Grade 12 volleyball player Macey Hogg received an athletic scholarship and signed on with Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Wolfpack for next year, September 2018.
A 6’2″ middle player, Hogg has played with Skeena and Caledonia teams and on the Northwest Rage 18U club team coached by Mark Neid.
TRU head coach Chad Grimm said in a press release that the university has been following Hogg for years.
“I have been following Macey over the past several years, as Matt Krueger ran the TRU summer camp up there (in Terrace) and always reported on the progress of players,” said Grimm in the release. “Macey was on his radar since she was in Grade 9.”
Grimm also added a compliment to Terrace coaches.
“Macey has been in a good situation with some very committed coaches in Mark (Neid), Carmen (Didier) and Steve (Kitchen) who have done a great job in developing players coming out of Terrace.
“In the past few years, Cassidy Kitchen as well as Carly Davies have gone on to be starting members of the team at Mount Royal University in Calgary, and with Macey joining us, they will have helped push three girls into the world of USPORTS volleyball — which is quite the accomplishment coming out of a town the size of Terrace,” Grimm wrote.
With the TRU Wolfpack needing a middle player to replace two who are graduating, he says having Hogg on the team will be key.
“Macey will bring some size and potential into our middle blocking position for next season, along with (other recruits) Hayley McNaught and Lizzy Reimer (from Alberta),” Grimm said.
“I believe if Macey pushes herself hard in the weight room over the next couple of years and puts in the time necessary, she has the ability to be an impact player in our league.”
It took Hogg a while to decide about TRU, she said, not because of the school but because it’s such a huge decision. But now that she’s decided, she is excited.
“It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and it’s nice having next year figured out a little bit,” she said.
“TRU is a great school and I’m looking forward to being apart of the team and learning a lot!”
She added that she’s been working hard this season to prepare for next year, and she’s eager to play with amazing athletes and coaches, and be challenged to become a better player.
Asked why she chose TRU, Hogg said it was a combination of things.
“I’m a small town girl and I did not want to go to any big city. Kamloops is a nice medium size town,” she said, adding that she also has family there.
“I’ve (also) known the head coach of TRU since Grade 10 and I’ve been going to TRU camps since I was 11 years old, so I’m very familiar with this school and the people. They have a great program, great coaches and a great team,” she added.
Terrace coach Mark Neid said it’s a great opportunity for Hogg, and he believes she’ll rise to the challenge.
“She’ll be around much better players than she is used to, but this is definitely a good thing,” said Neid.
“She knows how to work hard, which will help her catch up quicker.”
He adds that the size of Kamloops, her family there, and the coach (Grimm) also having a small town background together add to his confidence that TRU will be a good fit.
