Fresh off a top-four appearance at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball championships and a B.C. silver medal, the Douglas College Royals have bolstered their bench with an eye on taking the next step.
The Royals, coached by Jeff Ross, unveiled its new recruits for the 2019/20 season – high school grads Jayce Day, Rebecca Green, Sienna Mastromonaco, Grace McGillivray and Abbie Smith, and college transfer Sam Dodds.
Mastromonaco, who is graduating from St. Thomas More Collegiate, is excited to be joining the PacWest powerhouse.
“I really like the coaching and the players,” the Burnaby native said in a press release. “Everyone made me feel welcome from the first practice and it felt like a good fit for me.”
The Knights co-captain this past season, Mastromonaco was named B.C. Catholic senior girls volleyball tournament MVP after leading her team to a second-straight title.
Ross called Mastromonaco “a very technical player with a high volleyball IQ.”
McGillivray, an outside hitter from Langley, adds to the Royals depth at a number of spots.
“(McGillivray) is versatile and can play multiple positions and has strong character,” Ross said.
She was among the top-15 senior girls volleyball players named by varsityletters.ca in its annual university coaches poll of graduating B.C. high school athletes.
Smith, of Surrey, is hoping to contribute immediately to Douglas’s run to a third straight national championship tournament.
“My goals for this next season are to get into into the weight room more and get stronger to improve my game and make me more of an impact player.”
“(Smith) is a calm and composed athlete who works extremely hard and we look forward to watching her develop into a premier middle in the PacWest,” added Ross.
From Courtenay, Green is expected to take on various roles as a first-year Royal.
“(She) brings a lot of character and work ethic into our program,” the coach said. “Her athleticism allows her to be very versatile.”
Day, a setter, and Dodds, a middle blocker, are from northern Alberta. Ross believes both bolster key areas for the squad.
“(Day) is a very determined and smart setter,” he said. “She brings a lot of competitiveness, character and a strong work ethic to the program. … (Dodds) is a strong, athletic middle blocker. Her three years of experience (at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) will bring a lot of knowledge to our team and we look forward to seeing her excel in our environment.”
The 2019/20 PacWest season begins in October.
