TRU women's volleyball team enters second half of season ranked fifth in Canada

Photo: Brynn Jarvis

Fourth-year TRU WolfPack middle Faith Christensen (9) jumps into a set earlier this season in Saskatoon.

If the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s volleyball team has its way in 2025, they won’t need to cross their fingers and toes to get into the Canada West playoffs.

It is part of the climb back up the mountain for a program that was primed for national contention in 2020, looking to build off a trip to the Canada West semifinals when COVID-19 cut short what could have been a banner year.

The ascension to contention has been long, but thanks to internal development and a few key international additions, the ‘Pack enters the second half of the season the fifth-best team in Canada, according to the latest U Sports rankings.

“Entering the season, one of my goals in the back of my mind was to be ranked high nationally, but I didn’t want to say it because of superstition. Now that we are here and playing well, it’s a great feeling,” said fourth-year setter Hadley Schmidt.

With only one starter gone from last year’s rotation, the WolfPack (8-2) entered the season with more familiarity. Schmidt was fully recovered from a knee surgery and head coach Chad Grimm had a full year under his belt back with the 'Pack after living abroad with his family in Denmark.

“A key for the smaller schools is retention,” Grimm said. "If you have players that are willing to put the time and effort in, stick around, we can develop them and start to see some results."

Imports’ impact immediate

The built-in cohesion provided an easy transition for a pair of imported international standouts, Rida Erlaleitepe (Turkey) and Maria Dancheva (Bulgaria). The two European professionals have helped elevate the TRU's status across the Canada West.

“When you add a pair like them, we knew we would be a pretty deep and talented team,” said Grimm.

The talent was immediately on display in the season opener on the road against the defending Canada West-champion Manitoba Bisons.

Erlaleitepe announced her arrival with authority, as she pounded home 31 kills, setting a Canada West record for a four-set match, as the WolfPack cruised to a 3-1 victory.

“We knew we were coming to a team that was already good. We just want to do our best, contribute and win all the games,” she said. "I would love to see what the [Canada West] finals and nationals are all about."

Erlaleitepe has spearheaded an aggressive unit up front, she leads the conference with 138 kills, which is even more impressive considering she considers herself still to be adjusting to life in a new country.

“I am still not that confident in my game. When I was playing in Europe, we would practice for three hours, twice a day, so I was getting a lot of touches. Here, I have to balance school, volleyball and work, so there are a lot more things to focus on,” she said.

"The more touches I get in practice and in games, the better I will feel."

Grimm said Erlaleitepe is an “exceptional” and mature player who is calm under pressure.

“What I have really noticed is how she’s handled being part of a new team,” he said.

"Playing professionally, she has been in a lot more situations than many of our players have. She is a leader, has great communication within the team and isn’t scared to bring up issues about life on or off the court with the group, and I think that has helped just as much as her playing.”

No shortage of weapons

If it isn’t Erlaleitepe overpowering the opposition, Grimm isn't shy to turn to fourth-year outside hitter Brooklyn Olfert, who is sitting fourth in the Canada West with 132 kills.

“Rida and Brooklyn have made my job so much easier — they’re both very talented hitters,” said Schmidt, who starts 2025 eighth in the conference with 257 assists.

"You can tell early on when they are feeling it, so I just keep feeding it to them. They put balls away all the time."

Last year, TRU had to depend on the last-place Regina Cougars knocking off the Winnipeg Wesmen on the last weekend of the season in order to sneak into the playoffs.

Grimm said those "underdog" days are in the rear-view mirror.

“Our group has a different mindset now,” he said.

"We now need to understand how nice it is to be in this position and feel comfortable in it. We have to respect all our opponents, as we were once on the other end of this spectrum. We also need to know that we have a great reason to believe that we have a chance to go out and beat whoever is standing on the other side of that net each night we step out there."

In action this weekend

The first of two tilts against the Winnipeg Wesmen gets going at 7:15 p.m. Friday at the Tournament Capital Centre, followed by a 4:45 p.m. start on Saturday.