MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: SEASON PREVIEW

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
SEASON PREVIEW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: SEASON PREVIEW


LANGLEY, British Columbia – For the second time in five years the Trinity Western men’s volleyball team will enter the season as the defending national champions.

After winning CIS gold on home court last March following a three-set win over Brandon in the final, the Spartans will seek to win back-to-back crowns for the first time in their program’s history.

Trinity Western will open its season this weekend when they travel to play Saskatchewan Oct. 28-29. The Spartans home-opening weekend is set for Nov. 18-19 when they will host Regina.

SEASON PREVIEW

2010 CW Tournament Placing: 3rd
2010-11 CIS Tournament Placing: 1st
2010-11 Conference Record: 13-5 (4-1 Playoffs)
Last CW Title: 2007
Last CIS Title: 2011, 2006
Key returnees: Ben Ball, Marc Howatson, Dan Jansen Van Doorn, Lucas Van Berkel, Rudy Verhoeff, Jarrod Offereins
Key additions: Steven Marshall (CIS 2010 Tournament All-Star), Brad Kufske (2010-11 injury redshirt), Tyler Koslowsky
CIS ranking: 1
CW ranking: 1

Last season Trinity Western University toured Russia, overcame many injuries and solidified as a team just in time to win the program’s second CIS national championship.

So the question entering this season is: how will the 2011-12 team top last year’s gold medal winning squad?

First off, not only do the Spartans return six starters from last season, but they also will see the return of both 2010 Canada West First Team All-Star and CIS Tournament All-Star Steven Marshall, who took last year off, and Canadian Junior National team outside Brad Kufske, who redshirted due to injury last year, both of which were on the floor when the Spartans earned a CIS silver medal in 2010.

With Marshall and Kufske back in the fold, and keeping in mind the Spartans only graduated two players from last year’s squad – Josh Doornenbal and Mikiah Schalk – this year’s line-up is quickly proving to be one of the deepest in Trinity Western history. Every player on this year’s squad, except 5-11 rookie libero Tyler Koslowsky of Abbotsford, B.C., has played in a CIS national championship tournament. Every player has traveled overseas to play in world class tournaments. And this past year alone, the team had eight players represent Canada in one form or another.

Representing the stellar cast of 2011-12 Spartans will be CIS tournament MVP and Canadian National B team member 6-5 middle Rudy Verhoeff, Canadian National B team member and CIS Tournament All-Star 6-7 leftside Marc Howatson, who will finally be back to full health after suffering a near career ending injury last September, CIS Tournament All-Star and former Canadian Youth National team member 6-4 setter Ben Ball, Canadian Junior National team member 6-9 middle Lucas Van Berkel, Canadian Junior National team member 6-6 middle Branden Schmidt, Canadian Junior National team 6-5 outside Kufske, Team Canada Beach member and former Canada West First Team All-Star 6-2 leftside Marshall and Team Canada Beach member and CIS All-Rookie team member 6-4 outside Nicholas Del Bianco.

Last year the Spartans were dominant on the block as they led Canada West with 3.35 blocks per set and had three individuals in the top 10 in blocks with Van Berkel leading the way with 1.60 per set (1st in CW), Jansen Van Doorn second with 1.18 per set (7th in CW) and Rudy Verhoeff third with 1.04 per set (10th in CW). With all three back this year to lead the blocking brigade, one can expect more of the same from a side that, liberos excluded, has an average height of nearly 6-foot-6.

Not surprisingly, the Spartans were also the best serving team in the conference last year as they averaged 1.43 aces per set with Van Berkel at the top of the Spartans serving contingent, averaging 0.26 aces per set (5th in CW).

Individually, Verhoeff had a team-leading 3.91 kills per set (4th in CW) and 4.69 points per set (4th in CW) while Van Berkel led Trinity Western with a .351 attacking percentage (5th in CW), setter Ben Ball topped Trinity Western with an average of 10.91 assists per set (2nd in CW) and libero Jarrod Offereins was a defensive stalwart for the Spartans as he averaged 2.38 digs per set (4th in CW).

Add to all that the team opened its 2011-12 season in Qatar in October where they North America at the World Club (FIVB) men’s volleyball championships and Trinity Western is looking primed to make another championship run this season. The Spartans saw firsthand what the best players and teams in the world looked like and trained like. Finishing the tournament with a more than respectable 1-2 record, the Spartans players and coaches now have a new understanding of what a top level performance looks like, which is something they hope pays dividends come next March at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.

-TW-

Last Updated: 2011-10-27
Author: Mark Janzen