Queens going with new look
Although they have a solid nucleus of veterans in camp the two-time defending Alberta Colleges Women’s Volleyball League champion and national bronze medalist RDC Queens will have a bit of a new look this season.
Gone are three of the premier players in the country — setter Quinn Schulzke, left side hitter Katie Graves and right side Jessica Clutton.
Graves, who was an All-Canadian two years ago, was a first-team all-star at the Canadian championships last year while Schulzke and Clutton, who was an All-Canadian last season, were both on the second team.
Graves and Schulzke are attending the University of Saskatchewan with Clutton at the University of Alberta.
“They’ll definitely be hard to replace,” said Queens head coach Talbot Walton.
“If you look at the kids coming in we won’t be at the same level, but they have to learn and they will. As coaches we have to be patient.
“You get spoiled, but every team eventually loses players. It’s the way it is.”
Walton will also make changes in his systems.
“People will be surprised at the changes they see . . . we’ve revamped the whole team,” he said.
“Eventhough we have a lot of veterans we’re still young and we feel it’s an appropriate time to try some new things. A lot of the younger girls will be here two or three years and it will show down the road.”
The Queens should be solid in the middle and on the left side.
Fifth-year veteran Mandy Carroll and last year’s outstanding rookie Danielle Newton return in the middle along with Leanne Price.
Jaclyn Neufeld and Robyn Denney are back on the left side.
“We’ll likely be a bit middle and left side orientated,” added Walton, who has starting libero Tarah Truant back along with backup setter Megan Skory.
“We do have good experience to draw on and being the two-time defending champions may give us instant credibility. Maybe some of the other teams will be a little afraid of us.”
Skory will battle Notre Dame grad Kirsten Sorensen for the starting position this season.
Power hitter Makenzie Quinn is also from Notre Dame with libero Megan Brouwer and outside hitter Sydney Ponto from Lindsay Thurber.
Walton has 17 players in camp as the Queens prepare to host the Hokusho University women’s team from Hokkaido, Japan, this week.
“It will be tough facing them at this time of the season,” said Walton. “They’re tough at the best of times and we have to try to adapt to a style we won’t use or see this season. But this should help us develop who we are.
“They’ll teach us a lot about serving and serve receiving, which we can adapt into our system.”
The Japanese arrive today and will practice with the Queens and the Lindsay Thurber girls Wednesday at RDC.
Hokusho and the Queens along with Notre Dame clash Thursday, beginning at 5 p.m. at Notre Dame with the Queens and Hokusho meeting in a Goodwill exchange game Friday at 8 p.m. at RDC.
The Queens and Japanese will travel to Olds College Saturday with Hokusho facing the Olds Broncos at 6 p.m. and the Queens to follow.
The Kings University College, Lakeland College and the Queens will face Japan to finish their tour Sunday at 1 p.m. at RDC.
l The Queens will host the Wild Rose Classic tournament Oct. 1-3 . . . Schulzke and Graves hooked up to win the provincial U21 beach volleyball championship while Truant and Neufeld tied for seventh . . . Former Kings star, Mitch Irvine, who will attend the U of A, joined Jarron Mueller of Mount Royal, to win the men’s U21 title . . . Tanner Newfield of the Kings soccer team and Stephanie Tremblay of the Queens squad were named the Boston Pizza RDC male and female athletes of the week . . . The soccer teams visit SAIT Saturday and Mount Royal Sunday . . . The hockey Queens hosts Grant MacEwan Friday at 8:15 p.m. at the Arena . . . The RDC cross-country running team is at SAIT Saturday while the golf team will compete at the Southern Regionals in Lethbridge Sunday and Monday . . . The basketball Queens meet Augustana in Camrose Friday.
drode@reddeeradvocate.com
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