WVB: Conference's best honoured on all-star teams

CALGARY — The conference's top two teams are seeing their powerhouse rosters formally recognized. The Trinity Western Spartans and Mount Royal Cougars combine for eight selections on the Canada West all-star teams, the conference announced Tuesday.

Three of the seven first-team all-stars are Mount Royal Cougars, a team that won eleven straight to end the regular season. Each earning their third all-star nod, setter Quinn Pelland and middle Nyadholi Thokbuom have been instrumental in the Cougars' success. Pelland's talents have been highly lauded, while Thokbuom's skill in the middle is unmatched. Their teammate, Haley Roe, also earns a first-team nod after ranking top ten in the conference in three separate categories: kills per set, points per set and aces per set.

Trinity Western's first-team selection is Savannah Purdy, an outside hitter whose steady presence and lethal swing has been a cornerstone in the Spartans' three-year reign as CW champs. Another strong-swinging hitter, Gabrielle Attieh has made the team as the only player in the conference to average more than five points per set. Attieh's two-way game has shown her to be invaluable this season. As is the case with fellow all-star Emma Parker of Winnipeg, who ranked second in kills per set and sixth in digs per set, alongside mostly liberos.

Rounding out the top team is Sydney Grills of UBCO. The quick-moving opposite hitter had defences on their toes as she worked her way to sixth on the conference's points leaderboard.

A trio of Spartans headline the second team. Ansah Odoom, Kaylee Plouffe and Dora Komlodi each played a central role in the Spartans' dominant 22-2 record. A skillful hitter, Odoom showed up big in key moments while maintaining elite consistency throughout the season. Plouffe stepped into a major role with Spartans in just her second year, looking at home in the middle of the country's top seeded team. Meanwhile, Komlodi engineered it all, quarterbacking her offence with ease.

UBC' Elise Petit and Cara Kovacs also earned second-team spots, two fearsome outside hitters who led their Thunderbirds to an 18-6 record this year, good for third in the conference and home advantage for the CW quarterfinals.

The conference's second-highest point-getter, Lauryn Tremblay of Alberta earns a second-team designation. Rounding out the roster is first-year Raya Surinx of Manitoba, who was heavily relied upon in the Bisons' journey to sixth place. In just her first year, Surinx ranked in the top four of Canada West in aces-per-set, kills-per-set and points-per-set.

Naturally, Surinx has also made the all-rookie team. Joining her there is Daisy Olsen of Calgary, whose precision and powerful swing have made a big impact already. Alberta's Laila Johnstone is an all-rookie after averaging more than three kills per set for her Pandas. Natalie Lemoine-Sells put up 2.10 kills per set for the already hitting-heavy UFV Cascades, while Maryn Boldon of Trinity Western is helping carry the team's legacy of excellence on a team full of graduating seniors.

Rounding out the all-rookie team are UBC's Issy Robertshaw and UBCO's Madison Gardner, both of whom are igniting sparks for their respective squads.

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / YEAR / PROGRAM / HOMETOWN

1st Team All Stars

OH / Gabrielle Attieh / Fraser Valley / 4 / Arts / Surrey, BC

S / Quinn Pelland / Mount Royal / 5 / Business / Wanham, AB

OH / Savannah Purdy / Trinity Western / 4 / Psychology / Victoria, BC

OH / Emma Parker / Winnipeg / 5 / Science / St. Adolphe, MB

RS / Sydney Grills / UBC Okanagan / 3 / Arts / Vancouver, BC

M / Nyadholi Thokbuom / Mount Royal / 4 / Sociology / Calgary, AB

OH / Haley Roe / Mount Royal / 5 / Criminal Justice / Airdrie, AB

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / YEAR / PROGRAM / HOMETOWN

2nd Team All Stars

OH / Ansah Odoom / Trinity Western / 4 / General Studies / Surrey, BC

OH / Lauryn Tremblay / Alberta / 4 / Kinesiology, Sport & Rec. / St. Albert, AB

M / Kaylee Plouffe / Trinity Western / 2 / Human Kinetics / Sherwood Park, AB

OH / Raya Surinx / Manitoba / 1 / Science / Winnipeg, MB

OH / Elise Petit / British Columbia / 5 / International Forestry / Redmond, WA

OH / Cara Kovacs / British Columbia / 4 / Science / Vancouver, BC

S / Dora Komlodi / Trinity Western / 5 / Education / Calgary, AB

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / YEAR / PROGRAM / HOMETOWN

All Rookie Team

OH / Raya Surinx / Manitoba / 1 / Science / Winnipeg, MB

OH / Daisy Olsen / Calgary / 1 / Kinesiology / Airdrie, AB

OH / Laila Johnston / Alberta / 1 / Education / Edmonton, AB

OH / Natalie Lemoine-Sells / Fraser Valley / 1 / Criminal Justice / Winnipeg, MB

OH / Maryn Boldon / Trinity Western / 1 / Human Kinetics / Okotoks, AB

S / Issy Robertshaw / British Columbia / 1 / Applied Science / Calgary, AB

M / Madison Gardner / UBC Okanagan / 1 / Human Kinetics / Vernon, BC

WOMEN'S ALL-STARS AND ALL-ROOKIES BY TEAM

School / First Team / Second Team / All-Rookies = TOTAL