Loeppky named U SPORTS Player of the Year

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This article was published 12/03/2020 (2015 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As expected Steinbach’s Eric Loeppky, star outside hitter with the Trinity Western University Spartans in B.C., was named the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year Wednesday night in Winnipeg at the All-Canadian Gala and Awards banquet.

Loeppky, 21, will lead the top-ranked Trinity Western Spartans at this weekend’s U SPORTS Canadian Men’s Volleyball Championships, being held at the University of Manitoba for the first time since 1976. Trinity Western, who are favoured to win yet another national title, will face the eighth-ranked U of M Bisons in their opening match Friday night at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.

That Bisons team includes another alumni out of the strong volleyball program from the SRSS Sabres in Steinbach, libero Kyle Martens.

In fact Loeppky and Martens were integral in leading the SRSS Sabres to their first-ever ‘AAAA’ high school crown in 2015, played at the same Investors Group Athletic Centre. Loeppky was in grade 11 that year and he became the most sought after player in the country when he graduated the next year, settling on Trinity Western.

Loeppky, who is part of the Canadian National Men’s Team Volleyball Program, accepted the award Wednesday in Winnipeg following another sensational season with the Spartans, his fourth with the program. He was among the leaders in the country in all statistical categories this year, leading the nation with a sparkling .443 hitting percentage.

Possessing a deadly serve, this year the 6’5” Loeppky also became the Canada West all-time leader in career Aces.

“When Eric is on your team you know you have to be at your best because he is always at his best,” said Trinity Western head coach Ben Josephson. “That leadership by example is largely why we’ve been as successful as we’ve been during his career.”

“Eric leaves an incredible legacy with our program and an amazing example for future Spartans to aspire to be like. It has been one of the greatest honours in my career to coach Eric these past four years.”

In a recent interview with The Canadian Press about Loeppky, Josephson said, “In all my years at U SPORTS, I’ve never coached a better volleyball player, and arguably I don’t think I’ve coached against a volleyball player like him. I think when we were recruiting him (from the SRSS), somebody said he’s a once in a generation player, and I believe that.”

Added Josephson, “If you’re around our team, you would  never know that he’s the best player in the country. You would never know he’s fielding offers from all the pro teams in Europe. You would never know he’s on the national team.”

Loeppky, named a First Team All-Canadian this year, who is expected to start his fairly lucrative pro career in Europe in the coming year, also remains part of the national men’s program and is considered a top prospect for the 2024 Olympic team.