Though it remains the offseason for the Avalanche volleyball team, the College of the Rockies athletics programs has been busy recruiting for their next season. So far, the men's team has added two players, while the women's team has added five players in preparation for the 2014/15 campaign. All will be enrolled in academic programs while playing with the Avalanche in the Pacwest league.
Men's team
Brett Carter
Carter, a setter, is a product of the club volleyball system in Alberta, and also played at Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks. He served the high school team captain and also led the Canada West U18 men's team. A physical and tenacious setter, Carter is also driven academically, hitting the Principal's Honour List for each semester of his high school career. "I am excited to contribute to a championship team at College of the Rockies while on the court and to lay the foundation for my career aspirations in family medicine while off the court," Carter said.
Mitchell Parnham
Like Carter, Parnham was also recruited off the Canada West U8 team. A native of Calgary, Parnhman has played volleyball in high school and club systems. He won a city title with Queen Elizabeth High School and took a silver medal at club provincials with the Canucks Stuff Volleyball Club. He also won a gold medal at the U.S. Junior Nationals Championship in Reno last year. Parnham is also passionate about beach volleyball, winning gold with the U16 at the Alberta Summer Games with Team Alberta. "I am excited to be starting my post-secondary education in the COTR business program," said Parnham. "The small class sizes and the great mountain location were very appealing to me. I am really looking forward to joining the Avalanche and hopefully I can help the team bring home another provincial medal in 2015."
Women's Team
Caity Rook
Rook comes to the Avalanche from Cochrane, Alberta out of the Bow Valley High School program. A left-side hitter, she played with the Canada West U18 club team, finishing among the top-20 teams in the country. She will be enrolled in the university studies program in the fall.
Arianna Benwell
Benwell is an outside hitter from Holy Trinity Academy in Okotoks, and captained her high school team to a first-ever win in zone play and an opportunity to advance to provincials. Benwell will be enrolled in the business program at the College of the Rockies.
Alexa Koshman
Koshman, a libero out of Lethbridge, was a member of the Chinook High School team that won 2012 and 2013 4A provincial championship. In addition to high school, she also plays at the club level with Lethbridge Flare and also with Team Alberta.
Mackenzie Morey
Morey is a power hitter out of the St. Francis High School in Calgary. She has had plenty of success leading up to joining the Avs, as she won U15 provincials, and placed second in her U16 and U17 seasons. When she isn't playing indoor volleyball, she can be found on the beach club circuit. Morey will be enrolled in the business program.
Taylor Forster
Forster, another Calgary product, has signed on to join the Avs next season as a middle. She will graduate out of the Edge School for Athletics in June and plays club volleyball with the Southern Alberta Volleyball Club. She helped her team to a silver medal at U17 provincials and also captured a gold medal at the tier three level for U17 nationals. Forster also collected a gold medal with Team Alberta at the Western Elite Championship. She will be enrolled in the business program.