The University of the Fraser Valley women’s volleyball program has signed three athletes as the club continues building for the 2021 season.
Head coach Janelle Rozema added Surrey native Sydney Wright, Edmonton’s Kinna Fisher and Israeli athlete Lian Shworts to the ranks.
“As a group, they’re driven and willing to work hard, and that fits in really well with our program,” Rozema stated in a press release. “Beyond that, they bring different experiences and a variety of approaches to the game that will enrich our team.”
ðŸ”ðŸ | Cascades WVB launches its 2021 recruiting class, signing a trio of outstanding athletes!
🇨🇦 Kinna Fisher
🇨🇦 Sydney Wright
🇮🇱 Lian Shworts🗞 https://t.co/bacLROKcdI#WeClimbWeConquer pic.twitter.com/RM4804aWpT
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) November 27, 2020
Wright had an outstanding high school volleyball career at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary – last fall, the Team BC alum led the Panthers to the title at the Coquitlam RCMP Red Serge Classic and a silver medal at the B.C. 4A provincial championship. The previous season, her squad also won provincial silver at the junior girls level, with Wright earning first team tournament all-star honours.
“Sydney is a high flyer – she’s touching the heights that we’re looking for as a Canada West standard,” Rozema said. “She has experience at multiple positions, and is willing to do whatever her team needs her to do. She’s also gotten great experience with the provincial program and a successful club program at Velocity.”
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Fisher’s decorated prep career saw her win back-to-back Alberta provincial club championships with Pandas Volleyball Club. She also helped her school squad at Strathcona High win a Metro League title in 2019, and she was part of Team Alberta at the U15, U16 and U17 levels, winning a silver medal at the Western Canada Summer Games in 2019. Fisher is also accomplished in beach volleyball, winning provincial and junior high championships in 2018, and senior high school bronze in last season.
“We’re really excited about Kinna,” Rozema said. “She’s got great knowledge and experience – she’s an intelligent setter with great set distribution. She’s someone who knows how to win, coming from outstanding club and high school programs, and she’s also someone who knows how to do what it takes on and off the court.”
Shworts is an accomplished prospect who has represented Israel internationally at the U23 level, participating in European championship qualifying. She played at the Israel Volleyball Academy, and picked up game MVP honours in the Israeli Women’s Volleyball First League.
“We’re really looking forward to Lian bringing some international experience and a diversity of tactics and techniques from across the world to our program,” Rozema said. “She’s got great size and strength, and hits the ball really hard. She’ll be able to put international-calibre pace on the ball. And though she’s a dominant player in the frontcourt, she’s also got some great backcourt skills with serve-receive and defence.”
For more information, visit gocascades.ca.
