WVB: Raya Surinx named CW Player of the Year

March 5, 2025 - For the second consecutive season, Manitoba's Raya Surinx has been named the Canada West Women's Volleyball Player of the Year.

After leading the Bisons to their first Canada West championship in program history last season, Surinx continued to dominate in her third season of eligibility. She led the country in total kills (310) and kills per set (4.84) despite missing the first two games of the season, all while leading the Bisons to an impressive 16-4 record.

Surinx makes history as the first back-to-back Canada West Player of the Year in Manitoba school history.

Canada West unveiled its entire list of major award winners on Wednesday. Surinx was joined by her Bisons teammate Julia Arnold, who took home Libero of the Year honours after leading CW with 288 digs. Calgary's Sophia Hansen was named Rookie of the Year after a dynamic debut where she ranked seventh in the conference in total kills. Janelle Rozema was named Coach of the Year after leading Fraser Valley to the conference's top seed for the first time in program history, while Saskatchewan's Rosetta Cyr received the Student-Athlete Community Service Award.

The conference is set for what promises to be an epic Final Four showdown this weekend, hosted in Edmonton by the University of Alberta. Friday's semifinals feature No. 8 Saskatchewan looking to keep their cinderella run going against No. 4 UBC (4 p.m. MT) while the host No. 2 Pandas will battle defending conference champion No. 3 Manitoba (6 p.m. MT).

Gold and bronze medal games will follow on Saturday evening.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Raya Surinx, Manitoba

Left side Raya Surinx makes history as the first back-to-back Canada West Player of the Year in school history. The third-year also became the first Bison to earn three straight conference all-star nods (Rookie of the Year and second-team in 2022-23, first team in 2023-24 and 2024-25) since setter Samantha Loewen between 2008-11. 

Despite missing the first two games of the season, Surinx still led the country in kills (310) and kills per set (4.84). It's the second straight year the Winnipeg product has accomplished such a feat, after amassing 388 kills and 4.85 kills per set in 2023-24. 

The two-time Team Canada NextGen selection was also sixth in the country in service aces, with 40, while her 449 total points and 5.6 points per set were also the most in U SPORTS. 

Surinx has 1,173 career kills as a Bison, which is the second-most in the rally scoring era for the program, and 13th all-time. Meanwhile, her 127 regular season aces are the second most in the rally scoring era in school history.

Surinx's 4.168 career kills per set also ranks third all-time in Canada West history. 

"I’m so proud of Raya for taking time early in the season for herself after a long summer of training with the NextGen National Team. Once Raya came back to our team, she found a higher gear in 2024-25. Despite missing the first two matches of the regular season, she climbed her way up the leaderboard to lead Canada West once more in kills per set, total kills, while finishing second in service aces per set. Raya is playing with a calm assurance that has been impressive to watch this season." - Manitoba Head Coach Ken Bentley

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Sophia Hansen, Calgary Dinos

Sophia Hansen becomes the fifth Canada West Rookie of the Year in program history for the Dinos, and the first since Kate Pexman won the honour back in 2015.

The 6-foot-2 Hansen had a strong first season on the court with the Dinos, helping the team secure a Canada West playoff spot. The outside hitter finished the year ranked seventh in Canada West in total kills (238) and ninth in kills per set with 3.26. She also led the team in aces with 22, and racked up 20 blocks and 110 digs on the year.

“Sophia has made an immediate impact within the conference. In our program, her work ethic, competitive spirit and commitment to putting the team first have quickly projected her into a strong leader – both on the box score and in the team room. She has grown tremendously throughout the season. We’re proud of the work she’s put in and excited to see her career continue to evolve and develop as a Dino.” - Calgary Head Coach Christine Biggs

LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Julia Arnold, Manitoba Bisons

Fifth-year Julia Arnold becomes the first Bison in school history to be named Canada West Libero of the Year.

The back-to-back second team all-star led Canada West in digs with 288, while her 3.89 digs per set were also first. 

The defensive stalwart owns the Bisons' three and five set playoff records for digs, while her 1,354 cumulative regular season digs and 1,726 career digs are both school records in the rally scoring era. The latter of those totals also ranks fifth in the entire history of the program. 

"Julia’s tenacity and competitive drive has been evident from the moment she stepped onto the volleyball court at 11 years old. She has been a force of leadership with every team she has played on, and this continues to today as she wraps up her U SPORST career as the Canada West leader in digs per set and total digs over the regular season in 2024-25. She has earned every dig through her passion for volleyball and team. Julia has set a new standard for our program as she wraps up her career with the Bisons." - Manitoba Head Coach Ken Bentley

COACH OF THE YEAR: Janele Rozema, Fraser Valley Cascades

After guiding the Cascades to the top of the conference standings in 2024-25, Janelle Rozema is the 2025 Canada West Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year.

The Cascades head coach had her team outperform every expectation this season. After initially being ranked sixth in the Canada West coaches poll to start the year, Rozema guided her team to a 17-3 record and the top spot in the Canada West regular season for the first time in program history. She becomes just the second Cascades’ coach to earn Canada West Coach of the Year honours.

Rozema has guided the Cascades since 2019 and led the team through their transition to Canada West in the 2021-22 season. In the team’s short four seasons in CW, the Cascades have emerged as a consistent powerhouse in the conference – finishing in the top-four of the regular season standings three times.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Rosetta Cyr, Saskatchewan Huskies

Rosetta Cyr receives the conference's 2025 Women's Volleyball Student-Athlete Community Service Award. Now in her third year with the Huskies, Cyr has been a dedicated advocate for Indigenous student-athletes and has stepped up as a leader in the Saskatchewan sports community.

As a founding member of the University of Saskatchewan’s Indigenous Student-Athlete Council, she has played a key role in fostering a culture of inclusivity and support within Huskie Athletics. This council helps Indigenous athletes at USask feel more connected and empowered, enabling them to thrive in the competitive world of U SPORTS.

Beyond the university setting, Rosie is committed to giving back to the club program that developed her into a Canada West student-athlete. She has been a volunteer coach with her hometown Touchwood Storm 15U and 18U teams, and can be seen travelling across the province on her limited off days to mentor and develop the next generation of volleyball players.

Rosie’s impact reaches beyond the court, also serving as a Sask Sport Ambassador, sharing her experiences to inspire athletes across Saskatchewan. She is also a role model with Fast and Female, a national non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young girls through sports, physical activity, and education. Through her involvement in these initiatives, Rosie continues to advocate for increased opportunities, confidence, and leadership development for young athletes—particularly Indigenous youth.

"Rosie is growing into a very special person through her journey here at the UofS as a Huskie volleyball athlete. Her willingness to help others is very evident as she goes outside of her comfort zone to attend countless events to help impact youth in our province. On the court, she is becoming a force in the Canada West while pursuing a Psychology degree in the classroom. She is doing it all with grace, dignity, and a fierce competitiveness that is incredibly inspiring!” - Saskatchewan Head Coach Mark Dodds