(RDP Athletics)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Opening Match Oct. 13, 2022

Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Volleyball team aims for third consecutive ACAC gold in 2022/2023

Oct 13, 2022 | 10:56 AM

There is a lot of anticipation for the 2022/2023 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) men’s volleyball season as the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings prepare to kick off the new campaign on the road this weekend.

Team officials acknowledge the Kings had a very strong 2021/2022 season, winning an ACAC Conference Championship for the second season in a row (the 2020/2021 season was cancelled due to COVID-19) before going off to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships in Quebec and taking home a bronze medal.

However, Kings Volleyball Head Coach Aaron Schulha says his student-athletes think they under-achieved, and the men are fired up and ready to improve on that third-place finish at nationals.

“The guys that are back have a little bit of a chip on their shoulder so it should be a fun season this year.”

Schulha returns five of his seven starters from last year’s squad which includes left hander and first year starter Brett Lower, last season’s ACAC Men’s Volleyball South Rookie of the Year. Also back with the Kings are veteran libero JJ Graham (Business Administration General Management), and fifth-year setter Maddux Greves who was the 2021-2022 ACAC Men’s Overall Athlete of the Year.

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The long-time Red Deer coach says the veterans know what it takes to win a championship but all of them felt the sting of coming up short at nationals two seasons in a row so there is that hunger and fire for wanting a better result this year.

While most of the team returned, Schulha still sought out a couple players out of high school as well as three former USports student-athletes who just wanted to transition to a different school and team.

He is very excited about the players he recruited and added to an already veteran squad.

“Jax Wasylowich is a local kid from Hunting Hills High School. He is six-foot-three and has a big jump touching 11-foot-six at our testing. He has a lot of physical ability. Rylan Teasdale is a tall, first year middle blocker standing at six-foot-six. Colby Nemeth went straight from secondary school to one of the best USports programs in the country for volleyball, Trinity Western University, so he will be an impactful player on the left side of the court. Lastly, Spencer Purdie and Noah Carlson, who are both big middle blockers and have lots of athleticism. They will bring a spark during the second half of the season.”

Carlson, who played for the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat, and Purdie, who played for the Huskies in Saskatchewan are both not eligible to play in the first half of the season due to transfer agreements. They will continue to train with the Kings until the 2023 winter term.

As for expectations and goals for the season, Schulha and the Kings have set the bar very high yet again – a third consecutive ACAC Conference Championship, as well as a national championship.

“We have the talent to do it for sure. We have had a lot of success with this program in the past whether it was before my time or since I have been here as a coach. If we are doing the right things and peaking at the right time, we should give ourselves an opportunity to compete for an ACAC and CCAA Championship.”

Overall, the Kings coach likes the way they are training right now. He believes as the year progresses, especially in the second half when everyone is eligible and ready to go, the Kings will have a lot of internal battles which will make the team stronger.

The Kings first matches of the season are on October 13 and 14 when they travel out to Saskatchewan to take on the Briercrest Clippers who are always neck and neck with the Red Deer team in the standings.

The home opener for the men’s volleyball squad will take place on November 4 at the Garry W. Harris Canada Games Centre. The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings will host the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings at 8pm.

Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Volleyball tickets are available online.

For more information on Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics, including the Kings volleyball roster and schedule, please visit: rdpolytechathletics.ca.