Volleyball | 5/9/2016 1:13:00 PM
WINNIPEG, MB. – Simon Fraser University volleyball star
Alison McKay has been chosen to the Canadian Senior National team following a national tryout camp in Winnipeg, MB.
The reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year earned a spot on the senior team after competing in a week-long camp featuring the top players from across Canada. McKay, who played for the National "B" team last summer, was among 27 players selected, and one of six girls from British Columbia.
"I am very excited, it means a lot to me," said McKay, a native of Port Moody, BC. "It's especially nice to see my hard work paying off."
The two starting liberos from the last cycle of the national program recently retired, creating opportunity on the senior team. McKay and two other liberos from last summer's national "B" team were elevated to the senior team. McKay will remain in Winnipeg training with the national program for the next two months and she will have the opportunity to compete for a traveling spot at competitions this summer. The national team will compete at the World Grand Prix in Poland & Czech Republic and the Pan Am Cup in the Dominican Republic this summer.
"We are very excited for Aly and the opportunity for her to train at an international level this summer," said Clan head coach
Gina Schmidt. "Through her hard work and dedication over the past three years, Aly has proven she is one of the best defensive players in the country. This experience will enable her to elevate her game to a whole new level which will, in turn, have a huge impact on our entire program."
McKay was voted GNAC Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring the Simon Fraser defense last season. She finished second in the GNAC and finished ranked ninth in NCAA Division II with an average of 6.09 digs per set. She paced a Clan defense that led the GNAC and was ranked 21st in Division II with 18.53 digs per set.
McKay finished with 30 or more digs six times, topped by a 42-dig performance in the season finale at Seattle Pacific on Nov. 21 that is the eighth best in GNAC history in a four-set match.
"I think making Canada's national team definitely shows how great my teammates and coaches are at SFU," continued McKay. "A lot of individuals have helped me improve my game to the point where I am now able to compete for Canada."
McKay has previously played on B.C. provincial teams and made the national program for the first time last summer. In 2014 she tried out for the national squad but did not make the team.
Mckay will be entering her senior season with the Clan in the fall.
THEPROVINCE.COM MCKAY PROFILE: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/10/08/cut-from-a-special-clan-cloth-sfu-volleyball-star-alison-mckay-makes-her-own-mark-on-the-hill/
Schmidt began re-building the program when she took over as head coach in 2013 after five years as the top assistant coach for the University of Montana Grizzlies. Now three seasons later the program has posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in over two decades. In 2015, Simon Fraser won six of its last seven games to finish with a 15-13 (.550) overall record and the team placed fifth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference with an 11-9 mark. In 2014 the team was 17-9 overall and 11-7 in the GNAC.
-- @SFUClan --
