Alicia Sawatzky will be joining the Briercrest women’s volleyball team for the 2016-17 season.

The Winkler, Manitoba native will be graduating from Northlands Parkway Collegiate (NPC) this June, where she has been attending since the school opened for her Grade 10 year.

“My Grade 9 year was at Garden Valley Collegiate (GVC) in Winkler,” she explained. “GVC was in the Winnipeg AAAA Division.  I was the only Grade 9 student to make both the volleyball and basketball senior teams.  I received the Rookie of the Year award while on the volleyball team and Biggest Heart Award on the basketball team.  I was also named Female JV Athlete of the Year at GVC.”
Her accolades continued at Northlands Parkway Collegiate.

“I received the Female Volleyball MVP award for both Grades 10 and 11,” she said. “I was also named Female MVP in Grade 10 Senior Basketball.  I received the Female Athlete of the Year Award in Grade 10 as well.”

Women’s volleyball head coach Nolan Weinmaster is excited to work with Alicia.

“I am really looking forward to working with Alicia!” Weinmaster said. “I have had the opportunity to see her grow and improve as a player over the past few club seasons and also at our summer volleyball camps. Al Yeo has done a great job helping her develop in the Aztec Club system and I can’t wait to continue to help her grow into a great player at the next level. I am excited about the size and strength Alicia brings at the net, her strong aggressive serve, and also her ability to serve receive. Alicia has been raised in a great family and she has exactly the type of character, work ethic and coachable attitude we are looking for in all of our recruits here at Briercrest!

Sawatzky has also excelled in the classroom, and in other high school sports.
“I have been on the academic honour roll in every year that I’ve been in high school,” she explained. “The name of my high school volleyball team is The Northlands Parkway Collegiate Nighthawks. Other sports I play are basketball, cross-country running and badminton.”

She has played a multiple of positions during her volleyball career.

“I started my volleyball career in Grade 7, playing regular season and club as a setter/right side,” she explained. “In Grade 9 (at Garden Valley Collegiate) I continued to play setter/right side for the senior team. Then in Grade 10 (at Northlands Parkway Collegiate) I switched to left side and have stayed there ever since.”
Sawatzky has also been able to gain experience at both the provincial and club level.

“Another accomplishment I had was to play for volleyball for Team Manitoba two years in a row,” she said. “My first year I was the starting Libero.  My second year I played left side.”
“My favorite moments every year continue to be at the National Championships for club volleyball,” she continued. “Every year they blow me away. It’s a great experience playing at the Calgary Oval against teams from all over Canada. This past year we won a bronze medal in our tier, which was a memorable moment.   I have also really enjoyed attending the Briercrest summer volleyball camps two years in a row.  I was named to the All-Star Team at the camp and was also awarded MVP.”
Her interests go beyond sports.

“I enjoy reading and watching movies in my spare time, as well as working out and going for runs,” Sawatzky explained.

Sawatzky is excited to experience what Briercrest has to offer.

“At Briercrest I plan to study Pre-nursing,” she explained. “The thing I am looking forward to the most at Briercrest would be getting to play the sport I love at such a high level of play and having the opportunity to study the word of God at the same time.”

“A favourite experience that I’ve had outside of volleyball is definitely going to Nicaragua for a mission trip a couple summers back. It was such an eye-opening experience and really strengthen my faith.”
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