VANCOUVER – Heading into an historic year for the UBC Thunderbirds Women's Volleyball team that will see them host the U SPORTS National Championship for the first time in 40 years, the program is welcoming five of the country's top recruits which will join the squad on the court this fall.
Setter Isabella Robertshaw, outside hitter Kylee Glanville, right side hitter Emelie Silovs, left side/libero Elizabeth Lee, and middle blocker Jocelyn Lenarcic will all begin their blue and gold careers with the upcoming championship hosting season.
"It's just a great group that's going to develop and be a strong foundation for our program especially as we graduate a lot of our current student athletes over the next two years," said UBC Head Coach
Doug Reimer who enters his 26
th season with the T-Birds this fall. "Like last year's recruit class, they missed two years of the normal recruiting process, so for our coaches it was great to be able to watch them at the Volleyball Canada National Championships at the end of May which reinforced to me that we've got some very good people and very good athletes coming into our program."
Hailing from Calgary, Robertshaw already has a strong resume to her credit having represented Team Alberta for the past three seasons, including the Canada Cup in Halifax. Named to the 2021 Calgary High School Volleyball Selects Team, Robertshaw spent her final season at Bishop O'Byrne High School as team captain.
"It's the perfect place for me to receive a top-tier education while also pursuing my volleyball goals," said Robertshaw who will begin working towards a degree in Applied Science in September. "I was taken aback by UBC's beautiful campus and the refreshing climate of Vancouver, but was even more drawn to the culture of the team. I know this will be a great environment for me to grow as an athlete and a person."
Fellow Calgary native Emelie Silovs adds some serious experience and height to the T-Birds' right side. A product of the Dinos Volleyball Club, the 6-foot-3 outside hitter has also competed with Team Alberta and is set to study Kinesiology at UBC.
"The coaches have created a place where hard work, dedication and focus are valued and rewarded," said Silovs. "In this environment I know I can grow into the person I want to become academically, athletically, and socially. I know that UBC will provide me with so many opportunities to grow, thrive and meet life's challenges head on and am honoured to be a part of such a special community."
Kylee Glanville makes it three Calgary area recruits for the 2022-23 season as she hails from nearby Okotoks.
Another Team Alberta product, the six foot outside hitter has represented her home province at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games and has donned the maple leaf competing at the U18 World Championship in 2021 as part of Canada's Youth National Team.
"I chose UBC because of its immense diversity, the beautiful location and facilities," said Glanville who will enter the faculty of Arts at Point Grey. "The level of coaching also inspires me to grow to my full potential as both an individual and athlete."
Elizabeth Lee is UBC bound from much closer confines as she calls Richmond her hometown. A graduate of Little Flower Academy, the 5-foot-10 left side hitter also has experience at libero.
"I decided to further my academic and volleyball career at UBC because of the positive community atmosphere, the top notch education and the outstanding level of volleyball," said Lee who has plenty of personal connections with UBC and the Thunderbirds. "My mother is a UBC alumna and my high school volleyball coach, Ross Ballard, attended UBC and played for the Thunderbirds men's team. I'll also get the opportunity to play again with
Lucy Borowski and
Gisella Goodger who both attended LFA."
Lee will study Kinesiology starting this fall.
Jocelyn Lenarcic adds another B.C. native to the fold as the 6-foot-2 middle blocker hails from Vancouver Island's Cowichan Valley.
As captain of her Brentwood College High School team, Lenarcic is a winner of the school's Yarrow Shield award honouring a student-athlete who excels at the highest levels both academically and athletically.
"I'm a tenacious defender who can cover a lot of ground and I pride myself on my anticipation and athleticism to win battles," said Lenarcic who will study in the faculty of Arts. "I've played a variety of different sports which have helped me excel on the court and I'm really excited to focus solely on volleyball."
It's not every year an incoming recruit class has the opportunity to be guaranteed a chance at a national championship, but that's the precise scenario these five outstanding freshmen find themselves in.
"As you get towards the start of the season there's always excitement but also determination," said Reimer of the emotions heading into this milestone season. "That's all higher within our group because of not qualifying last year, coming close and falling short and recognizing the two teams we lost to ended up playing in the national final. I'm hoping that makes us all hungrier."
The T-Birds newest additions add to a solid veteran group making for a good mix throughout the roster not just for this coming year but for next three and four years following.
UBC officially opens the 2022-23 Canada West season October 21 when they host the Fraser Valley Cascades at War Memorial Gym.
