CIS men’s volleyball: Brandon’s Sanderson named player of the year

KAMLOOPS, B.C. (CIS) – Fourth-year Brandon left side hitter Paul Sanderson was named the CIS player of the year in men’s volleyball, Wednesday night.
 
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Sanderson became the first CIS major award winner in the short history of the Bobcats, who joined the league in 2005-06. He is also the 12th consecutive MVP from a team currently competing in the Canada West conference.
 
Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball
 
Other award winners announced at the All-Canadian Banquet in Kamloops, B.C. were Thompson Rivers’ Kevin Tillie of Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, who was chosen rookie of the year, UBC’s Blair Bann of Edmonton, named the nation’s top libero for the second time in three years, Laval’s Pascal Clément, who earned coach-of-the-year honours for the third time, as well as Montreal’s Emmanuel André-Morin of Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, Que., who received the Dale Iwanoczko award recognizing his excellence in volleyball, academics and community involvement.
 
The 2010 CIS championship gets underway Friday at Thompson Rivers University with the quarter-final match-ups, and concludes Sunday at 6 p.m. Pacific Time with the gold-medal final. SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all main-bracket duels.
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Paul Sanderson, Brandon
 
Sanderson, who played one season at Newman University in the United States before joining the Bobcats in 2007-08, completed his three-year career at Brandon with a third straight selection as an all-Canadian, including back-to-back first-team nods. The 24-year-old helped the ‘Cats claim CIS bronze a year ago in only their fourth campaign in the league.
 
This season, the 6-foot-5 physical education student led the nation in both kills (5.18) and points (5.9) per set, as well as total kills (368) and points (416.5). He also tied for the Canada West lead with 30 services aces. His stellar play helped the Bobcats remain in the national Top 10 all season and post a 12-6 conference record, good for third place in the ultra-competitive CWUAA.
 
Sanderson, who represented Australia at the 2003 junior world championship, is a member of the Australian national team and plans to play at the professional level next year.
 
“Paul was the Bobcats’ most prolific scorer and, in my mind, the most dominant attacker in the Canada West conference this past decade,” said Brandon head coach Russ Paddock.
 
Dalhousie outside hitter Sander Ratsep of London, Ont., Laval outside Karl De Granpré of Pierreville, Que., and Western Ontario left side Eric Simon, also of London, were the other nominees for CIS MVP. 
 
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Kevin Tillie, Thompson Rivers
 
Tillie is the first WolfPack player to receive a national award since Thompson Rivers joined CIS in men’s volleyball in 2005-06.
 
The 6-foot-5 outside hitter had an immediate impact in his university debut finishing third in Canada West in both kills (3.73) and points (4.4) per set, totals that were good enough for seventh and ninth place in the nation, respectively. The 19-year-old arts student, who came to Thompson Rivers from Lycee Mermoz in his native Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, also tied for the conference lead with 30 service aces as the WolfPack, who host this weekend’s CIS championship, finished with a 10-8 league record. Tillie’s performances earned him a spot on the Canada West second all-star team.
 
Tillie, who also played basketball for seven years, was part of the gold medal-winning French team at the 2008 junior European championship, and led his club to a second-place finish at the 2007 France national youth championship. His father, Laurent, is a professional volleyball coach and a former player in France, while his mother, Caroline, is a former captain of the Dutch national team. His brother, Kim, plays basketball at the University of Utah in the NCAA.
 
 “I have been pleasantly surprised by Kevin’s play,” said TRU head coach Pat Hennelly. “I knew coming in he would be a good player with his resume. He has responded well to being a student-athlete in Canada with a 3.6 GPA 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.”
 
Memorial middle Nathan Tilley of St. John’s, Laval outside Frédéric Mondou of Verchères, Que., and Western middle Phil James of Ottawa were also in the running for top-rookie honours.
 
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Blair Bann, UBC
 
Bann was named the top libero in CIS for the second time in three years, after picking up the award for a third straight campaign at the conference level.
 
This season, the fourth-year human kinetics student led Canada West with 3.76 digs per set, averaging 1.04 more than the next best player, and 252 total digs, 64 more than his closest rival. Those numbers were good enough to rank him first in the nation in both categories. The 22-year-old, a member of the CIS all-rookie team back in 2006-07, was also recognized for the second consecutive season by the league coaches with a spot on the Canada West second all-star team, an outstanding accomplishment for a libero.
 
“Blair has been our most consistent performer throughout the entire season, leading our team and conference in passing and digging statistics,” said UBC head coach Richard Schick. “The passion, energy and dedication he brings to the game is an example of what it takes to become and succeed as an elite athlete. The recognition is well deserved and his teammates and I are extremely proud of him.”
 
Dalhousie’s Travis MacLean of Ottawa, McGill’s Jeff Porter of Toronto and Guelph’s Gabriel DeGroot of Langley, Ont., were the other nominees for libero of the year.
 
COACH OF THE YEAR, presented by Coaches of Canada: Pascal Clément, Laval
 
Clément was named CIS coach of the year for the third time (2010, 2001, 1994), ranking him third on the all-time list behind Alberta’s Terry Danyluk and Manitoba’s Garth Pischke, who have both been honoured on five occasions. Now in his 18th campaign at the helm of the Rouge et Or, the native of the French archipelago of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon is a 15-time QSSF coach of the year.
 
This season, the Rouge et Or posted a perfect conference record (18-0) for the second straight year, part of a stellar 27-2 overall record against CIS opponents. The Quebec City powerhouse, which swept Montreal 3-0 and 3-0 in the best-of-three QSSF final, topped the last eight national coaches’ polls of the campaign, after opening at No. 3. Laval is seeded first going into this week’s CIS championship, a year after reaching the national final for the first time in seven seasons. 
 
Clément has guided the Rouge et Or to the QSSF final in each of his 18 seasons at the helm, claiming 15 Quebec titles. He led his troops to a CIS title in his second campaign in 1993-94 and has since added four CIS silver medals and one bronze.
 
Clément has been involved with the national team program for a number of years. He led Canada to fifth place at the 1999 junior world championship and was head coach of the Canadian entry at the Summer Universiade in 2001 (China) and 1999 (Spain). Prior to joining Laval, he was a two-time Canadian college coach of the year with Limoilou College.
 
Dalhousie’s Dan Ota, Windsor’s Huub Kemmere and Brandon’s Russ Paddock were also up for CIS coach-of-the-year honours.
 
DALE IWANOCZKO AWARD (outstanding student-athlete – community service): Emmanuel André-Morin, Montreal
 
André-Morin became the first Montreal recipient of the Dale Iwanoczko award.
 
On the court, the 6-foot-3 power hitter was named a second-team all-Canadian in 2009-2010, marking his fourth CIS all-star selection in as many seasons with the Carabins, including a pair of first-team nods. The CIS rookie of the year in 2006-07 and a two-time QSSF MVP, the 22-year-old team captain finished fourth in the nation with 4.11 kills per set this year as he led Montreal to the Quebec final and an appearance at the CIS championship.
 
In the classroom, André-Morin graduated in public accounting a year ago with a remarkable 4.1 grade point average (out of a possible 4.3). Honoured as a CIS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian for 2008-09, he is currently completing a DESS (masters) in public accounting.
 
In the community, André-Morin has been mostly involved with two organizations over the last two years. Through the University’s SEUR Project, he accompanies a student during his last year of high school, emphasizing on the importance of a good education. He also volunteers with La Clinique d’impôts, an organization that allows students from UdeM to gain experience by filling tax return statements for low-income residents of Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges district.
 
“Emmanuel is what every student-athlete should aspire to be,” said Carabins head coach Georges Laplante. “He excels in every aspects of his life and is a role model for everyone who knows him, including myself. It is amazing to see how well organized he is and you can always count on him. If every athlete were like him, coaching would be very easy”.
 
UNB’s Jacob Kilpatrick of Saint John and Waterloo’s Aaron Dam of Grimsby, Ont., were also finalists for the Dale Iwanoczko award.
 
ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS
 
The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Wednesday.
 
Joining Sanderson on the first unit were conference most valuable players Ratsep (AUS), De Granpré (QSSF) and Simon (OUA West), as well as Laval outside Frédéric Desbiens of La Malbaie, Que., Winnipeg middle Justin Duff of Winnipeg, and Thompson Rivers left side Gord Perrin of Creston, B.C.
 
Ratsep is the only returning member from last year’s first squad. Simon was a second-team all-Canadian a year ago, while De Granpré was the CIS rookie of the year in 2007-08.
 
In addition to André-Morin, the second dream team for 2009-10 is comprised of Dalhousie middle Max Burt of Gander, Nfld., Alberta left side Thomas Jarmoc of Calgary, Toronto left side Steven Kung of Toronto, McMaster outside Jeremy Groenveld of Welland, Ont., Calgary middle Oleg Podporin of Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Queen’s outside Joren Zeeman of Cambridge, Ont.
 
Burt, Groenveld and Zeeman all return from last year’s second squad, while Kung wrapped up his university career with a third straight all-Canadian selection following a first-team nod last season and a spot on the second unit in 2007-08.
 
Joining Tillie, Tilley, Mondou and James on this season’s CIS all-rookie team were Saskatchewan right side Matt Busse of Outlook, Sask., Waterloo outside Alexander Poldma of Toronto, as well as Winnipeg opposite Matthew Schriemer of Winnipeg.
 
2009-2010 CIS MEN'S VOLLEYBALL AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
 
Player of the year: Paul Sanderson, Brandon
Rookie of the year: Kevin Tillie, Thompson Rivers
Libero of the year: Blair Bann, UBC
Coach of the year, presented by Coaches of Canada: Pascal Clément, Laval
Dale Iwanoczko Award (outstanding student-athlete – community service): Emmanuel André-Morin, Montreal

First Team

Position - Athlete - University - Year - Hometown - Faculty

Outside Karl De Granpré Laval 3 Pierreville, Que. Statistics
Outside Frédéric Desbiens Laval 4 La Malbaie, Que. Physical Education
Middle Justin Duff Winnipeg 4 Winnipeg, Man. Education
Left Side Gord Perrin Thompson Rivers 3 Creston, B.C. Arts
Outside Sander Ratsep Dalhousie 4 London, Ont. Economics
Left Side Paul Sanderson Brandon 4 Melbourne, Australia BPES
Left Side Eric Simon Western 5 London, Ont. Engineering

Second Team

Outside Emmanuel André-Morin Montreal 4 Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, Que. Accounting
Middle Max Burt Dalbousie 4 Gander, Nfld. Kinesiology
Left Side Thomas Jarmoc Alberta 5 Calgary, Alta. Physical Education & Recreation
Left Side Steven Kung Toronto 5 Toronto, Ont. OISE
Outside Jeremy Groenveld McMaster 4 Welland, Ont. Geography
Middle Oleg Podporin Calgary 5 Almaty, KZ Social Sciences
Outside Joren Zeeman Queen's 3 Cambridge, Ont. Physical and Health Education

All-Rookie Team

Right Side Matt Busse Saskatchewan 1 Outlook, Sask. Kinesiology
Middle Phil James Western 1 Ottawa, Ont. Arts
Outside Frédéric Mondou Laval 1 Verchères, Que. Open Studies
Outside Alexander Poldma Waterloo 1 Toronto, Ont. Mechanical Engineering
Opposite Matthew Schriemer Winnipeg 1 Winnipeg, Man. Arts
Middle Nathan Tilley Memorial 1 St. John's, Nfld. Engineering
Left Side Kevin Tillie Thompson Rivers 1 Cagnes-sur-Mer, France Arts

-CIS-