A pair of outside hitters with the U of S Huskies have been named to the Canada West Conference list of men’s volleyball all-stars for this season.

Fifth year Saskatoon product Colin Fraser and sophomore Dylan Mortenson of Swift Current were named to the second all-star team as they led Saskatchewan back into the playoffs for the first time in three years.

On the women’s side, Saskatoon product and middle player Mandi Fraser of the U of S was named to the Canada West Conference All-Rookie team.

Following are the news releases from Huskie Athletics and the Canada West Conference…

WVB: 11 teams land all-stars, all-rookies

Canada West honourees unveiled ahead of semifinal weekend

EDMONTON – The parity in Canada West women’s volleyball was on full display Tuesday, as the conference unveiled the 2018-19 all-star and all-rookie teams.

Six different teams landed a player on the conference’s seven-player first all-star team, while a total of 11 teams had at least one player honoured by Canada West’s 13 women’s volleyball head coaches, who selected the squads.

Highlights:

The defending CW champion Calgary Dinos were the lone team to have a pair of first team all-stars
Calgary, along with UBC, Alberta, and Trinity Western are in action this weekend, as the CW semis open Thursday
Canada West’s women’s volleyball major award winners will be announced Tuesday, March 5

The lone team to land multiple first team all-stars was the Calgary Dinos, as the defending CW champions had Kate Pexman (outside hitter), and Beth Vinnell (middle) earn spots.

Among the other players to highlight the first team were UBC’s Kiera Van Ryk (OH), and Alberta’s Kory White (OH). The pair finished first and second respectively this season in kills per set, with Van Ryk averaging 4.52 and White 4.45.

On the all-rookie team, the UBC Okanagan Heat were the lone team to have multiple players honoured, as Sydney Grills (OH), and Jade Bussard (OH) earned a spot on the team.

Grills and Bussard were part of a stellar recruiting class for the Heat, who are looking to build their roster back into a contender after a down season.

You can watch a combined dozen all-stars and all-rookies in action this weekend, as UBC and Calgary go head-to-head in one CW semifinal, while Alberta and Trinity Western play in the other.

Every CW women’s volleyball playoff game is available by tuning into Canada West TV.

The conference’s major award winners will be unveiled Tuesday, March 5, ahead of next weekend’s CW Championship Game.

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / YEAR / HOMETOWN

OH / Hilary Howe / Trinity Western / 3 / Calgary, Alta.
OH / Kate Pexman / Calgary / 4 / Calgary, Alta.
OH / Olga Savenchuk / Thompson Rivers / 1 / Donetsk, Ukraine
S / Satomi Togawa / Regina / 3 / Uji, Japan
OH / Kiera Van Ryk / UBC / 2 / Surrey, B.C.
M / Beth Vinnell / Calgary / 4 / Cochrane, Alta.
OH / Kory White / Alberta / 3 / Edmonton, Alta.

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / YEAR / HOMETOWN

L / Cassie Bujan / Manitoba / 5 / Anola, Man.
S / Olivia Furlan / UBC / 3 / Calgary, Alta.
S / Brie King / Trinity Western / 4 / Langley, B.C.
OH / Nikki Majewski / Brandon / 5 / Winnipeg, Man.
M / Mikaelyn Sych / Trinity Western / 4 / Airdrie, Alta.
OH / Hannah Tanasichuk / Calgary / 3 / Calgary, Alta.
S / Mariah Walsh / Alberta / 5 / Calgary, Alta.

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / HOMETOWN

OH / Jade Bussard / UBCO / Red Deer, Alta.
M / Mandi Fraser / Saskatchewan / Saskatoon, Sask.
OH / Sydney Grills / UBCO / Vancouver, B.C.
M / Hayley McNaught / Thompson Rivers / Woking, Alta.
S / Kayla Oxland / UBC / Vancouver, B.C.
OH / Savannah Purdy / Trinity Western / Victoria, B.C.
M / Nyadholi Thokbuom / Mount Royal / Calgary, Alta.

MVB: Bobcats rewarded with all-star nods

No. 1-ranked Brandon lands four honours ahead of semis

EDMONTON – With the Canada West men’s volleyball semifinals set for this weekend, the conference unveiled the 2018-19 all-star and all-rookie teams Tuesday.The Brandon Bobcats, who topped the conference standings during the regular season with a 20-2 record, led the charge with four players honoured by the conference’s 12 men’s volleyball coaches, who selected the teams.

Highlights:

The No. 1 Brandon Bobcats led the way Tuesday, as the Canada West all-star and all-rookie teams were announced
Brandon, along the the Mount Royal Cougars, Trinity Western Spartans, and Thompson Rivers WolfPack will compete in the CW semis beginning Thursday
Canada West’s men’s volleyball major awards will be announced Tuesday, March 5

Outside hitter Elliott Viles and setter Reece Dixon were named to the first team, while outside hitter Seth Friesen was a second team all-star, and outside hitter Robin Baghdady was an all-rookie.

The Bobcats, who host the Mount Royal Cougars this weekend, are riding an 18-game winning streak after winning their final 16 regular season games, which they followed up with a quarter-final sweep of the Calgary Dinos last weekend.

Along with Brandon and MRU, the Trinity Western Spartans and Thompson Rivers WolfPack are in action this weekend in the other conference semifinal.

A total of 11 all-stars or all-rookies will take to the court for the best-of-three series, which open Thursday night in Brandon, Man. and Langley, B.C.

The winners of this weekend’s semifinals advance to next weekend’s CW Championship Game, and earn automatic berths to the U SPORTS national tournament March 14-17 at Université Laval.

The conference’s major award winners will be unveiled Tuesday, March 5.

You can watch every CW men’s volleyball playoff game by tuning into Canada West TV.

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM

POSITION / NAME / UNIVERSITY / YEAR / HOMETOWN