Kings Volleyball 2021/2022 Season Preview
2019/2020 Season Review (Absence of competition in 2020/2021 due to COVID-19)
The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings (20-4) had an even record with the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (20-4) but placed second in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Men's Volleyball South Division during the regular season. They eventually won ACAC gold at the championship, downing the Kodiaks in four sets.
The Kings qualified for the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Volleyball National Championship, ranking fifth in the nation.
2019/2020 ACAC Awards
ACAC Men's Volleyball South All-Conference Team – Mark DeWit (middle), Tom Wass (setter)
ACAC Men's Volleyball South Rookie of the Year – Carter Hills (outside hitter)
2020/2021 Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics Awards (Even though there was no formal competition last season, RDP Athletics celebrated academic achievements, leadership, and community involvement)
President's List – Student-athletes who achieved a 3.7 GPA or higher, with a minimum of 15 credits in Fall 2020 Term - Richard Benning
Dean's List – Student-athletes who achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher, with a minimum of 9 credits in Fall 2020 Term - Kyle Rix, Reece Lehman
Boulding (7)
Jon Walsh Memorial Kings Volleyball Scholarship in Search of Excellence – Cody Boulding
2021/2022 Season Preview
Head Coach – Aaron Schulha
In post-secondary athletics, Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Volleyball is known as the most storied program in the CCAA, holding the record of 13 national titles.
For Kings Volleyball Head Coach Aaron Schulha that rich history and winning culture fuels the desire to add more championship banners to the rafters of the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre and continue the legacy of excellence.
"I told the student-athletes at the start what my goal was. The conference championship is the first step and then national championships," said Schulha. "We had a good goal setting session about core values and what's it going to take to accomplish those goals. I think the guys are dialled in and committed."
For the defending conference champions, and 19-time ACAC gold medal winners, there is a lot of excitement for the 2021/2022 season, which will involve some adjustments.
"It's been awesome. The guys have been working really hard over the last couple of years and it's nice to see them rewarded with some meaningful competition," said Schulha. "There's some differences, especially our Friday and Sunday matches this season, versus our Friday and Saturday matches some weekends. Just from a schooling perspective, the guys typically had a day of rest on Sunday."
Assistant Coaches – Blake Henwood, Adam Sillery, Adam Roth
Returning players from 2019/2020
The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings have five student-athletes returning this season from 2019/2020, and Schulha expects significant contributions and leadership from the group.
"Cody Boulding came back in tremendous shape. He's really developed into a solid leader for us and was that guy that kept everyone together last year when we were just training," explained Schulha of the six-foot-five middle from Prince George. "He's a natural leader and will take on a leadership role for us."
Returning six-foot-eight Dillon Gauci, a second-year middle and Bachelor of Kinesiology student, will form a dynamic duo with Boulding.
"We have four middles, but Cody and Dillon have shown that they will be mainstays there. With those two in the middle, we should have the most dominant middle combo in our league," said Schulha. "We have some capable setters as well, so it's just a matter of looking after the serve-receive end of things to make sure we can feed our middles and open some things up on the outside."
The MVP from the 2019/2020 ACAC Championship is back.
"Pat Toze, a fifth year guy, has been a dominant player in the league and is taking on a leadership role," said Schulha of the outside hitter who racked up 204 kills (2.68 kills per set) in 2019/2020. "I would expect him to continue to raise his level."
A local defensive specialist and setter from Swift Current are also returning to the Kings this year.
"JJ Graham, who we converted to a libero two years ago, has really solidified things on the serve-receive and defensive end," explained Schulha, a CCAA Coach of the Year recipient. "Brett Theise was with us as a first year setter. He didn't get a lot of time with Tom [Wass] here, but he has been around – he knows the systems, he knows the program, he knows what to expect."
New players in 2021/2022
Two key transfers who have played at the U Sports level will complement the Kings and add important depth to the lineup.
"Maddux Greves, who was the best setter in the league two years ago with SAIT, is a huge addition. He went to Trinity Western University out of high school and won a couple of championships there," said Schulha. "He will be one of the best setters in the league. He is an awesome team guy who can raise everyone's game. He has a great volleyball mind, and his dad is a former national team setter with Team Canada."
One Red Deer student-athlete returned home to compete at Red Deer Polytechnic.
"Reece Lehman is a local kid and went to U of C right out of high school and played there for three years. He trained with us last year," said Schulha, a three time ACAC Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year. "He's a nice addition and has U Sports experience. Reece and Maddux have progressed into leadership roles as well."
Nine first-year student-athletes will join the Kings this season.
"Nick Possingham, our other Aussie, is a six-foot-seven outside hitter that can play left and right side. He's a nice addition as a first year kid," said Schulha. "Brett Lower is playing really solid for us in practice, a right side hitter out of Lindsay Thurber – left handed which is also nice."
Outside hitters Zachary Neufeld, Dante Furlan, Kyle Rix and Jack Walton (also libero), setter Jacob Hicks, and middles Evan Ockerman and Cody Noble, will also play their first years for the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings in 2021/2022.
Leadership
After discussions, Schulha and the Kings have solidified their leadership group.
"We had our guys vote on it, and Cody Boulding and Maddux Greves will be our two team captains," explained Schulha. "We also have a five person leadership group that includes Cody and Maddux, along with JJ, Reece, and Pat."
Non-conference games
The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings played seven exhibition games, achieving a 6-1 record.
"I've seen a lot of good things throughout the preseason, but we need to fine tune those little things. We have quality setting and a lot of firepower from our attacking group," said Schulha. "If we can look after and commit to being a great first contact team, so serve-receive and defence, I think we will be a very hard team to beat."
The team has already shown growth during non-conference play.
"I've already seen significant improvements throughout the preseason," explained Schulha. "That first weekend up in Edmonton, I don't think we used our middle enough, some of that was the serve-receive end of things."
On October 2 in exhibition play, the Kings swept the NAIT Ooks in three sets (25-17, 25-18, 25-16) and then The King's University Eagles edged the Kings in five sets (25-22, 25-27, 16-25, 25-16, 15-12).
"We can dominate through the middle of the court and so we did a much better job of establishing our middles early down in Calgary," said Schulha.
On October 23, the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings defeated the SAIT Trojans over four sets on point differential (25-15, 24-26, 22-25, 25-12) and then dispatched of the Ambrose University Lions in five sets (25-18, 21-25, 25-21, 22-25, and 17-15) during non-conference action.
"Our peaks and valleys are way too extreme at the moment and that's something that we've talked about," said Schulha. "We want to raise the level of those valleys, so we don't have an A game and a D game. We want to raise the low ends to a B- or C game, where the valley isn't so deep."
Schulha recognizes the Kings' potential from the service line.
"Maddux has a tremendous serve," he said. "I think that we have a lot of guys who can put opposing teams in trouble from the service line, but we have to make sure that we aren't giving away free points."
The Kings' roster is diverse, with three student-athletes from Australia, one from Saskatchewan, another from British Columbia, and 11 from Alberta with the majority of those players from Red Deer.
"We have seven local guys which is more than I can remember in recent memory, which is nice as well. It adds to the fan dynamic where you have more local families supporting the team and one of them is [Queens Volleyball coach] Talbot Walton's son," said Schulha of Jack Walton, a six-foot-two libero/outside hitter from Red Deer. "We have a really good mix of old and young and guys from different areas, so I'm really excited about the group. We have a lot of guys who can play multiple positions, which is nice."
2021/2022 ACAC Men's Volleyball season
This year, the length of the season and playoff format have changed.
"The season is only 16 games, so it's more compressed and there's more pressure to perform. There are more teams that will make the playoffs compared to years past," explained Schulha. "You have to win the south to play the first team in the north to get out of the conference. Manitoba is bringing in their conference to nationals, so there's one less berth for Alberta, so we know we need to win the conference."
In a rematch of the 2019/2020 conference final, the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings will open the new campaign against the Kodiaks at Lethbridge College on Friday, November 12 at 6 pm.
For more details about Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Volleyball tickets, please visit the online ticketing page.
Not returning from 2019/2020
Tom Wass, Carter Hills, Zak Hallworth, Johann Danielson, Mark DeWit, Shae McIntyre, Ben Holmes, Richard Benning