Johnson Yi, a 6-foot-6 middle from Douglas College, will join the UBC Okanagan Heat men’s recruiting class for the 2018-19 Canada West volleyball season.

Originally from Taiwan, Yi played his high school volleyball at Eric Hamber High in Vancouver before playing three seasons with Douglas. Another player familiar with Heat coach Brad Hudson from his time with the Royals, Yi will look to make an immediate impact for the Heat in the middle of the court this season.

“He’s someone who essentially grew up in my gym and the level of trust is very high,” said Hudson. “He is an exceptional read blocker and will be a great resource for our young middle crew. Johnson also understands sacrifice and selflessness. These qualities make him a reliable teammate and someone we can count on as we continue to reshape our program.”

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In the classroom, Yi will be studying psychology with the hopes of eventually becoming a professional volleyball player after his time with the Heat. The Vancouver product was an honour roll student his final three years of high school.

“I am excited to come to UBCO to compete for the Heat alongside a bunch of great guys, an awesome coaching staff and to grow as a student athlete,” said Yi.

During his high school career, the middle blocker was a four-time athlete of the year along with being the MVP of his volleyball team on three separate occasions.

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