CONGRATULATIONS to these four outstanding Preds athletes for being named to Volleyball Canada’s National Excellence Program for 2024:
- Ana Nastase (18U Momentum)
- Ella Hope (18U Momentum)
- Sofia Zabjek (18U Momentum)
- Aiden Vandenheuvel (18U Invictus)
Congratulations to the following athletes who have been selected to the 2024 National Excellence Program:
Molly Beatty (IN), S
Sydney Bell (ON), OPP
Maya Bukovcan (ON), MB
Remy Catojo (S), MB
Jorgie Cornish (AB), OH
Brooke Fermaniuk (AB), OH
Ashlyn Gent (AB), L
Sara Gray (SK), L
Ella Hope (ON), MB
Savannah Jamieson (NS), OPP
Emerson Matthews (SK), OH
Ana Nastase (ON), S
Lea Pendergast (ON), OH
Zoey Purvis (MB), S
Kate Sinclair (AB), MB
Alicia Thibodeau (QC), OH
Abby Wasutyk (SK), MB
Lydia-Jane Wigston (AB), MB
Sofia Zabjek (ON), OH
Nationally identified athletes would be committed for the duration of the program and would not participate in other club or school-based programs during the program (Sept-Dec). This program is designed for athletes who have chosen volleyball as their primary athletic pursuit. Student-athletes may be exposed to other sports during the year as a means to support their volleyball development. Athletes will return to their home school in January and are encouraged to participate in their local club to further their development and regain family/social bonds.
The program would integrate online and/or classroom learning to support excellence in academics while managing a high-performance training load. Students graduating from the program can expect to improve their opportunities to excel in a post-secondary program.
This program also aims to propel Canada beyond the current success of Olympic qualifications to Olympic podium performances.
The National Excellence Program (NEP) is designed to prepare athletes to perform at the highest level of our sport and to continue their development towards the National Senior Team Program and/or playing professional volleyball. It offers individual technical and tactical skill development as well as team play refinement.
Athletes are exposed to an array of sport services, dispensed by leading Canadian practitioners in a holistic, high-performance environment. NEP athletes, through training and exhibition competitions, are introduced to leading international volleyball programs and clubs.
The program is based at the National Training Centre in Gatineau, Quebec.
Roster
Daniel Lewis, Setter (Brampton, ON)
Julien Perron, Setter (Boucherville, QC)
Silas Schalk, Setter (St. Albert, AB)
Eliot Chamberland, Opposite (Longueuil, QC)
Brayden Long, Opposite (Calgary, AB)
Reuben Veith, Outside Hitter (Prince Albert, SK)
Kai Miles, Outside Hitter (Edmonton, AB)
Mathieu Gilbert, Outside Hitter (Saint-Georges, QC)
Connor Spencer, Outside Hitter (Ottawa, ON)
Lukas Wright, Outside Hitter (Edmonton, AB)
Grayson McDonald, Middle Blocker (Edmonton, AB)
Liam Ulrich, Middle Blocker (Edmonton, AB)
Simon Tate, Middle Blocker (Delta, BC)
Aiden Vandenheuvel, Middle Blocker (Puslinch, ON)
Parker Ocampo, Libero (Burlington, ON)
Carson Francis, Libero (Ottawa, ON)
