Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – By the time Chris Wandler was hired as the new head coach of the MacEwan women's volleyball team last spring, it was too late to recruit a 6-foot-3 Grande Prairie athlete that he knew would be a difference-maker for the Griffins.
Middle blocker Evangeline Zeyha had already committed to her hometown institution – Northwestern Polytechnic – for the 2023-24 season.
But after a massive campaign, which included being named ACAC North Rookie of the Year and the Wolves' Female Athlete of the Year, Zeyha will join the Griffins after all – transferring to MacEwan to kickstart her Canada West journey in 2024-25.
"We wanted her last year coming in as a rookie, but she had already committed to Northwest Polytech by the time I got hired," said Wandler. "I kept an eye on her while she was playing, and she decided to transfer over.
"She has a big jump. She jumps and touches over 10 feet. She's really physical. She's going to be a difference-maker."
Zeyha, who is entering MacEwan's Communications Studies program, will join her Wolves teammate and previously-announced recruit Katie Nashim on the Griffins.
"They're good friends and obviously spent a lot of time on the court with one another, so there's some familiarity, and it won't be so awkward coming into the dressing room later in August," said Wandler. "So, that's definitely a bonus."
Zeyha finished the 2023-24 ACAC season with 118 kills, 32 solo blocks and 21 service aces in 64 sets over 17 matches for the Wolves last season. She figures to be a turn-key addition to a Griffins team that lost veteran starting middle Sarah McGee to graduation.
"Evangeline's one of the very few kids in (the ACAC) who can play at the U SPORTS level," said Wandler. "It was kind of a no-brainer that she should be coming this way."
Prior to playing for the Wolves, Zeyha led her high school St. John Paul II to a 3A provincial championship and was also a member of Team Alberta North's gold medal-winning team at the Arctic Winter Games.
"Just a physical presence," said Wandler in describing what she brings to the court. "Evangeline jumps nice and high, blocks nice and high. I expect her to be a physical force at the net. She serves the ball pretty decently and is a really good athlete.
"The speed of the game won't be mind blowing because she was playing all the time up in Grande Prairie."
