Canadian women's volleyball team begins pivotal season with Olympics in sight
'Our team is really ready for the big moments that are coming up,' says setter Brie King
Riding a wave of momentum following their historic second-round finish at the world championship last season, the Canadian women's volleyball team begins its most pivotal season to date with the Volleyball Nations League (VNL).
It's the start of Olympic qualifying season and Canada wants to use the 16-team VNL competition as a springboard to Paris 2024.
Head coach Shannon Winzer announced her 14-player roster last Friday ahead of the first leg of competition in Antalya, Turkey.
The first stop saw Canada began with losses to Poland and Thailand before rallying to beating Korea and Serbian. The Canadians now move on to the second and third legs of the competition in Hong Kong and Bangkok.
The women's finals for 2023 will be held in Arlington, Texas, from July 12 to 16.
Canada, currently ranked No. 14 in the world, finished with a 4-8 record last year, 12th in the overall standings. Italy was the overall women's winner in 2022, followed by Brazil and Serbia.
VNL is the top international tournament in the sport outside of the Olympics and world championship.
WATCH: Canada's women ready for another memorable run:
Canada missing its top offensive threat
Canada will have to make due without its top offensive threat from last season, Kiera Van Ryk. The 24-year-old native of New Westminster, B.C, is away from the team for personal reasons, but is expected to return later in the competition. Canada will certainly miss the heavy-hitting Van Ryk, who was eighth overall in offence last season in VNL and the top server, with 20 aces.
Filling the void will be another powerhouse, Alexa Gray. The 28-year-old from Calgary is fresh off an Italian league title with Imoco Prosecco Doc Conegliano, where she was named most valuable player. She was 10th in attack points last season in the VNL.
Quarterbacking the offence is 25-year-old Langley, B.C. setter, Brie King, who is coming off her first season playing for the prestigious Brazilian club, Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro, where she was coached by the legendary Bernardo "Bernardinho" Rezende.
King believes the successful run at the world championship last season helped build the team's growing confidence. She says the team's identity is meant for competitions like the VNL.
"We have a lot of grit. We have a lot of young players who have kind of grown up with this program now and we kind of play with the chip on our shoulder, like people underestimate us," King told CBC Sports.
"We want to show that we're right there with the top teams …I think we're really ready. Our team is really ready for the big moments that are coming up."
Biggest moment awaits Canada
The biggest moment coming up is the Olympic qualifying tournament in September 16-24 in China where six of the 12 teams competing at Paris 2024 will be decided.
If Canada doesn't qualify there, they'll have another shot based on their world ranking. Gaining points through international matches like Volleyball Nations League this year and next are pivotal. If the top-ranked teams qualify at worlds, and Canada can squeeze into the top 10 rankings, there's a chance they'll earn their first berth to the Olympics since 1996.
Right now, the team is nine points off No. 13. Last summer, it jumped four places alone.
"Is it going to be hard? It's going to be extremely hard," said Winzer in a recent interview with CBC Sports.
"Our mental performance coach says it's going to be the hardest thing you've ever done, mentally emotionally, physically. We're starting to understand that. But I still don't think we've fully uncovered just how hard it's going to be. But it's fully realistic. If you had asked me when I took over in 2021, I would've said sure, it's a goal, but I would've said 2028 [at the Los Angeles Olympics].
"[We've] changed the language with how we talk. Women are now saying 'I want to be an Olympian.' Last year is where we got belief. I'm really keen to see how we start out [in VNL]."
CBC Sports and CBC Gem will have all of Canada's 12 Volleyball Nations League games streamed live and CBC Sports Presents will have select games on the main CBC network beginning June 4.
Full women's roster
- No. 4 — Vicky Savard, Jonquière, Que.
- No. 5 — Julia Murmann, Toronto
- No. 6 — Jazmine White, Oshawa, Ont.
- No. 7 — Layne Van Buskirk, Windsor, Ont.
- No. 9 — Alexa Gray, Calgary
- No. 11 — Andrea Mitrovic, Mississauga, Ont.
- No. 12 — Jennifer Cross, Scarborough, Ont.
- No. 13 — Brie King, Langley, B.C.
- No. 14 — Hilary Howe, Calgary
- No. 15 — Shaïnah Joseph, Ottawa, Ont.
- No. 16 — Caroline Livingston, Kelowna, B.C.
- No. 17 — Kacey Jost. St. Albert, Alta.
- No. 18 — Kim Robitaille, Repentigny, Que.
- No. 19 — Emily Maglio, Coquitlam, B.C.
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