Chargers women’s volleyball setting up for season

The Chargers are coming off of a fifth place finish at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championship in March 2020, but have been sidelined from competition since.

The women’s volley ball team has a unique crop of rookies this season as four of them spent last year training with the team and Guro Kraakaas (Hafstad High School) was competing back home in Norway. Joining the team for the team for the first season are Saskatchewan product Jessica Grasby (Bishop James Mahoney), Jasanna Kunz (George Elliott Secondary) from Lake Country, Montrealer Rachel Leduc (College Jean-Eudes), and local athlete Amelia McCullough (Oak Bay High School).

“This group brings a little more experience to the team than what we would usually expect from first-year athletes,” says Chargers women’s volleyball Head Coach Brent Hall. “It’s been great to continue the work we put in last year into this season.

Hannah May (Belmont Secondary School) and Correina McNeice (Caledonia Senior Secondary School) were strong leaders last year and will lead the Chargers again this season. “I ask our entire roster to lead the team in their own way, and believe that every athlete from first year to fifth year has the ability to influence our team for the better. Correina and Hannah have excelled in this are,” Hall comments.

The May sisters, Hannah (1.85 meters tall or 6’1”) and Gracie (1.90 meters tall or 6’2”) are also being looked to as impact players both in the conference and among Chargers fans. The duo played in Gracie’s rookie season two years ago and have a very close, dynamic relationship, pushing each other to be their best.

“We will play an exciting style of volleyball with a fast offense. The Chargers play as a team and express their passion for the sport whenever they are on the floor,” says Hall. “They are a lot of fun to watch compete.”

We welcome back 2019-20 PACWEST Coach of the Year, head coach Brent Hall, who is entering his fifth year. Helping Hall out of the bench are assistant coaches Jeremy Schmidt, Sarah Hogarth, and Chris Koutougos and taking care of the athletes are Athletic Therapists Morgan Monkman and Chantel Smith.

The team was fairly limited last season, with all the distancing requirements during training, but the time the players invested has paid off in many ways. “We did a lot of serving and passing, and refined our team culture a priority,” adds Hall.

The Chargers home opener is Friday, Nov. 19 at 4:00pm against the Capilano University Blues at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE) on the Interurban campus.

The cost to attend Chargers games are:

• Camosun Students (with student ID) – FREE
• Non-Camosun Students (with student ID) - $4
• Adults - $6
• Seniors - $4
• Youth (13-17) - $4
• Children (12 and under) – FREE

All Camosun Chargers home games can be live streamed on the Chargers YouTube channel.

The full PACWEST schedule can be found on their website at www.pacwestbc.ca.