91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

Skip to content

Top sports stories of 2016: Heat raises bar to new high

UBC Okanagan volleyball team wins Canada West silver medal and bronze at the national CIS finals
91956kelownaheatvoll
The UBC Okanagan ·É´Ç³¾±ð²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s volleyball team celebrated a bronze medal win at the CIS nationals in Brandon.

For a program that seems to break new ground each and every season, the UBC Okanagan Heat ·É´Ç³¾±ð²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s volleyball program certainly »å¾±»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t disappoint in 2016.

A mere five years after making their Canada West debut, the Heat set a whole new standard for the program, culminating with their first ever medal in March at the

After losing a heartbreaking semifinal at nationals in Brandon to the University of Toronto, the Heat rebounded the following day to defeat UBC in the bronze medal match.

Along with a regular season conference title, a school-best 22-2 record, winning a Canada West silver, and making nationals for the first time ever, there ·É²¹²õ²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t much more coach Steve Manuel could have asked from his team.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœA²õ a program, this is just very ²õ²¹³Ù¾±²õ´Ú²â¾±²Ô²µ,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ said Manuel.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá³Ù91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s been an incredible amount of work the last few years, getting to nationals was definitely a goal, then to win a medal was the icing on the cake. It has raised the bar for our program.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá²Ô five short years ¾±³Ù91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s hard to believe ·É±ð91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™v±ð experienced pretty much ±ð±¹±ð°ù²â³Ù³ó¾±²Ô²µ,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ he added.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœN´Ç·É competing for a spot a nationals will be the new normal for ³Ü²õ.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

Fifth-year middle player Katie Wuttunee, one of six players graduating with the program, said the significance of the ±á±ð²¹³Ù91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s accomplishments finally came into clear view that celebratory Sunday in Brandon.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá³Ù was pretty humbling to be there with the bronze ³¾±ð»å²¹±ô²õ,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ said Wuttunee.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœO²Ô³¦±ð we got them, you realize that ¾±³Ù91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s a big deal and ²â´Ç³Ü91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™r±ð part of something really, really special. ±õ91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m happy for everyone with the team and ±õ91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m grateful for the whole experience.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÂٳٱ𱹱ð said if he asked anyone one of us five years ago when we came here that if we were on the national podium, we would have been so happy to take ¾±³Ù,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ Wuttunee added.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá³Ù91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s really hard to believe how far ·É±ð91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™v±ð ³¦´Ç³¾±ð.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

On an individual basis, Wuttunee was named an all-Canadian first all-star.

Coach Manuel, for the second time, was honoured as CIS coach of the year.

Along with Wuttunee, Chandler Proch, Breanna Beamish, Katy Klomps, Kailin Jones and Katelyn DeJong all graduated after a five years with the program.

Even with all the key departures, the Heat has put a competitive team on the court once again in 2016-17.

Through the first 10 matches of the season, UBCO sports an 8-2 record.

 





(or

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }