Raya Surinx named Canada West Female Rookie of the Year

Left side Raya Surinx earns the Canada West Rookie of the Year award after a stellar season that saw her excel in a major role right away. The Manitoba Bison helped propel her team to a sixth-place finish with her athleticism and power on the outside. 

The Winnipeg, MB product boasts a 30-plus inch vertical leap, though boasting does not seem to be a concept Surinx is familiar with. The rookie quietly and seriously works on her craft, showing a very high ceiling on her already impressive skill set.

Surinx finished fourth in the conference in two categories this season: points-per-set (4.2) and kills per set (3.49), making her presence widely known and respected. She also posted the third-most service aces (44), proving her lethal swing from all over the court.

Surinx’s defence has steadily improved as the season wore on and she was a big factor in the Bisons’ strong second half.

“Raya has had an outstanding rookie season. She’s been incredibly consistent from the start of the season right through to the playoffs,” said Bisons head coach Ken Bentley. “Aside from the stat sheet, Raya is just a great, hard-working kid who loves volleyball and we are all really fortunate to have her with our program.”