File photo from 2015 Niagara Region Girls Volleyball Showcase
The 2nd Annual Niagara Region Girls' Volleyball Showcase will take place on March 22nd at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre. The showcase will feature 21 of the top girls volleyball student-athletes representing 14 high schools from across the Niagara Region.
The athletes will be split into two teams, with each being coached by a pair of current student-athletes from the 2016 OCAA women's volleyball silver medalist Niagara Knights. OCAA First-Team All-Star Rachel Rivers (Cambridge) and OCAA All-Rookie Jordan Koslowski (Hamilton) will serve as the coaches of Team A. The other side will feature a pair of local Knights rookies with libero Nicole Chiesa (Thorold), an alumni of last year's showcase, and middle blocker Katelynn Whiteley (Niagara Falls), who will take charge of Team B.
The event will also serve as new women's volleyball head coach Nathan Janzen's first taste of volleyball in his new office. After officially beginning his tenure at the end of this week, Janzen will experience action in the Welland gym for the first time. "I'm ecstatic to get started with the Knights and get into the gym," said Janzen, "The showcase will be a great introduction to some of the best players that 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.
Niagara College began hosting showcase events in June 2014 when Niagara Knights men's and women's soccer head coach Frank DeChellis spearheaded the Niagara Region Soccer Showcase. To date the Knights have now hosted a pair of soccer showcases and boys volleyball showcases to go along with the second girls volleyball showcase.
The event is free of charge and open to the public. The opening serve is scheduled for 6:00pm. 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.
Team Rivers & Koslowski
Name • Position • School
Nicole Pirillo • Outside Hitter • Thorold SS
Katie Elliot • Outside Hitter • Governor Simcoe
Angela Kovac • Outside Hitter • AN Myer
Shanelle Olah • Outside Hitter • Jean-Vanier
Lauren McKenna • Outside Hitter • Governor Simcoe
Edith Turpel • Middle Blocker • EL Crossley
Abbey Hills • Middle Blocker • Stamford Collegiate
Rysa Delmundo • Middle Blocker • Saint Michael Catholic
Amber Marsh • Setter • Beamsville District SS
Kylie Fast • Setter • EL Crossley
Lydia Rehman • Libero • Port Colborne
Team Chiesa and Whiteley
Name • Position • School
Kristen Rymarchuck • Outside Hitter • Westlane SS
Desiree Streef • Outside Hitter • Holy Cross Catholic
Edona Demiri • Outside Hitter • Dennis Morris
Hailey Purbs • Outside Hitter • EL Crossley
Grace Pyatt • Middle Blocker • Thorold SS
Jasmine Lougheed • Middle Blocker • Laura Secord
Natasha Desjardins • Setter • Jean-Vanier
Celine Blanchette • Setter • Eden
Caitlin Fortuna • Setter • AN Myer
Madelyn Berg • Libero • Governor Simcoe
Past Showcases & Results
March 26, 2015 – 1st Annual Niagara Region Girls Volleyball Showcase – Team Niagara 3-2 Team Knights
December 11, 2014 – 1st Annual Niagara Region Boys Volleyball Showcase – Team Players 3-2 Team Coaches
December 10, 2015 – 2nd Annual Niagara Region Boys Volleyball Showcase – Team Blue 4-1 Team White
June 11, 2015 – 2nd Annual Niagara Region Soccer Showcase – Team White 6-3 Team Blue
June 12, 2014 – 1st Annual Niagara Region Soccer Showcase – Team White 7-2 Team Blue
