The Niagara Knights men's volleyball program is excited to announce the addition of Marcus Francis for the 2016-17 OCAA season. The Pickering native comes to the Knights from the Pakmen Volleyball Club and Pine Ridge Secondary School.
Francis, an outside hitter, will bring a dynamic presence to the court for the Knights. He most recently participated in the Canadian Youth National Team Selection Camp that was held at Niagara College on June 11th and 12th. Head Coach Nathan Groenveld believes that Francis' has the athleticism required to excel at the next level.
"Marcus is a phenomenal athlete who will be a dynamic net presence attacking and blocking for us," said Groenveld. "He has a tremendous work ethics and we are excited to watch the rest of his game develop at the collegiate level." Groenveld, who is an assistant coach with the Canadian Youth National Team, had a chance to see Francis compete against some of the best players in the country. "He demonstrated throughout the weekend that he is one of the top players in the country for the 18U age group."
Francis brings a wealth of experience and success to the Niagara lineup. On a team level he was a gold medalist at the 2014 Ontario Winter Games and a silver medalist at the 2015 16U Volleyball Canada Championship. On a personal level he was award with his team's Award of Excellence at the 14U, 15U, and 16U levels.
With his past successes behind him, Francis is looking forward to his next chapter with the Knights. "Niagara has always been a school that I have wanted to join and play for the men's volleyball program. Being coached by Nathan and joining such a strong group of athletes will be a great next step in my volleyball career," Francis said of his decision to attend Niagara. He will be entering the college's Graphic Design program. "Niagara's Graphic Design program best fits my future goals, so it was an easy choice to come to Niagara and join the Knights."
The Niagara Knights men's volleyball program begins tryouts on Monday, September 12th. Their 2016-17 OCAA season kicks off on the road on October 26th against the Fanshawe Falcons. They will return to the Welland Campus Athletic Centre for their home opener against the Mohawk Mountaineers on November 4th.
