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Leni Blanke
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Women's Volleyball U SPORTS Communications

Blanke named to national all-rookie team

Langley, B.C – University of Calgary Dinos women's volleyball rookie Leni Blanke has been named to the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team, announced Wednesday night at the All-Canadian Gala.

Blanke made an early impression in her first collegiate season, paving the way for a spot in the team's starting lineup. One of just eight players to appear in all 23 regular-season and playoff matches, the six-foot-one outside hitter finished second on the Dinos in both kills (137) and kills-per-set (2.01) while posting a .195 hitting percentage. She also recorded 101 digs, 37 total blocks and 13 service aces during the regular season.

It marks the second straight season a Dinos player has been named to the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team, following Sophia Hansen last year. Blanke becomes the 10th player in program history to earn national all-rookie honours.

At the All-Canadian Gala, Alberta Pandas outside hitter Abby Guezen was named the Mary Lyons Award winner as U SPORTS women's volleyball Player of the Year. Montreal outside hitter Eva Génier earned the Mark Tennant Award as Rookie of the Year, while McMaster outside hitter Abby Delamere received the Thérèse Quigley Award for Student-Athlete Community Service. UNB head coach Lauren Hale-Miller was named Fox 40 Coach of the Year, receiving the Marilyn Pomfret Award.

2026 U SPORTS WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL AWARD WINNERS & ALL-CANADIANS
 
MARY LYONS AWARD (Player of the Year): Abby Guezen, Alberta
MARK TENNANT AWARD (Rookie of the Year): Eva Génier, Montreal
THÉRÈSE QUIGLEY AWARD (Student-Athlete Community Service): Abby Delamere, McMaster
MARILYN POMFRET AWARD (Fox 40 Coach of the Year): Lauren Hale-Miller, UNB

First Team All-Canadians
 
Pos. First Name Last Name University Year Hometown Program
OH Abby Guezen Alberta 3 Sherwood Park, Alta. Kinesiology,
Sport & Rec
LS Raya Surinx Manitoba 4 Winnipeg, Man. Science
OH Lucy Borowski UBC 5 Vancouver, B.C. Kinesiology
OH Oceane Raymond-Leduc Nipissing 4 Ottawa, Ont. Education
OH Béatrice Dubreuil Sherbrooke 2 Candiac, Que. Law
OH Justine Raymond Laval 5 Victoriaville, Que. Psychopedagogy (Masters)
LS Emilia Mikanovich Saint Mary's 4 Minsk, Belarus Biology

Second Team All-Canadians
 
Pos. First Name Last Name University Year Hometown Program
OH Maryn Boldon Trinity Western 4 Okotoks, Alta. Human Kinetics
MB Kaylee Plouffe Trinity Western 5 Sherwood Park, Alta. Human Kinetics
S Justine Kolody Alberta 5 Winnipeg, Man. Education
OH Olivia Julien McMaster 3 Toronto, Ont. Life Sciences
OH Audrey Odigie Ottawa 4 Brampton, Ont. Finance
OH Lydia Green UNB 5 Bedford, N.S. Science
S Talia Nixon UNB 3 Fredericton, N.B. Arts

All-Rookie Team
 
Pos. First Name Last Name University Hometown Program
MB Naomie McWhinney Memorial Chelsea, Que. Humanities &
Social Sciences
OH Eva Génier Montreal Ottawa, Ont. Preparatory Year
S Marina Gustke Toronto Montreal, Que. Psychology
OH Toni Wilson Western Oakville, Ont. Information & Media Studies
S Julia Martens Manitoba Winnipeg, Man. Science
MB/OH Leni Blanke Calgary Calgary, Alta. Arts
MB Ali Rathlef UBC Okanagan Vancouver, B.C. Sustainability
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Players Mentioned

Sophia Hansen

#2 Sophia Hansen

OH
6' 2"
2nd
Leni Blanke

#1 Leni Blanke

M/OH
6' 1"
1st

Players Mentioned

Sophia Hansen

#2 Sophia Hansen

6' 2"
2nd
OH
Leni Blanke

#1 Leni Blanke

6' 1"
1st
M/OH