For Immediate Release: Friday, March 5, 2010

Kamloops, BC—Three members of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s volleyball team have been bestowed with Canada West Athletic Association honors for 2009-10. Kevin Tillie (1st year, left side, Cagnes Sur Mer, France) has been named the Canada West Rookie of the year. Tillie and Gord Perrin (3rd year, outside hitter, Creston, BC) were chosen as All-Stars. Perrin to the first team and Tillie to the second team. Colin Carson (1st year, setter, Prince George, BC) was fourth in the Canada West Rookie balloting.

For Tillie: he becomes the third member of the WolfPack to win the Canada West Rookie of the Year following Perrin (2007-08) and Schoebel (2006-07).

“I think it is great for these three players to be recognized by the other coaches in Canada West,” says WolfPack head coach Pat Hennelly . “ I am not big on individual awards in a team sport, but it is nice to see their efforts getting recognized.”





Tillie’s first season in Canada West, and in North America for that matter was one to remember. A member of the French Junior National Team, Tillie saw a lot of floor time in his rookie campaign with the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack.

He was first in the Canada West in service aces (30 in 67 sets for an average of 0.45 per set). He wound up third kills (250 in 67 sets for an average of 3.73 per set) and was also third in points (250 kills, 30 service aces, 4 solo blocks and 34 block assists for 295 points and an average of 4.40 per game).

He was a first team all-star at the McDonalds International Men’s Volleyball Tournament in January.

Hennelly stated: “I have been pleasantly surprised by Kevin’s play. I knew coming in he would be a good player with his resume. Kevin has responded well to being a student athlete with a 3.6 G.P.A. in his first semester and his play has been getting stronger every month. Kevin has fit in very well with the team and has been a pleasure to coach. I am glad he has been honoured as the Canada west Rookie of the year and he has certainly earned it. “



“After suffering an ankle injury last summer, I wasn’t sure I would play very well,” said Tillie. “ This is a big honor. It wasn’t my goal to win an award, just to play well. “



Perrin was runner up for Canada West Player of the Year and named a First Team All-Star. He was second in the Canada West in Kills (309 in 66 sets for an average of 4.68) and Points (309 kills, 11 service aces, 13 solo blocks, 19 block assists for 342 points or an average of 5.18 per game).



“Gord has had a tremendous year, not only on the court but off of it as well,” Hennelly explains.”. He is developing into a leader in practice and in the weight room and he has taken his studies seriously this year. Gord has had some exceptional performances for us this year and early against UBC he was instrumental in leading our young team to a couple of road victories. He has been very good at not making errors and coming up with big plays at crucial times.”



Hennelly feels that Perrin’s appointment as one of the captains of the Junior National team this past summer was instrumental in his development: “I think this summer was a big stride forward for Gord, being named one of the captains on the junior national team and playing in a world championships has helped his development. Working with Chris Green the junior national team coach has helped Gord as a player and a person. “



Carson was fourth in balloting for Canada West Rookie of the Year. The first year setter from Prince George, BC led the league in assists (722 in 67 sets for an average of 10.78). “I think Colin Carson is a great story,” Hennelly explains. “Prince George kid gets a chance to start in his first year racks up 10 wins in the Canada west, leads the country in assists/game and does a good job blocking, serving and defensively. To handle the pressure and excel has been great to see. We have not ever had a setter lead Canada west in assists and Colin has our team hitting a high kill efficiency as well. “



“This is a nice honor, “ said Carson. “ I have to thank the guys for being so supportive. I didn’t think I was going to play as much as I did this year. I got thrown into a situation I wasn’t expecting and it worked out.”



Hennelly adds that Carson is ‘way ahead on the learning curve.” “It is very challenging for any first year player to play full time in our league,” he says. “Setting is the toughest because you have the physical demands of playing against older, stronger and more experienced players and the mental demands of running our offense. The setting position and middle position are the two most challenging and for Colin to have the year he had is exceptional.”



Both Tillie and Carson say that beating Brandon last weekend in the Canada West Quarterfinal has been their biggest highlight to date.





Carson and Tillie join Schoebel (2006-07), Perrin (2007-08) and Josh Boruck (2008-09) as being named to the Canada West All-Rookie team.



Tillie will now go against the top rookies from Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada for the CIS Rookie of the Year award, which will be announced March 10 th at the CIS All-Canadian banquet to be held at the TRU Grand Hall. Perrin will be vying for “All Canadian” status at the same event.”



“I don’t know who I am up against,” said Tillie. “It would be great to be able to win this award, but having the team do well is much more important.”



Here are the rest of the Canada West winners and All-Stars:



Following is a list of all individual award winners and All-Stars:



Awards



MVP: Paul Sanderson, Brandon



Rookie of the Year: Kevin Tillie, Thompson Rivers

Libero of the Year: Blair Bann, UBC

Dale Iwanoczko Award nominee: none

Coach of the Year: Russ Paddock, Brandon



All-Stars

First Team Second Team

Paul Sanderson, Brandon Mike DeRocco, Alberta

Gord Perrin, Thompson Rivers Blair Bann, UBC

Justin Duff, Winnipeg Ciaran McGovern, Calgary

Thomas Jarmoc, Alberta Dan Lother, Winnipeg

Oleg Podporin, Calgary Josh Doornenbal, Trinity Western

Steven Marshall, Trinity Western Kevin Tillie, Thompson Rivers



Major award winners are now finalists for national awards, to be handed out by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) at the Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., March 12-14.







Larry Read
Sports Information Officer
Thompson Rivers University
900 McGill Road, P.O. Box 3010
Kamloops, BC, Canada V2C 5N3
(250) 377-6117 (office)
(250) 371-5672 (fax)
lread@tru.ca
(250) 819-5255 (blackberry)