WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM ANNOUNCE 2008 RECRUITING CLASS

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 – The University of Winnipeg Wesmen and Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Diane Scott are pleased to announce the commitments of Amanda Bakker, Ariel Smith and Tessa Peterson. All three players will be joining the University of Winnipeg Women’s Volleyball Program in September.

Amanda Bakker is a 6'0" Setter out of Oak Park High School, who is ready to make the step to university volleyball. Her exceptional leadership abilities and commitment to the team goal have helped Amanda take her teams to higher levels of achievement. Amanda earned the honor of being selected as one of the Top Ten Female Volleyball Players for this years MHSAA Provincial Championships and she was also selected as a Manitoba Volleyball Association Graduating All-Star. Amanda was a 2007 Provincial & Canadian National Bronze Medalist as a member of the Cobras Club Volleyball Team. Amanda is focused on obtaining a degree through the Faculty of Education here at the University of Winnipeg.

According to Head Coach Diane Scott,
" We are extremely pleased and excited to have an athlete of Amanda's caliber and potential joining our program. She has proven she is an elite female volleyball athlete at the high school, club and provincial levels. All of her experiences will benefit her as this new challenge will test her on a higher level. Her "team first" attitude and leadership skills are exceptional, her ability to run the floor is solid and most importantly she strives to become better each and every time she is in the gym."

“Amanda is an outstanding setter/competitor. She knows the game well and is ready for the next level. She is passionate about volleyball and her drive and determination are amazing to watch”, added Tanya Doerksen, Oak Park High School Varsity Coach.

“Amanda is a very mature student athlete that has a very strong understanding of the training required to play at the university level. She is a setter that is very knowledgeable on running an audible offensive system. Her strengths as a setter are her ability to jump set and a very good blocker who also has a tough serve. She has been a pleasure to coach and I wish her all the best at the University of Winnipeg”, said John Hykawy, Head Coach Cobras Volleyball Club.

Ariel Smith, a 5'10" left/right side from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia is poised to make the move to the Canada West conference. Ariel is a naturally gifted athlete who has all the tools and skills to play at the university level. She is a left hander who is dynamic, composed, and efficient playing out of the right or left side. Her competitive nature and desire to be challenged will allow her the opportunity to compete for a starting position right away. Ariel is a member of the Nova Scotia Provincial Team along with her new Wesmen team mate Lauren Sears.

According to Head Coach Diane Scott,
"This is an outstanding opportunity for the University of Winnipeg Women's Volleyball Team to have an athlete of Ariel's potential join our program. She is an outstanding young woman, mature and composed beyond her years, she is an exceptional leader. Ariel has been waiting for an opportunity to grow as an athlete and person, and felt we could offer her that environment. She will be able to train and play against the top players in the country, as she is well aware of the strength of the Canada West Conference. I am so excited to see Ariel, a natural athlete who will only get better with training on and off the court. Her competitive spirit and love for challenge fuel her game!"

"Ariel Smith is the best athlete I have ever had the opportunity to coach. She is so smart and skilled it makes my job easy. She is a great leader and team mate and just a pleasure to coach. I am so pleased she will have an opportunity to stay in Canada and compete at the CIS level for the University of Winnipeg. I feel she will have the volleyball challenges she needs to grow and improve as a person, student and player. We are so excited for her we will cheer her on all the way!” added Club Head Coach Anthony Pleasant.

Tessa Peterson is a 5'8" Libero, out of Westwood Collegiate. Tessa is a strong competitor with great drive and strong leadership skills. She helped lead her team to a Silver Medal at the 2007 MHSAA Provincial 4A Girl's Volleyball Championships. Tessa was also selected to the Manitoba Volleyball Association Graduating All-Star Team.

According to Head Coach Diane Scott,
"We are very excited to have such a competitor join our program, I love the fire and intensity Tessa plays with when she competes. She will play any role for her team, always placing the team needs first and foremost. I was most impressed with her grit in the Provincial 4A Final as she took control of the floor passing, digging and directing as a libero should, plus she backed it up with her solid performance! Tessa is willing to put in the time, make the adjustments and commit to the plan, very excited to work with such an enthusiastic athlete."

“I have had the unique opportunity of coaching Tessa for four high school seasons and two club seasons. I hope every coach has the chance to train a hard working and dedicated athlete like Tessa. She is a hard working player that brings an intensity that is contagious. She began her career at Westwood Collegiate as a left side hitter where she helped to put Westwood on the map in girl’s volleyball over the last four years. Her left side attack, consistent passing and strong defense earned her a JV Provincial Championship in grade nine and helped Westwood advance to the AAAA Final Four in 2006. Her decision to play libero in 2007 was a big reason that Westwood made its first appearance in the MHSAA Provincial AAAA final in 2007. We really missed her jump serve but the decision to play libero not only helped our team but allowed us to get our best six players on the floor. Tessa is a coach’s dream. Her desire to dig every ball has saved countless rallies over the year’s. She is a competitor in the true sense of the word. I wish her luck at the University of Winnipeg, she will be missed by the coaching staff and returning players at Westwood Collegiate”, added JJ Ross, Head Coach Westwood Collegiate.

-30-

Sheldon Appelle
Sports Information Coordinator
University of Winnipeg
(204) 786-9823
s.appelle@uwinnipeg.ca