For the second year in a row, a member of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack has been named to the CIS men’s volleyball all-star team. Outside hitter Kevin Tillie (2
nd year, Cagnes Sur Mer, France) has been selected as a second team All-Canadian in CIS men’s volleyball.
Tillie was second in the CIS in kills (300), kills per game (4.41 per game average), and points (332). He was third in the nation in points per game (4.88 per game average).
Says head coach Pat Hennelly: “Kevin Tillie had a great season for the WolfPack this year and was truly a star in the Canada West league. He has one of the most complete skill packages in the game, excellent passer and defender, great attacker and server. Kevin plays with intensity and is a solid teammate, Captain and nice person. Kevin leads by example every day in practice and in the weight room and is one of the hardest workers on our team. It has been a pleasure to coach Kevin and he has been the main reason for our nine wins this season and has led our team into the post season. “
Tillie follows in the footsteps of Gord Perrin, who was a first team CIS All-Canadian last season.
The announcement was made at the CIS Championship opening banquet being hosted by Trinity Western University. There were a number of other announcements.
Fourth-year University of Calgary middle Graham Vigrass was named the CIS player of the year.
Vigrass became the first Dino to claim the award since 2002 and the 13th consecutive winner from Canada West. The honour came one year after the Calgary native's tournament-MVP performance at the 2010 CIS championship, when he led the Dinos to their first national title in 17 years.
Other CIS major award winners announced during the All-Canadian Banquet held at the Langley Events Centre were Western Ontario left side Garrett May of Toronto, who was chosen rookie of the year; UBC's Blair Bann of Edmonton, named the nation's top libero for the third time in four years; UNB's Dan McMorran, who earned coach-of-the-year honours; as well as UNB's Jacob Kilpatrick of Saint John, who received the Dale Iwanoczko Award recognizing his excellence in volleyball, academics and community involvement.
ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS
The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Wednesday.
Joining Vigrass on the first unit were conference most valuable players Kilpatrick (AUS), De Granpré (RSEQ) and Williamson (OUA), as well as Alberta setter Tanner Nault of Sherwood Park, Alta., Guelph left side Winston Rosser of Whitby, Ont., and Brandon left side Paul Sanderson of Melbourne, Australia.
Sanderson, the CIS MVP a year ago, was named an all-Canadian for the fourth straight season, including first-team nods each of the past three years. De Granpré, who was the CIS rookie of the year back in 2007-08, is the only other returnee from last year's first squad and is now a three-time CIS all-star, including a pair of first-team selections.
The second dream team for 2010-11 is comprised of Laval setter Justin Boudreault of Dolbeau, Que., Sherbrooke middle Pierre-Marc Lussier of Fleurimont, Que., Western Ontario right side Matt Poulin of Shanty Bay, Ont., Dalhousie outside Sander Ratsep of London, Ont., Thompson Rivers left side Kevin Tillie of Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, Trinity Western middle Rudy Verhoeff of Calgary, and Queen's outside Joren Zeeman of Cambridge, Ont.
Zeeman was selected to the second CIS unit for the third consecutive season, while Ratsep had been a first-team all-Canadian each of the past two years.
Joining May on the season's all-rookie team are conference top freshmen Bibeault-Pinard (RSEQ) and Komishon (Canada West), as well as UBC left side Ben Chow of Surrey, B.C., Trinity Western left side Nicholas Del Bianco of Langley, B.C., Waterloo outside Fiodar Kazhamiaka of Waterloo, Ont., and McMaster outside Jori Mantha of Vanier, Ont.
2010-2011 CIS MEN'S VOLLEYBALL AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
Player of the year: Graham Vigrass, Calgary
Rookie of the year: Garrett May, Western Ontario
Libero of the year: Blair Bann, UBC
Coach of the year, presented by Coaches of Canada: Dan McMorran, UNB
Dale Iwanoczko Award (outstanding student-athlete - community service): Jacob Kilpatrick, UNB
First Team
Position Athlete University Year Hometown Faculty
Outside Karl De Granpré Laval 4 Pierreville, Que. Statistics
Middle Jacob Kilpatrick UNB 5 Saint John, N.B. BTME
Setter Tanner Nault Alberta 5 Sherwood Park, Alta. Education
Left Side Winston Rosser Guelph 3 Whitby, Ont. Psychology
Left Side Paul Sanderson Brandon 5 Melbourne, Aus. Education
Middle Graham Vigrass Calgary 4 Calgary, Alta. Science
Outside Kyle Williamson Windsor 3 Essex, Ont. Psychology
Second Team
Setter Justin Boudreault Laval 3 Dolbeau, Que. PE & Health
Middle Pierre-Marc Lussier Sherbrooke 5 Fleurimont, Que. Ms. Admin.
Right Side Matt Poulin Western 3 Shanty Bay, Ont. Social Sciences
Outside Sander Ratsep Dalhousie 5 London, Ont. Economics
Left Side Kevin Tillie Thompson Rivers2 Cagnes-sur-Mer, Fr. Arts
Middle Rudy Verhoeff Trinity Western4 Calgary, Alta. Religious St.
Outside Joren Zeeman Queen's 4 Cambridge, Ont. P&H Education
All-Rookie Team
Middle Olivier Bibeault-Pinard Laval 1 L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que. Civil Eng.
Left Side Ben Chow UBC 1 Surrey, B.C. Human Kinetics
Left Side Nicholas Del Bianco Trinity Western1 Langley, B.C. Human Kinetics
Outside Fiodar Kazhamiaka Waterloo 1 Waterloo, Ont. Computer Sc.
Setter Chris Komishon Manitoba 1 Winnipeg, Man. University 1
Outside Jori Mantha McMaster 1 Vanier, Ont. Social Sciences
Left Side Garrett May Western 1 Toronto, Ont. BMOS
(With help from CIS Sports Information)
