The 2014-15 Canada West women's volleyball all-star teams, all-rookie teams and season honours were announced by the conference on Friday, February 13. The University of Manitoba Bisons had two student-athletes honoured for their efforts.
Bison women's volleyball right side hitter Rachel Cockrell was selected as 2014-15 Canada West women's volleyball Most Valuable Player plus 2014-15 Canada West First Team All-Star while first year left side Kalena Schulz was named to the 2014-15 Canada West All-Rookie Team.
Cockrell is the first Manitoba Bisons to be selected as conference MVP in women's volleyball since the 2001-02 season when Kathy Preston earned the first ever Canada West MVP honour for the Bison women's volleyball program.
Individually in the 2014-15 Canada West final regular season stats, Cockrell, 22, was first in kills per set (5.06), kills (471), points (535.5) and points per set (5.8). She was dominant throughout this season as she led the defending CIS champions to a sixth place finish with a 13-11 record and was selected as team captain for a third consecutive season. She started and played in all 24 conference regular season matches and led the team in kills in every match except one, had 20 or more kills in ten matches over the 2014-15 season, and her highest total was a 29-kill effort against Calgary on October 9, 2014. The 5'10" hitter also had eight matches of 10 or more digs in a contest to show her versatility on both offence and defence.
Bison women's volleyball head coach Ken Bentley, in his 29th season, enthused, "We are so proud of Rachel and what she has meant to our program over the past five years. Each and every year she worked so hard to improve her game through her work in the gym and in the weight room. It is so rewarding as a coach to see such a talented athlete strive to reach their full potential. Such an awesome talent but an even better person."
Prior to this season, Cockrell finished the 2013-14 season with style as she was named the CIS women's volleyball championship MVP after Manitoba swept all three matches en route to the 2013-14 CIS national championship title. In the three CIS champ matches, the 5'10" hitter slammed 43 kills (.320 hitting percentage), 10 digs, eight total blocks and 49.5 points while starting and playing all nine sets. The Winnipeg native has also been a 2012-13 CIS Second Team All-Canadian plus 2012-13 Canada West First Team All-Star and named to the 2010-11 CIS All-Rookie Team.
Schulz, 18, had an impressive rookie campaign in 2014-15 with the Bisons. In her first season with Manitoba, the 5'10" left side hitter played in all 24 conference matches and was tied for third in conference service aces per set at 0.44. She was also third on the squad with 136 kills and fourth on the team with 186 digs, fifth with 36 total blocks and third in conference points at 197.5.
Bison women's volleyball notes: At the end of the 2014-15 Canada West women's volleyball conference regular season, the Manitoba Bisons – the defending CIS WVB champion – finished sixth in the Canada West standings with a 13-11 record and will now travel on the road and play the third place and #2 UBC Okanagan Heat (19-5) in the Canada West Quarter Final best-of-three playoff series on the February 13-15 weekend.
The best-of-three playoff series commences on Friday, February 13 with start time of 8 p.m. CT for game one then on Saturday, February 14, game two is at 7 p.m. CT and, if necessary, game three will be play on Sunday, February 15 at 5 p.m. CT. All playoff contests will be played in Kelowna, BC.
