VANCOUVER – Following one of the best seasons in team history, UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball outside hitter
Sydney Grills was honoured as a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian on Thursday night at the All-Canadian Awards Reception at the Sheraton Wall Centre in Vancouver, the host city of the 2023 U SPORTS Women's Volleyball Championship, presented by Mikasa.
Grills, who was presented with the honour in her hometown, becomes the fourth UBCO women's volleyball player to be recognized as a U SPORTS All-Canadian.
"I couldn't be happier for Sydney," said Heat head coach Steve Manuel. "She has worked hard throughout her career and has truly emerged this season as a top point producer in all of U SPORTS volleyball. I am sure that she will continue to be successful at the professional level next season and we wish her continued success with our women's national team."
Grills was dominant all season long for the Heat in her final season with the blue and gold. Coming off her first stint with the Canadian national team in the summer of 2022, the 6-3 outside hitter finished sixth in the country in total kills with 296 and was fifth in total points with 366.5. In addition, her 72 blocks were 11
th most in Canada as she was one of 15 players to average at least 4.0 points per set.
Her performance was so impressive that she managed to set four new single season team records, including kills, kills per set, points and points per set while hitting at a career-best rate of 0.244 percent.
Despite playing in just three seasons for the Heat, Grills will end her career at UBCO as the team's all-time leader in kills per set at 2.98 and points per set at 3.56.
With the recognition, Grills joins Katy Klomps (Women's Volleyball - 2014-15), Katie Wuttunee (Women's Volleyball - 2015-16), Aidan Lea (Women's Volleyball - 2017-18), Lauren McNeil (Women's Cross Country - 2021-22) and Joanna Brown (Women's Cross Country – 2021-22 & 2022-23) as the only Heat athletes to ever be named U SPORTS All-Canadians.
2023 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
Most valuable player: Gabrielle Attieh, Fraser Valley
Rookie of the year: Raya Surinx, Manitoba
Student-athlete Community Service Award: Christina Stratford, McMaster
Coach of the year: Claude Tremblay, Université du Québec à Montréal
First Team All-Canadians
| Pos |
Athlete |
University |
Year |
Hometown |
Academic Program |
| OH |
Lucy Glen-Carter |
Dalhousie |
4 |
Toronto, Ont. |
Physiotherapy |
| F |
Sabrina Mayer |
UQAM |
4 |
Longueuil, Qué. |
Human Kinetics |
| OH |
Janelle Albert |
Western |
5 |
Brampton, Ont. |
Brescia College |
| OH |
Gabrielle Attieh |
UFV |
4 |
Surrey, B.C. |
Arts |
| S |
Quinn Pelland |
Mount Royal |
5 |
Wanham, Alta. |
Business |
| OH |
Savannah Purdy |
TWU |
4 |
Victoria, B.C. |
Psychology |
Second Team All-Canadians
| Pos |
Athlete |
University |
Year |
Hometown |
Academic Program |
| LS |
Olivia Bell |
SMU |
4 |
Lahave, N.S. |
Commerce |
| F |
Olympe Desmedt |
U de M |
4 |
Cannes, France |
Management |
| M |
Charlene Robitaille |
McGill |
5 |
St. Jeam, Qué |
Management |
| M |
Grace Pyatt |
Brock |
5 |
Thorold, Ont. |
Gerontology |
| OH |
Sullie Sundara |
McMaster |
2 |
Kanata, Ont. |
Social sciences |
| OH |
Emma Parker |
Winnipeg |
5 |
St. Adolphe, Man. |
Science |
| OH |
Sydney Grills |
UBCO |
3 |
Vancouver, B.C |
Arts |
All-Rookie Team
| Pos |
Athlete |
University |
Hometown |
Academic Program |
| OH |
Heather Benko |
UNB |
Sechelt, B.C |
Arts |
| S |
Taylor Lougheed |
Saint Mary's |
Calgary, Alta. |
Commerce |
| F |
Anica Pineault |
UQAM |
Boucherville, Qué. |
Physical Activity Intervention |
| C |
Milica Djordjevic |
U de M |
Montréal, Qué. |
Psychology |
| OH |
Oceane Raymond-Leduc |
Nipissing |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Education |
| LS |
Aliah Admans |
Windsor |
London, Ont. |
Psychology |
| OH |
Raya Surinx |
Manitoba |
Winnipeg, Man. |
University 1 |
