File photo: 2015 Niagara Region Boys Volleyball Showcase
The Niagara Knights men's volleyball program will play host to the 3rd Annual Niagara Region Boys' Volleyball Showcase at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre on Thursday, December 8th. The event will see 31 student-athletes representing 14 local high schools showcase the talent level that exists in the Niagara Region's boys' volleyball ranks ranging from Grimsby to Port Colborne. First serve for the event is set for 6pm.
"This event is a fantastic chance for high school volleyball in Niagara to step into the spotlight," said Knights men's volleyball coach Nathan Groenveld. "As a program, the showcase is an event we look forward to every year, and we're excited to welcome some of the best and brightest athletes the Niagara region has to offer."
In addition to the chance to participate in the showcase, some teammates will have the unique chance to compete against one other. Coaches from each of the 14 participating high schools nominated athletes from their respective teams to participate in the showcase. In cases where two or more athletes were nominated from the same school the athletes have been split up and will compete on opposite sides of the net, adding the element of friendly competition to the event. The two teams will be coached by student-athletes from the current Knights volleyball roster.
The event serves as one quarter of the Niagara College Knights' showcase series started in June of 2014. The Niagara Knights' soccer programs, led by Welland native Frank DeChellis, have hosted three successful showcases of their own. The Niagara Knights women's volleyball program hosted the girls' volleyball event in 2015 and 2016, first ever Niagara Region Basketball Showcase will take place for the first time on December 20th, 2016. The third annual Niagara Region Girls' Volleyball Showcase is set for March 21st, 2017.
The match will be broadcast live at goknights.ca/watchlive by the Niagara College Broadcasting, Radio, Television, and Film (BRTF) program. The broadcast will feature BRTF students providing play-by-play, colour commentary, and in-game interviews with participants.
Members of the local volleyball community, and all other interested parties are welcome to attend. Admission is free and spectators are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation in support of the SAC food bank.
For more information please contact Nathan Groenveld, head coach Niagara College men's volleyball at ngroenveld@niagaracollege.ca
Below are the team rosters for the 2016 Niagara Region boys' volleyball showcase:
Team White
Name • Position • School
Zach Harrietha • Setter • DSBN Academy
Erykk Peresky-Greenwood • Outside Hitter • DSBN Academy
Stephen Scott • Middle Blocker • EL Crossley
Rylee DeFaria • Outside Hitter • South Lincoln
Alex Mrkalj • Outside Hitter • Sir Winston Churchill
Frank Elia • Outside Hitter • Beamsville
Alex Fortier-Engs • Outside Hitter • Jean Vanier
Kyle Thiessen • Outside Hitter • Smithville
Byron Horinga • Middle Blocker • Smithville
Eric Gomes • Libero • Governor Simcoe
Cody Pham • Outside Hitter • Westlane
Adam Lewczynski • Outside Hitter/Setter • Laura Secord
Thommy Whitty • Libero/Setter • Eden
Braeden Reschke • Middle Blocker • Eden
Gary Feng • Middle Blocker • AN Meyer
Ethan Wilding • Setter • Stamford Collegiate
Team Blue
Name • Position • School
Kyle Hewitt • Outside Hitter/Middle Blocker • DSBN Academy
Sauli Lianga • Outside Hitter • EL Crossley
Zach Grinyer • Setter • South Lincoln
Ryan Benventa • Outside Hitter • Sir Winston Churchill
Bailey Stewart • Setter • Thorold
Nathan Huisman • Middle Blocker • Beamsville
Stephan Legagneur • Outside Hitter • Jean Vanier
Jonathan Buist • Outside Hitter • Smithville
Lucas Blyleven • Middle Blocker • Smithville
Jared Jackson • Setter • Smithville
Luke Marshall • Setter • Westlane
Sam Pynn • Outside Hitter • Laura Secord
Micah Nieuwets • Outside Hitter • Eden
Nate Cjazkowski • Setter • AN Meyer
Michael Levasseur • Setter • Stamford Collegiate
