Men's Volleyball History 2017-2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Men’s Volleyball History 2017-2018 Season Record: 8-9 (5th in the OUA West) An OUA bronze medal last year gave the talented Gryphons the inspiration to reach even further in 2017-18. They began the journey with a fantastic new exhibition event, the inaugural Gryphons Men’s Volleyball Invitational, which gave head coach Cal Wigston the chance to not only test his players against the best programs in the country but also an opportunity to showcase the stunning GGAC. It was a fun kickoff to the season, though Guelph immediately had to deal with a scare to the team’s All-Canadian star Kendrick Kerr, who suffered a potentially serious knee injury in practice. The team won a straight-setter against Western in the OUA opener, but consistency was hard to find. Wigston took the team to Costa Rica for a successful exhibition tour in early January, though Guelph dropped three of four OUA games after that, including a difficult five-setter to Brock that was a blow to its playoff aspirations. There were certainly bright spots, like Kerr’s triumphant return, the growth of fourth-year outside hitter Zach Newman, and the debut of talented first-year player Zarko Ubiparip, who made the OUA West All-Rookie Team. The Gryphons won three of their last four matches, one of which was a sharp, straight-set performance over Trent on Senior Night. Joshua Green, David Duhan and Wigston’s son Kaj, three critical pieces to the program, were honoured in their final appearance on the GGAC court. Matthew Baxter 2L David Gross 1L Samuel Kloke 4H Connor Szabo 2L David Duhan 2L Jared Harris 3L Conan Mickey 5L Zarko Ubiparip 1L Daiken Edwards 2L Oliver Hissink 2L Zachary Newman 4H Kaj Wigston 4H Nazyr Francis 1L Kendrick Kerr 4H Samuel Nothnagel 3L Eric Wilson 2L Joshua Green 5L Benjamin Kissack 2L Jakson Paterson 2L Awards Summary OUA West Division Second Team All-Stars Kendrick Kerr Zachary Newman OUA West All-Rookie Team Zarko Ubiparip Team Awards MIP – Jakson Paterson MVP – Zach Newman Coaching Staff Head Coach: Cal Wigston Assistants: Larry Pearson, Jordan Reynolds, Ashleigh Andzel Statistician: Terry Pham Manager: Jordan Barkley Trainers: Lesley Kukoly, Dominque Main 2016-2017 Season Record: 12-5 (2nd in OUA West) Playoff Results: 2-1 (OUA bronze medalists) One season after finishing second last in the conference, the Gryphons men’s volleyball team put together a remarkable 2016-17 campaign that concluded with the team winning OUA bronze. The Gryphons finished 2nd in the OUA West with a 12-5 record and would defeat Nipissing on home court in the OUA Quarter-finals for the program’s first playoff victory in six years. The team ultimately fell one win shy of qualifying for nationals for the first time in 19 years following a 3-0 loss to Waterloo in the OUA Semi’s. The Gryphons would bounce back from that loss by defeating Ryerson in a thrilling five-set match to capture OUA bronze. It was the team’s highest finish to a season in seven years. Third year middle Kendrick Kerr had a phenomenal 2016-17 season, culminating with him being named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian. Kerr became the first Gryphon men’s volleyball player in six years to earn All-Canadian status. The 2016-17 season for the Gryphons also marked the year that the team moved into their new home court. After playing the first two home games of their season at the old W.F. Mitchell Centre, the Gryphs officially opened the doors at the new Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre on January 7, 2017 versus Brock. Despite dropping each of their first three games on their new home court, the Gryphs would catch fire to reel off five straight victories at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre, including the team’s playoff win over Nipissing. Matthew Baxter 1L Kendrick Kerr 3L Jakson Paterson 1L Christian Bechard 1L Benjamin Kissack 1L Kyle Richards 5L David Duhan 1L Samuel Kloke 3L Connor Szabo 1L Daiken Edwards 1L Conan Mickey 4H Kaj Wigston 3L Joshua Green 4H Zachary Newman 3L Eric Wilson 1L Jared Harris 2L Samuel Nothnagel 2L Oliver Hissink 1L Gregory Olejnik 3L Head Coach: Cal Wigston Assistant Coach: Larry Pearson, Jordan Reynolds, Ashleigh Andzel Trainer: Leann Tamming, Terry Pham, Lesley Kukoly Team Awards MIP – Matt Baxter MVP – Kendrick Kerr OUA Awards OUA First Team All- Star – Kendrick Kerr OUA Second Team All- Star – Samuel Kloke U SPORTS Awards U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian – Kendrick Kerr University of Guelph Awards Don Cameron Award – Kendrick Kerr 2015-2016 Season Record: 6-14 (10th in OUA) Playoff Record: N/A For a fourth straight season the Gryphons failed to make the playoffs after finishing 10th with a 6-14 record during the regular season. After a 1-6 start, the Gryphons were able to build momentum heading into the exam/Christmas break thanks to a three-game win streak with victories over RMC, York & Nipissing. The second half of the season was highlighted by an impressive win over the No. 9-ranked team in the country in the Ryerson Rams. On Friday, February 12 the Gryphons pulled off the upset over the Rams by winning in four sets and keeping the Gryphon playoff hopes alive. However, in the team’s second-to-last game of the season, a shorthanded Gryphons squad traveled to North Bay to face Nipissing and suffered a hard- fought, five set loss to the Lakers which officially eliminated the team from the postseason. Third year left side Josh Green led the team in kills (212) while second year standout Zach Newman led the team in scoring with 3.5 points per set. Joshua Green 3L Samuel Kloke 2L Samuel Nothnagel 1L Kyle Richards 4H Jared Harris 1L Austin MacIntyre 2L Gregory Olejnik 2L Keith Roberts 1L Dallas Keith 3L Conan Mickey 3L Samuel Otten 1L Kaj Wigston 2L Kendrick Kerr 2L Zachary Newman 2L Terry Pham 1L Luke Woud 4H Coach: Cal Wigston Trainers: David Dam, Leann Tamming Assistants: Larry Pearson, Jordan Reynolds 2014-2015 Regular Season Record: 9-11 (T-7th in OUA) Playoff Record: N/A Although Guelph failed to make the OUA playoffs, it was nevertheless a season in which a young Gryphons squad was able to accomplish some great things. After dropping their season opener, the Gryphons went on to an impressive six match win streak that resulted in them climbing into the national rankings. The Gryphons were ranked in the CIS Top 10 for four straight weeks in November (reaching as high as No. 8) – marking the first time in three years they had been ranked nationally (on Nov. 29th, 2011 they were ranked 10th). Fifth year middle Marc Wilson earned OUA Second Team All-Star honours after a tremendous senior season in which he finished sixth in the OUA in total blocks (66) and seventh in hitting percentage (.386) while first year standout Kendrick Kerr was named to the OUA All-Rookie team. Connor Cressman 4H Austin MacIntyre 1L Kyle Richards 3L Marc Wilson 5L Joshua Green 2L Conan Mickey 2L Patrick Strzalkowski 5L Luke Woud 3L Kendrick Kerr 1L Zachary Newman 1L Eric Wagner 4H Samuel Kloke 1L Terry Pham - Kaj Wigston 1L Coach: Calvin Wigston Trainers: Derek Lahaie, Kate Wortley Assistants: Hugo Curley, Sean Manzi, Larry Pearson, Jordan Reynolds Team Awards MIP – Kendrick Kerr MVP – Marc Wilson OUA Awards OUA Second Team All- Star- Marc Wilson OUA All- Rookie team- Kendrick Kerr 2013-2014 Regular Season: 5-15 Playoffs: N/A In 2013-14, Guelph rounded out league play in ninth spot with a 5-15 record and missed the playoffs. Leading the team in scoring was Patrick Strzalkowski averaging 3.23 points per game and leading the OUA in service aces with a total of 40 on the season. Andrew Argall 1L Joshua Green 1L Gregory Olejnik 1L Eric Wagner 3L Justin Brooks 1L MacKenzie Hinschberger 1L Kyle Richards 2L Marc Wilson 4H Connor Cressman 3L Rafael Leite 3L Patrick Strzalkowski 4H Luke Woud 2L Daniel Flanagan 1L Jordan MacIntyre 2L Coach: Calvin Wigston Trainers: Derek Lahaie, Kate Wortley Assistants: Larry Pearson, Clarke Mathany, Manager: Julia Walters Jordan Reynolds, Cam Toth Awards Summary: Team Awards MIP of the Year – Josh Green MVP of the Year – Patrick Strzalkowski 2012-2013 Regular Season: 6-12 In the last two games of their season, the men’s volleyball team soared past the Windsor Lancers and Western Mustangs with consecutive 3-0 sweeps. Unfortunately, the surge came too late as the Gryphons ended their 2012-13 season with a record of 6-12 to finish eighth in the OUA, just short of the postseason. Earning his fourth All Star nod, Winston Rosser (Whitby, Ont.) was named a OUA Second Team All-Star with a 3.46 kills per set average and 286 points to lead the Gryphons this season. Contributing 134 kills in his rookie campaign, Timothy Warnholtz (Guelph, Ont.) averaged 2.9 points per game to be announced to the CIS All-Rookie Team. He was also recognized on the OUA All-Rookie Team along with fellow rookie, Kyle Richards (London, Ont.) who tallied 6.02 assists in 41 sets of action. Richard Canavan 1L Rafael Leite 2L Patrick Strzalkowski 3L Andrew Whitaker 4H Kevin Carey 4H Jordan MacIntyre 1L Eric Wagner 2L Kyle Wilson 1L Connor Cressman 2L Kyle Richards 1L Timothy Warnholtz 1L Marc Wilson 3L Ryan Killeen 5L Winston Rosser 5L Phillip Wessel 2L Luke Woud 1L Coach: Calvin Wigston Manager: Kate Taylor Assistants: Larry Pearson, Clarke Mathany, Trainer: Derek Lahaie Ryan Meadwell, Jordan Reynolds, Cam Toth Awards Summary: OUA Second Team All-Star Winston Rosser OUA All-Rookie Team Kyle Richards & Tim Warnholtz Team Awards MIP of the Year – Connor Cressman MVP of the Year – Winston Rosser U of G, Dept of Athletics Awards Cathy Rowe Manager of the Year – Derek Lahaie 2011-2012 Regular Season: 9-9 Playoffs: Lost to Queens in OUA ¼ Finals The Gryphon men’s volleyball squad finished sixth in the OUA after posting a 9-9 regular season record.