None better than Niemczewska

By Lawrence Bailey

It’s been said the Canada West conference is the cream of the Canadian volleyball crop. It would follow, then, that the dominant player in Canada West would be the best in the land, right?


It seems that logic holds true.


Wed., Mar. 3, at the Canadian Interuniversity Sports Women’s Volleyball Awards dinner, third-year University of Calgary Dinos star Joanna Niemczewska was recognized as the CIS Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.


The 20-year-old native of Warsaw, Poland and graduate of Saint Mary’s High School in Calgary dominated in almost every statistical category this season and is the first Dino to recieve the honour since Alisa Marriott in 2001.


Niemczewska was also named a CIS First Team All-Canadian, while fifth-year teammate Amanda Moppett recieved Second Team All-Canadian honours.


Niemczewska, Moppett and the rest of the second-ranked Dinos will face the Universite de Montreal Carabins in the CIS Women’s Volleyball Championship quarterfinals Thu., Mar. 4 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. If all goes according to plan, you can watch them battle it out for the national title Sat., Mar. 6 at 3 p.m. on TSN.


Unfortunately, Niemczewska was not available for comment at press time.