The NAIT Ooks women's volleyball team is looking forward to the 2022-23 season. After just narrowly missing out on a playoff spot in the 2021-22 season, the team, led by Head Coach Erminia Russo Thorpe, is ready to kick it up a notch.
The NAIT Ooks has a strong core of returning players this season, but some new additions are sure to get some buzz.
"We brought in four new players this season, including a transfer student-athlete from TKU, the other three being first years. They will bring the element of competition into our practice sessions. They will compete for a starting position and provide backup in our left-side, middle, and libero positions. I am most excited about what they have already brought to practice, increasing the intensity as well as competing to play. They have improved our level of play as a team and are pushing the others to play at a better level," said Russo Thorpe.
Last year, the young Ooks team battled every game and left their heart on the court, but they fell short when playing against some of the ACAC's top talent. After a summer of training and a few new additions to the team, this season should tell a different story.
"Since the first day of practice, the level of play was improved from last year. The returning players came back excited and ready to go, and the addition of our new student-athletes makes us better. I feel we are much improved and are heading in the right direction in our ability to compete with all the ACAC teams. There has been a different atmosphere this season. We are playing better both as a group and individually. The intensity and the commitment to want to improve on last year's results are evident. After a season of unpredictability that affected us in training and ultimately in our wins and losses. I feel we are more confident and ready to move forward as a team," said Russo Thorpe.
The NAIT Ooks volleyball season goes from October 14th to February 10th. The ACAC Championship will take place February 23-25, 2023, at Red Deer Polytechnic in Red Deer, Alberta. The 2022/23 women's volleyball season will come to a close at the CCAA National Tournament in Nanaimo, BC, at Vancouver Island University from March 8-11, 2023.
The NAIT Ooks home-opener is Friday, October 14th, at 6:00 PM. Catch the action in person, on ACACTV or Telus Optik channel 1998.