For the second year in a row, the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s volleyball team has gone to Kelowna, BC  for a recruit.  Head coach Keith Lundgren and the WolfPack are pleased to announce that Tori Taneda of Kelowna Secondary School has signed a letter of intent to attend Thompson Rivers starting in September of 2013. She is the first recruit for women’s volleyball for the 2013-14 campaign.  [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="452"] Tori Taneda is the first WolfPack women's volleyball recruit for 2013-14 (photo submitted)[/caption]   The 5’8” Taneda played setter, power and right side with her Kelowna Golden Owls club and “AAAA” KSS Owls senior team—both of whom finished fifth in the province in 2012.   [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="333"] WolfPack head coach Keith Lundgren (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] “She is coming in as a setter,” says Lundgren. “ She is very athletic and very driven. What we liked about her is that she is so competitive.  To see that out of high school is rare.” Lundgren not only scouted her in league play but brought her in for a visit in the last couple of months.  “ She has great hands and balance. We were really impressed with her right away. She is really keen in playing post secondary.  We are very excited about having her come in.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] WolfPack head coach Keith Lundgren in a time out (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] Lundgren says her visit with the rest of the team while she checked out TRU was outstanding. “ I was very impressed. You never know how those (the visits) are going to go. “ Taneda plans to take courses with an eye to a Bachelor of Science.  She would eventually like to be a doctor in Naturopathic medicine.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="392"] Taneda in her Kelowna Owl high school uniform (photo submitted)[/caption] “It (TRU) has the academic program (pre-naturopathic sciences) that I need, it’s close to home and after watching a couple of matches, I knew I could play in this league and help this team grow.” She said adding that she had a good feeling about the athletic program, especially the coaches. Taneda was being courted by University of the Fraser Valley (PACWEST),interest from  Simon Fraser (NCAA Division II) . As well, she was looking at schools in Oregon, Washington, Montana and North Dakota. She is looking forward to being part of a program on the rise. “ The rebuilding program is what attracted me the most. The reason being is that I have played multiple positions out of circumstance the last two years as team members were badly injured or quit.   I was the ‘go to girl’ because I was the only one who could play three different positions.  I would do anything for my team.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] Taneda with the kill (photo submitted)[/caption] She pointed to simple warm ups with her Kelowna high school team.  “ I would start off setting for right side, partway through, go hit two balls as a power and two from the right side, then finish with setting power. I never knew what I was going to play and my position would switch on the court mid serve on command from my coach.  I love being diverse but I would really like to concentrate now on getting great at one position.  I view myself as a setter and am willing and want to do the work to be not only a better player but help the team achieve success as well.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="333"] Katie Woo (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] Lundgren says Taneda will battle current setter Katie Woo (1^st year, Surrey, BC) for playing time.  “ Robin(Smith, first year, Kamloops, BC) came in as a setter but is now our libero.  For the last three years we have had only one setter. It will be great to have two as the second phase of our rebuilding begins.  There will be a great competition between the two.” Ironically, Taneda played against Woo numerous times during the 2011-12 BC “AAAA” high school season. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="333"] Hillary Schell played alongside Taneda in high school (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] Current WolfPack rookie Hillary Schell (outside hitter, Kelowna, BC)  played high school with Taneda and is very excited about being reunited. “ Tori is one of the hardest working girls I have ever been on a team with,” she says. “ You can just see how much she loves volleyball. On our high school team last year (2011-12) she was like a little sister to me. I am so proud off her and I know she will fit in perfectly with our team.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] Schell and Woo listen to Lundgren in time out (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] “I talked to Hillary and her mom when I came to watch TRU,” Taneda stated.  “ They both loved it and it seems like right fit for me.” The WolfPack will be announcing more signings in the coming weeks.   SIDE OUTS:  Taneda played club volleyball for Dennis Tetreau with the Kelowna Volleyball club two years ago.  “ When Tori played for me, she was one of the hardest working and committed players I have seen,” he says. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] Women's volleyball at Toys 4 Kids 2012 (photo submitted)[/caption] Taneda is looking forward to partaking in the WolfPack’s many community initiatives: “ I think community work is important, “ she says.  “Giving back to supporters, letting us be role models for younger children and it’s a great way to team build. I am very excited about that.” She excels at different sports: She went to the 2012 BC Summer games in Beach volleyball, was a member of Karate BC for 2009-10, played junior field hockey and basketball in high school and holds track and field records in Javelin, Discus and High Jump . Her mother and father (Kari and Phil) are world champions in Karate and her sister Sharay trained for the 2010 Winter Olympics in pairs figure skating. She had her career cut short  due to a shoulder injury. Her other sister Makiko is a national gold medalist as part of Team BC Field Hockey.