KAMLOOPS - Carrie Barrett, head coach of the TRU WolfPack women's volleyball team, has been hard at work recruiting for the upcoming 2006-2007 CIS season. Look to see at least eight new faces at this years tryouts in early September, a combination of freshmen out of high school and college transfers, from across B.C. and Alberta.

Ashley Koehn, a 6'0" outside hitter from Surrey, B.C., attends high school at Pacific Academy in Langley, where she helped the team win the silver medal at the B.C. Provincial High School AA Championship.

Ashley is also a terrific student with a 96% average who received Pacific Academy's Top Student Award in both grade 10 and 11. She is a recipient of Chemistry and Social Studies 11 awards, and was on the Pacific Academy's 'Headmaster's List' in both Grade 10 and Grade 11.

Ashley plays club volleyball for the under 18 Coquitlam Ducks, which is ranked 2nd out of 29 teams, and was also a starting outside attacker for the Team BC under 16s.

Laura Battison, is a 6'2" middle from Surrey, B.C., where she attends Walnut Grove Secondary. Like Ashley, she plays for club volleyball for the under 18 Coquitlam Ducks, and has been identified and invited to try-outs for the under 18 Team BC Provincial team. Laura was also a first team all star at the AAAA Fraser Valley Championships.

Katrina Beitel, a 5'10" setter from Revelstoke, B.C. is another student-athlete that combined excellence in both sport and academics.

Academic achievements include an 89% average and placing top 3rd on the honour roll from 2001 to 2005. Katrina also received the P.E.R.C. card from 2001 to 2005, as well as a 2005 level 3 service award.

Katrina's athletic achievements are just as note worthy. She was junior club provincials MVP as well as the Top Female Junior Athlete and recipient of a BCVA Junior Provincials All Star award.

Richelle Walton, a 5'7" outside hitter, comes to Thompson Rivers University after playing two years at the Malaspina University College in Nanaimo, B.C. She originally hails from Langley, B.C. where she attended high school at D.W. Poppy. During high school, she won the 2002 Provincial High School Championship Silver Medal and was awarded a 1st team All-star. Richelle also won the 2003 Provincial High School Bronze Medal and, once again, was awarded a 1st team All-star.

As a Malaspina Mariner, Richelle accumulated many awards during her two years on the Island. Her team won the BCCAA Provincial gold and the CCAA National bronze medals, and she was awarded as a BCCAA Provincial All-star, a 2-time Player of the Game at the CCAA National Championship and was a awarded to the CCAA National Championship All Tournament 2nd team.

Vanessa Wiebe, a 6'3" middle, hails from South Surrey where she attends Earl Marriot Secondary. No stranger to academics, Vanessa has accumulated a GPA of 3.8 during her high school years. She was MVP at the Princess Margaret Invitational volleyball tournament, and is the recipient of the 'Silver Wheel' athletic achievement award at Earl Marriot.

Vanessa also plays club volleyball for the under 18 Sea Side team in White Rock, which is ranked 18 our of 39 teams.

Jamie Lantz, a 5'11" libero, is from Cochrane, A.B., where she attends Bow Valley High School. An excellent academic student-athlete, Jamie played for the Alberta Volleyball Provincial Team in 2004 and was High School Athlete of the Year in 2005.

Thompson Rivers University is also excited to announce two more college transfer athletes from the Douglas College Royals of New Westminster. Both Lauren Stockstad and Jodi Blasco have committed to playing for the WolfPack for the 2006-2007 season.

Lauren Stockstad, a 5'11" middle, comes from Surrey where she attended North Surrey Secondary before playing three years at Douglas College. She is a 2006 BCCAA Provincial Tournament All-star and led the Royals in blocking by placing 2nd in the league in stuff blocks.

Jodi Blasco, a 6'1" right side player, and 3rd year Douglas transfer, comes from Vancouver, B.C. where she attended Killarney Secondary. Jodi was awarded as Douglas' 2006 Andy and Helen Andrews Academic Athlete of the Year.