NOGALES, Mexico – UBC Okanagan Heat men's volleyball middle Ashton South won a silver medal with Team Canada at the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship that wrapped up this past weekend in Mexico.
 
The medal marks the fifth time Canada has won silver at the tournament, to go along with two previous gold medals and three bronze medals.
 
"The main goal is always the gold so I'm obviously a little disappointed coming out of the game," commented South after the tournament. "However, it was a big honour to represent the country in the tournament, one of the biggest in the world, and I'm happy to be coming home with a medal and what the future holds. I learned a lot playing at this level and won't be losing much from this experience."
 
"It is always special to watch Canada compete on the world stage," added incoming Heat head coach Scott Koskie, a former member of the Canadian national team himself. "To have a member of the Heat men's volleyball on that stage is amazing. These events show athletes what it takes to play at the next level. They bring those lessons back to the group and help move everyone forward. We are very proud of what Ashton has accomplished and look forward to what lies ahead for him this summer and beyond."
 
South and Canada earned their way to the gold medal match after posting a 3-0 round robin record which included wins over Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Cuba. In those three matches, the Canadians dropped just a single set as they cruised to a first-place finish in Pool A.
 
South's biggest impact in the round robin came in Canada's 3-0 sweep of Guatemala where he posted seven points on six kills and one block.
 
Securing a bye through the quarter-finals, Canada faced off against Puerto Rico for the second time in the tournament and were once again victorious, claiming a four-set victory.
 
South, who was battling a nagging injury during the tournament, was back in the lineup for the gold medal match, and despite falling in three sets to the Americans, the Heat middle posted four points off two kills and two blocks.
 
In reflecting on his team's success at the tournament, South attributed the results to the team's ability to come together quickly off the court.
 
"The way the team interacted off the court played a big role. When the games started and ended, we were a family and we worked to bring as much joy as we could. We had the mentality that we would bring some fight and see where we could end up."
 
With the tournament wrapped up, South will continue training with the national junior program before heading back to Kelowna in late August to begin preparations for the 2024-25 Canada West season.