The volleyball pipeline from Prince George to Kamloops continues to flow year after year.
And when the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack go searching for talent, one of the first places they visit is Prince George.
Most often, TRU's men's volleyball squad has plucked Prince George players for its squad. This time around, it was the women's turn.
The WolfPack, led by head coach Chad Grimm, who grew up in Quesnel, has recruited Duchess Park Condors libero/setter Hallie Drezet, who will join them in 2016-17 as a freshman.
"I'm very excited to make the jump from high school to CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport)," said Drezet. "I've known Chad since I was six years old and that familiarity helped with my decision. My dad and Pat (Hennelly, TRU's men's volleyball head coach) are good friends. TRU just feels like my second home. That will help and it won't be as overwhelming."
When Drezet (who'll major in criminology) steps onto the court next fall with the WolfPack, she'll be in a good situation.
Katie Woo is the starting setter but graduates next spring. Another setter, Robyn Froese, will be heading into her fifth year of eligibility in 2016-17.
There will also be a spot open at libero with Alyssa Wold playing out her eligibility this season.
"I think Hallie is very good at directing traffic," said Grimm. "She reads the game well and is very vocal. She's not afraid to use her voice on the court. I think she is gritty and tough and has won at all different levels. I have known her for many years. As young as Grade 4, she was a gym rat. She puts the time in there and she's not afraid of getting work done."
Drezet, who has grown up playing in the Prince George Youth Volleyball Club and is in her final season with the Condors, is no stranger to top-level competition.
As soon as her Grade 11 year wrapped up in June, she spent two weeks in July in Whistler training as part of the 18-and-under B.C. girls team. The squad, with Drezet at libero, then won gold at the National Team Challenge Cup in Richmond, beating Alberta in five sets in the semifinals and then sweeping Ontario in three sets in the final to claim the championship.
Drezet was among four of her teammates selected for the Canadian Youth National Team who spent another 10 days training in Whistler.
There was no competition planned for the team. Instead it was an opportunity for athletes to train with each other.
She then helped Team B.C. win gold at the Western Canada Summer Games in Fort McMurray in August.
Until July, the five-foot-seven Drezet always played in the front row as a setter. But she made the switch to the back row as libero while trying out for the Western Canada Summer Games team.
