PREVIEW: WolfPack take on Pandas to start 2023-24 season

Game Information
 
Date: Friday, October 20
Time: 6:30 p.m. PT
Location: Edmonton, AB
Watch: canadawest.tv
 
Date: Saturday, October 21
Time: 4:00 p.m. PT
Location: Edmonton, AB
Watch: canadawest.tv
 
Weekend Story
 
KAMLOOPS – The first games of the 2023-24 Canada West women’s volleyball season are on the horizon for a Thompson Rivers WolfPack squad that heads to Edmonton this weekend.
 
Facing the Alberta Pandas at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, the contests will be the first of the season for a young WolfPack squad that has its sights set on a return to the Canada West postseason.
 
Despite having a roster that has no players above their third year of eligibility, coaches across the conference clearly see the promise of the young ‘Pack after they slotted TRU eighth in the CW Coaches Preseason Poll.
 
Awaiting TRU in Edmonton is a Pandas squad that finished fourth in the coaches poll but also received three first-place votes.
 
TRU WolfPack 2023-24 Season Preview
 
2022-24 CW Regular Season Record: 7-17 (11th)
Offence: 10.78 kills / set (10th)
Defence: 41 solo block (9th)
 
Key Additions:
Keira Gent / OH / 1 / Calgary, AB / Canuck Stuff
Ella Sladden / OH / 1 / Kamloops, BC / VIU Mariners
Hailey Ward / OH 1 / Kamloops, BC / Norkam
 
2022-23 Returning Stats Leaders:
Kills: 266 – Brooklyn Olfert
Assists: 77 – Libby Meldrum
Digs: 235 – Olivia Andulajevic
Blocks: 51 – Faith Christensen
Hit %: .275 – Ema Palkovicova
 
Key Performer:
Ema Palkovicova / OH / 2 / Bratislava, SVK
 
An electric outside hitter, Ema Palkovicova is a constant offensive threat for the TRU WolfPack. In her first year with TRU last season, the business major from Bratislava was near the top of the conference in most offensive categories before missing the second half of the season due to injury. Returning for one final season with the ‘Pack, Palkovicova looks poised to lead a promising young WolfPack squad into the 2023-24 campaign.
 
Coach’s Take:
“We are a young team after graduating four seniors last year we enter the season with no player beyond their third year of eligibility.  This young group is focused and committed to pushing our boundaries every day to compete with the best teams in the country on a daily basis.”
WolfPack head coach Chad Grimm