CALGARY - Rod Durrant's rebuilding program with the University of Calgary men's volleyball team took a giant step forward in 2007-08 with the team's return to the playoffs following a four-year absence and a respectable 8-10 record. But for a couple of bounces and a blown lead, the Dinos came ever so close to hosting a playoff series.
The chance to be part of a team on the rise is attractive to athletes, and Durrant has reaped the recruiting benefits thereof. Setter Ciaran McGovern and middle Graham Vigrass both had outstanding freshmen seasons last year, with McGovern earning a spot on the CIS all-rookie team. Both spent the summer with the national junior team, which won silver at the NORCECA championships in El Salvador, and both will return with that experience pushing them to higher levels of play in 2008-09.
Seven players on the roster are in their fourth year this season, led by left side and captain Andrew Tallas – a former national champion in the college ranks with Red Deer. Oleg Podporin is back and will be a force in the middle, complementing Vigrass' play, while returning conference all-star Omar Langford will continue to jump out of the gym on the right side.
Durrant added significant experience in the off-season to complement his returnees, and the Dinos should be better for it.
“I feel we have improved substantially,” he said. “We have more depth throughout the lineup; we filled in holes.”
Though seven new faces will suit up for the Dinos this season, there will be just one player in his first year of eligibility.
That player would be Chris Hoag, a CCAA All-Canadian and MVP of the Quebec college league last season. Because he attended Cégep in Quebec, he was not charged with CIS eligibility and therefore joins the Dinos as a first year player. Hoag is the son of Canadian national team head coach Glenn Hoag and had the choice to go virtually anywhere in the country, settling on Calgary.
“Chris joins us with tremendous volleyball experience,” said Durrant. “He is a 6'4” left side player who is very dynamic and has fantastic volleyball sense. We think Chris is a great fit for our program and system and we are truly excited to have him in a Dinos uniform.”
Hoag is joined by fellow college All-Canadian Allen Meek of the national champion Mount Royal Cougars. Meek was the ACAC player of the year last season and earned championship MVP honours when the Cougars won their collegiate title in Toronto. Meek will join Langford on the right side.
Joining Meek in the transfer up Crowchild Trail are middle Pat Lenaour and setter-turned-libero Tom Porta, while Aaron Cyr (Medicine Hat), Blake Giles (College of the Rockies), and Curtis James (MacEwan) round out the recruiting class.
The Dinos have showed well in non-conference play, posting an 8-3 record with losses coming to Brandon, defending national champion Alberta, and NCAA powerhouse UCLA. A three-game sweep of Thompson Rivers, the CIS bronze medalist last season, in the B.C. interior late last month, set up an impressive pre-season for a much-improved Calgary team.
This play was noticed across the country, with the Dinos earning the No. 4 spot in the preseason CIS Top 10. It's the program's first appearance in the national rankings since Feb. 16, 2005, and the highest the Dinos have been since reaching No. 4 on Nov. 16, 2004.
The Dinos open the Canada West season at home this weekend when the Saskatchewan Huskies come calling, with matches starting at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights in the Jack Simpson Gym.
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