Volleyball players nab provincial honours

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This article was published 05/01/2024 (562 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was an incredible season for local high school volleyball teams on the court in terms of championship banners and in late 2023 several players walked away with individual awards.

Nearly a dozen players and coaches from the region were rewarded at the Volleyball Manitoba High School Graduating All-Star Banquet, hosted Dec. 9.

Of the six players named to the A-AAA all-Manitoba boys team, five were from schools in the Southeast. Maxime Vermette, Zacharie Giroux and Joshua Bartlett from College regional Gabrielle-Roy were joined by Landmark’s Cole Koop and Steinbach Christian’s Lukas Klassan on the team.

Bethany Carter added the the Gabrielle-Roy winners, earning a spot on the A-AAA all-Manitoba girls team, with coaches Michel Lavergne and Roger Vermette named the AA boys coach of the year.

Scott Wiebe from Steinbach Christian was named the AAA boys coach of the year as well.

Sienna Driedger was the easy choice for voters to pick at the AAAA championships, earning tournament MVP honours while leading the Steinbach Regional Sabres to their first provincial girls volleyball championship in decades and was named the top player in the Winnipeg Free Press’ coaches poll.

The Trinity Western commit continues to pick up accolades, as she was given the Mike Burchuk award at the banquet. Named for the legendary University of Winnipeg volleyball coach who helped lead the Wesmen to six straight Canadian university championships, the award is given to the most valuable player in the province for the year.

Driedger was joined on the AAAA all-Manitoba girls team by teammate Isabelle Voth, who has committed to play at the University of Winnipeg next season.