Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Size isn't something that can be coached, so when a 6-foot-2 prospect from small-town Manitoba reached out to him in late March, Griffins women's volleyball head coach Chris Wandler was immediately intrigued.
"I wasn't really looking to add anybody, but if the right person came along, we'd find a spot," he said of his already strong recruiting class. "At 6-foot-2, you can't look the other way."
As a result, Anika Buys will move from her Manitoba hometown of Niverville to downtown Edmonton to join the Griffins in 2024-25.
She'll enter her rookie U SPORTS season as a versatile development prospect, who can play either middle blocker or outside.
"She has experience at both positions, which was the really intriguing piece to me," said Wandler. "I'm not sure where she's going to fit in roster-wise. She could be one of those hybrid players who plays a couple different positions."
There will be no pressure for Buys to play big minutes right away as the Griffins have a strong returning veteran core that's fresh off a Canada West playoff berth and gunning to climb even further up the standings.
"There's no rush for her to get into the roster, so it's more so about the next few years for her," said Wandler, who has seven returning players from last year who are 6-foot or taller.
Still, more size is always a good thing at the Canada West level, where net-front battles are fought tooth and nail.
"We're looking to become a little bit more physical, for sure," said Wandler. "That's one of the big parts of my recruitment process.
"Obviously, you need to have the IQ, awareness and basic skills, but we also need to get a little more physical at the Canada West level."
Buys has all the potential to help them out in that area. After her high school season with the Niverville Panthers wrapped up with a provincials appearance in December, she has been playing club with the Winnipeg-based Cobras.
She recently led the Cobras to a second-place finish at the Manitoba provincial club championship and was named to the all-star team.
