Koop, rookie of the year Dick, help Wesman to CanadaWest title
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The University of Winnipeg claimed their first CanadaWest men’s volleyball championship on their home court March 8, sweeping the national number one University of Alberta 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-21).
Linden’s Easton Dick and Steinbach’s Paxton Koop suit up for the Wesmen. Dick was named the conference rookie of the year just before the CanadaWest final four.
Playing middle, he made appearances in all 20 of the university’s conference matches, racking up 93 kills on a 0.352 attack percentage. Dick added 52 total blocks, with 12 solo efforts, leading all freshmen in the conference and U of W.
In the final, Dick was a leading contributor to the Winnipeg defense at the point of attack. The Wesmen held Golden Bears hitters, including conference player of the year Isaac Heslinga, to just a 0.293 hitting percentage, finishing with five block assists and a solo block to lead U of W.
“I have no words. I’m speechless. The guys played amazing. They did everything that I could’ve asked for and more,” Wesmen interim head coach Chris Voth told the Winnipeg Free Press after the victory.
“We do a lot of preparation — physical and mental preparation — so it’s just really great to see the guys execute when it matters, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Koop serves as the Winnipeg captain and chipped in with three kills, three digs and a block in the championship match.
“I’ve been playing this game for a while, and some goals just feel unattainable,” the senior blocker said.
“You know what, today we got it done. Crazy. Maybe in a couple of days I’ll be able to actually formulate what I’m feeling here. But right now, it’s great.”
Dick graduated from Landmark Collegiate in 2023 and spent last season as a redshirt (sitting out the athletic season to extend eligibility).
“(Dick) displays humility with a strong work ethic, mixing in focus and humour, and he consistently brings energy and intensity to every moment,” Voth said in the CanadaWest news release announcing the award victory.
Former College Gabrielle-Roy setter Maxime Vermette, who is from St Adolphe, is also on the Wesmen roster, but didn’t see game action in the finals.
The USports men’s volleyball championships are taking place in Brandon later this month, with the Wesmen named as the number one seed following their CanadaWest victory.
On the women’s side, the CanadaWest championship was won by the Alberta Pandas, with the defending CanadaWest champions and nationals host University of Manitoba Bisons claiming bronze defeating the University of Saskatchewan 3-1 to medal for the third year in a row.
The team is coached by Michelle Sawatzky-Koop, who is the director of communications, marketing and sales at the soon-to-open Southeast Event Centre. Sawatzky-Koop was a standout setter for both Steinbach Regional and the U of M, helping Canada to their first volleyball win at the Olympics in 1996.
The Bisons roster also features Ile des Chenes’ Bethany Carter and Landmark’s Aviendah Plett.
With files from Joshua Frey-Sam.