2024 ACAC Women's Volleyball Players of the Year
Edmonton, AB (February 21, 2024) –
North Female Player of the Year | Shae Boyes | Augustana Vikings:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is pleased to announce Shae Boyes of the University of Alberta - Augustana Vikings as the 2023-24 ACAC Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.
Having a historic season, Boyes has helped lead the Vikings to another successful season, finishing second in the ACAC North Division and earning a program-high Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association’s (CCAA) national ranking, coming in at fourth in the country in the final weeks of the season.
Aside from the team's success, Boyes has been a consistent force for the Vikings year after year, etching her name into record books to round out her post-secondary career as one of the best female volleyball student-athletes in both program and conference history.
Over the course of the season, the veteran outside hitter amassed 287 kills, 62 aces, 189 digs, and 21 blocks through 19 games played to lead the conference in kills, aces, and points. Her kills and aces total broke the Vikings' single-season records.
In her final season, Boyes hit milestone after milestone, including 1000 career kills to rank seventh all-time in the ACAC and 200 career kills for the second-most all-time in the conference, male or female.
“Shae is the ultimate competitor. She has given our program the gift of competition and the gift of joy every time she steps onto the court, and her work ethic is unmatched,” says Steve Enright, Vikings Head Coach. “She is always learning and sharing her craft with her teammates. Her character shines on and off the court, and she is the best leader our program has seen and will leave a lasting legacy of commitment and excellence.”
With the prestigious ACAC Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year honors eluding her until now, the Rimbey, Alberta native has collected her fair share of honors throughout her career, including ACAC Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Year (2019), three-time ACAC All-Conference Team honors (2022, 2023, 2024), and was named a 2023 CCAA National Championship Second Team Tournament All-Star.
Boyes was honored in front of her peers, teammates, and coaches at the 2024 ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championship banquet hosted by the NAIT Ooks, alongside teammate and fellow ACAC All-Conference award honoree Emily Peterson and ACAC Women’s Volleyball North Coach of the Year Steve Enright. The Vikings will take on their first opponent on Thursday, February 22, starting at 1 pm at Val Matteotti Gym and on ACACTV.
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2024 ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championship hosted by Lethbridge College in Lethbridge, AB from February 22-24, 2024. The Player of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Alberta Volleyball.
South Female Player of the Year | Willow Lewington | Ambrose Lions:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is pleased to announce Willow Lewington of the Ambrose Lions has been selected as the 2023-24 ACAC Women’s Volleyball South Player of the Year.
Willow has been an integral part of the Ambrose Women's Volleyball Team since her arrival. A dominant middle in the league for many years, Willow has helped her team grow to be a strong championship-contending team. Bringing a calm, confident, and professional presence, Willow elevates the level of her teammates around her. In four years as a Lion, Willow has amassed over 700 kills and 1000 points. These are lofty numbers to accomplish for any athlete, but doubly impressive as a Middle player. Willow has received multiple ACAC All-Conference awards and Ambrose Athletics awards in her career, and she has also already played one year of pro in Europe, fulfilling that personal dream.
Head Coach Barry Heidebrecht says, “Willow has provided a quiet confidence through her play and calmness, which is very valuable… She has also been very involved with the Lions Summer Volleyball Camps... and has a very 'chill' and calming way that many of the young athletes are drawn to.” Willow is from Calgary, AB, is a very strong academic student (BSc. Biology), and she also has the great joy of looking forward to her wedding that is coming up this summer. Congrats Willow on another amazing year!
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2024 ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championship hosted by Lethbridge College in Lethbridge, AB from February 22-24, 2024. The Player of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Alberta Volleyball.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Mark Kosak, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Aly Andersen, University of Alberta - Augustana
Administration & Communications Coordinator
403-896-2223
acanders@ualberta.ca
Colin Kubinec, Ambrose Lions
Director of Athletics
403–407-9444
ckubniec@ambrose.edu
Kayla Blacquiere, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
kaylab@acac.ab.ca