Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – The height standard for the middle position at the Canada West women's volleyball level has climbed above six feet in recent seasons.
The MacEwan Griffins will certainly have more than a few players in 2021-22 who can match the towering presences they face on a nightly basis in the conference.
"You can see over the last two or three years, we're literally growing with the other teams (on size)," said Griffins head coach Ken Briggs. "We've always been a little undersized. In today's volleyball world, 6-feet or better is the (standard) for most of the teams we play against, where as we were always that few inches shorter.
"Now, we'll have probably 8-9 girls on the team who are 6-feet or better. It's been gradually building over the years as we develop more Canada West level athletes."
The latest two additions to that group are a pair of 6-foot-1 middles – Emma Brooks and Makenna Hogg – who form two-thirds of Briggs' 2021-22 recruiting class.
They will join third-year Dana Dunbar and fellow university first-year eligible student-athletes Sarah McGee and Lauren Tensen – members of the Griffins' last two recruiting classes who haven't yet played a Canada West match – in a competitive Griffins' middle group that's all 6-foot or taller.
Drayton Valley product Brooks is joining the Griffins out of the Pandas volleyball club where she has been carving a name out for herself after making Team Alberta.
"She has just burst on the scene the last couple of years," said Briggs. "Little was known about her, being from a small town, and then she made the provincial team in the summer of 2019. I was at the competition travelling with Team Alberta as a mentor and got to watch her compete.
"She's got a lot of upside. She's got huge potential for growth here. Physically, she's very strong. We're pretty excited about her."
Makenna Hogg has been rehabbing shoulder injuries in recent seasons and will get a shot with the Griffins to get back to the top level.
Hogg also falls under category of great potential, although recent injuries have kept her off the volleyball court for more than two years.
"She has not played volleyball since early Grade 10," noted Briggs. "She had two shoulder surgeries and has not played in basically three years, so she is tenacious.
"She's rehabbed her heart out the last year and a half. Our big challenge is 'can you play volleyball at this level ?' But she's such an athlete, has such a good background and is a great person. We want to give her that chance."
Hogg is the younger sister of former University of Calgary and University of Alberta women's volleyball player Shauntelle Hogg and has been working hard with strength/conditioning and technical coaches to get back to her top level.
"Everyone's given her a thumb's up and now she's got to prove she can play," said Briggs, who has seen her working her way back in training. "She's not hammering the ball yet, but her strength is growing and her swing improves weekly, she's smart, she's high above the net. We're excited to give her a chance."
The Griffins women's volleyball team will be back in action on Aug. 23 working a camp in Sherwood Park and training together every night. They officially hit the court for regular practices on Aug. 31 at the Christenson Centre for Sport and Wellness.
