| March 3, 2010: The Keyano College Huskies men’s and women’s volleyball programs have provided a stepping stone for several athletes.
The 2008-2009 Canadian College Athletic Association (CCAA) Male Player of the Year Alwyn Piche now wears the university uniform of the Saskatchewan Huskies.
Two other former Huskies, Robyn Denney and Keegan Kuhr (see Men's Volleyball News) are now off to the CCAA women’s and men’s volleyball championships respectively.
Robyn Denney is heading east to Gatineau, Quebec for the CCAA women’s championships March 12-14 with the Red Deer College Queens. The Queens captured the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) banner recently with a 25-17, 25-11, 25-21 decision against Edmonton’s Grant MacEwan Griffins.
Denney, a graduate of Westwood Community High School Trojans program, is not only a champion on the court but off of it as well.
“This year at college has been great, my GPA was 3.9,” said Denney, who’s younger sister Desiree was a first-year libero for the Keyano Huskies. “Some of the highlights were having a 19-1 record this year, winning provincials and now going to nationals.”
Denney, who also has an older sister Nicole who played high school volleyball for the Trojans, realized the shift south to Red Deer for 2009-2010 would mean less playing time.
“This year I didn’t get to play all that much. I was a rookie on the team and had to wait my turn behind three really great left side players. I knew that coming in,” stated the 5-foot-9 Denney. “Next year I’ll have a lot more playing time. I have learned a lot playing with my team mates, especially Katie Graves who was All Canadian last year as well as Jessica Clutton who is All Canadian this year.”
Of her first trip to nationals, Denney replied: “Going to nationals, wow, it’s an amazing feeling. I can’t even explain how happy I am."
Denney also credits the Huskies volleyball program for “improving her game.”
“Coming out of high school I was not the strongest player,” admits Denney. “I was middle in high school and switched to left side in my first year of college. Playing for Melissa (Laluk) really improved my defence as well as my attacking. She pretty much worked on my entire game. Had I not played for Keyano...I would not have had the guts to try out for (Red Deer College) let alone make it through tryouts.”
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