of Trinity Western also headlined the list, with the team rounded out by MRU setter Grant Hill, Brandon libero Kale Fisher, Alberta left side/libero Dylan Martens, and UBCO outside hitter Jack Taylor.
The conference’s major award recipients will be announced next week in advance of the Canada West final.
Schedule information for both men’s and women’s volleyball playoffs is available at WinTheWest.ca.
Fans can ensure they don’t miss a moment of the action by streaming all matches on Canada West TV.
2023-24 CW Women’s Volleyball First Team All-Stars
Gabrielle Attieh
UFV
Outside Hitter
Katreena Bentley
MAN
Setter
Mariah Bereziuk
GMU
Outside Hitter
Lucy Borowski
UBC
Outside Hitter
Kaylee Plouffe
TWU
Middle
Raya Surinx
MAN
Left Side
Lauryn Tremblay
ALB
Outside Hitter
2023-24 CW Women’s Volleyball Second Team All-Stars
