WVB: Alberta's Abby Guezen named CW Player of the Year

March 4, 2026 - Rising to the top of the conference leaderboards in just her third Canada West season, Alberta Pandas outside hitter Abby Guezen has been named the conference’s Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

The Sherwood Park, Alta., product was instrumental in Alberta’s climb to the top of the conference standings, establishing herself as one of Canada West’s most dynamic and reliable attackers throughout the 2025-26 campaign. Guezen’s ascent has been steady and impressive across her three seasons, beginning with 2024 Canada West and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year honours, followed by a second team all-star selection in 2025, and culminating in first team all-star status this season.

Canada West announced its full slate of women’s volleyball major award recipients on Wednesday. Guezen headlines the group alongside Manitoba setter Julia Martens, who was named Rookie of the Year. Thompson Rivers WolfPack libero Olivia Andulajevic and head coach Chad Grimm were also honoured, while Fraser Valley’s Kinna Fisher received the Student-Athlete Community Service Award.

Guezen and her Pandas teammates are preparing to host the Canada West Final Four for the second straight season. Friday's semifinals will feature host Alberta taking on Thompson Rivers, while Trinity Western will battle UBC. Medal games will take place on Saturday evening.

Fans can catch all the action on Canada West TV - Powered by BioSteel. Recaps and game highlights from every playoff game are available at WinTheWest.ca.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Abby Guezen, Alberta Pandas

Outside Hitter | Third Year | Hometown: Sherwood Park, Alta.

Leading the Pandas to the top seed in Canada West and the U SPORTS #1 ranking for a majority of the season, Abby Guezen has been named the 2026 Canada West Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

Guezen, the 2024 Canada West and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, put forth one of the most impactful seasons in team history. The Sherwood Park product finished with 277 kills, 3.90 kills/set, 344.5 points and 44 aces this season, each ranking top three in Canada West. She also added 173 digs and 39 total blocks, with her .304 attack % ranking first among all outside hitters in the conference.

Her 44 aces were the second most in a single season in Pandas history, with her 3.90 kills per set ranking ninth ever for a Panda. This marks the 10th time a Panda has won Canada West MVP, and first since Kory White in 2022.

“I am extremely proud of the work that Abby has put in to get to the level she is playing at. She came into this season with clear goals of where she wanted to be, and what it would take to get there and has not wavered from pursuing those goals. What has been most impressive about Abby this season is her contributions in multiple aspects of the game. She is an extremely valuable part of our offence but is also an excellent passer and is one of the best servers in the conference. I am very happy to have Abby playing for our team!” - Alberta Pandas Head Coach Carolyn O’Dwyer

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Julia Martens, Manitoba Bisons

Setter | First Year | Hometown: Winnipeg, Man.

Winnipeg native Julia Martens has been named Canada West Rookie of the Year, after a stellar season that saw her start 17 matches, while playing in 53 total sets. She is the second Bison to receive the award in the last three seasons, after Raya Surinx in 2023, and the ninth Bison overall in program history.

Martens was the nation’s top rookie in assists per set, at 9.34, a total that was also third in all of U SPORTS. A presence on the attack as well, her tricky left-hand attack resulted in 37 kills overall. Defensively, Martens finished fourth on the Bisons with 139 digs, while her 31 total blocks were fifth on the team.

Martens made her first career U SPORTS start against Calgary on October 30, a 3-1 win. She tallied 41 assists in the game, which tied for her career-high, matched on January 9, a 3-1 win over Mount Royal. Overall, she recorded over 40 assists in three different matches, while her eight total points in a 3-1 win over Saskatchewan on January 17 were a personal best (37 assists, four kills, ten digs, eight assisted blocks).

LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Olivia Andulajevic, Thompson Rivers WolfPack

Libero | Fourth Year | Hometown: Victoria, B.C.

Fourth-year libero Olivia Andulajevic becomes the first member of the ‘Pack in school history to be named Canada West Libero of the Year after an outstanding 2025-26 campaign.

The defensive stalwart was ever-present in 20 matches for TRU this season, seeing the floor in all 74 sets that the WolfPack played. ​ A product of Victoria, Andulajevic ranks top five in the conference in both digs (221) and digs-per-set (2.99).

An Arts major, Andulajevic’s greatest strength comes as a receiver of the ball in the service game where she had 378 successful serve receptions and just eight errors this season.

Andulajevic’s 965 career Canada West digs are the second-most in program history.

“It’s awesome for Olivia to win this award and incredibly well-deserved. There was some trepidation to start the season with her playing position six, which is a totally different defensive responsibility and I think it takes some time to get used to that. I’m happy for her that she was able to adjust to that, gain some flexibility and increase the range of her game. She’s always been fairly comfortable receiving the ball, I think she’s the top receiver in the league and she’s just brought stability to our passing core and has started to take more responsibility as a leader of the backcourt.” ​ -TRU WolfPack Head coach Chad Grimm

COACH OF THE YEAR: Chad Grimm, Thompson Rivers WolfPack

Leading the WolfPack to the best regular season in program history, Chad Grimm is the 2025-26 Canada West Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year.

Compiling a record of 14-6 and a program-best finish of fourth in the conference, the WolfPack were ranked in the U SPORTS Top 10 for much of the season including reaching a program-best mark of fourth.

Building a program that strives for excellence both on the court and off, the WolfPack carried a team GPA of 4.0 in the Fall semester.

Head coach of WolfPack women’s volleyball since 2014-15, Grimm has been at the helm for 110 of the program’s 145 Canada West regular season victories.

“We are thrilled that Chad has been named Canada West Coach of the Year. This honour is incredibly well-deserved and comes as no surprise to those of us who have the privilege of working alongside him every day. It is especially meaningful to see this recognition come from his peers in the conference. They see what we see every day: a leader who puts his student-athletes first, who builds a culture of accountability and belief, who is competitive and driven, who supports growth, and who elevates everyone around him. We are so proud of Chad and deeply grateful for all that he does for our student-athletes - both on and off the court - and for the culture he has created within the program. Our team is a true reflection of the leadership he provides.” – TRU Director of Athletics and Recreation Curtis Atkinson

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Kinna Fisher, Fraser Valley Cascades

Setter | Fifth Year | Hometown: Edmonton, Alta.

Kinna Fisher has embraced one of the most demanding roles in volleyball throughout her five-year career with the UFV Cascades, serving as a double-sub setter with consistency, professionalism and a team-first mindset. A steady contributor who stepped into the starting role when called upon, Fisher has been instrumental to the Cascades’ success while never seeking the spotlight. As UFV’s “culture captain,” she has been a vocal advocate for her teammates and a driving force behind the team’s positive, competitive environment.

Beyond the court, Fisher’s leadership impact has been equally significant. As President of UFV’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, she amplifies student-athlete voices, works closely with administrators to enhance the student-athlete experience, and helps lead community initiatives such as the Stuff-a-Cruiser campaign. She actively fosters connection within Cascade Athletics while promoting university sport across campus.

Nationally, Fisher serves as a U SPORTS FISU Student Ambassador, representing Canadian university sport on the international stage. In this role, she developed a national action plan to document and highlight community service initiatives across the country, identifying underserved populations and strengthening collaboration among student-athlete leaders. Her high-impact initiative has been recognized by FISU and is being considered for presentation at the FISU Student Ambassador Conference.

A high-achieving and dedicated student, Fisher consistently looks for ways to give back despite the demands of varsity athletics. Whether mentoring young athletes, leading on campus, or contributing on the court, she has set a powerful example of leadership and service.