The York University Lions men's volleyball team has added five top recruits for the upcoming season.
Head coach Wally Dyba has signed on outside hitters Jordan Matthews of Pickering, Paul Postawka of Ancaster and Sholan Trivedi of Hamilton, middle Devon Smith of Ajax and setter Michael Smith of Brampton. They're giants in more ways than one. They tower over six feet to heights of 6'7".
"For the second year in a row, we have an excellent crop of student athletes coming to York," said Dyba. "The foundation is set for future success and with the return of first team Ontario University Athletics All-Star Ryan Anderson and OUA All-Rookie Team members James Battiston and Rob Dyba, the potential is also there to do well this year."
York opens the 2004-2005 OUA season on Oct. 20 at Western.
Matthews, a two-time member of the Ontario provincial team, was a three-time most valuable player (MVP) at Pickering High School while playing for head coach and York volleyball alumnus Scott Burrows (BA '90). A sociology major, Matthews was a tournament all-star at the 2002 Western Canadian Under-16 Championship and the 2003 Canadian Juvenile Championship.
Postawka, a member of the Ontario provincial team in 2001 and 2003, led Ancaster High School to an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) bronze medal in 2003. As 2003 National Under-18 Beach Volleyball Champion, he has been selected to represent Canada at the 2004 Under-21 World Junior Beach Volleyball Championships Sept. 15-19 in Porto Santo, Portugal. Postawka was a member of the Canadian indoor and beach volleyball teams that captured gold medals at the 2003 Polish Invitational Cup. He is a recipient of a York merit entrance award and is enrolled in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science.
Devon Smith, a graduate of Ajax High School, is a multi-sport athlete and the recipient of his school's Coaches Award. A member of the 2003 Ontario provincial team, he played for the Scarborough Falcons club team where he was coached by York volleyball alumnus Mark Ainsworth (BA '82). As a member of the York Region Stingrays, Smith won bronze at the 2003 Canadian Under-18 Championship and silver at the 2002 Under-16 Championship. A criminology major, he is a recipient of a York merit entrance award.
Michael Smith, a Kinesiology and Health Science transfer student from Niagara College, led his team to the 2004 Ontario College Athletics Association (OCAA) title and a fifth place finish at the nationals. He was named team MVP and an OCAA Championship All-Star last season.
Trivedi, a chemistry major, was a four-time volleyball MVP at Barton Secondary School. As a member of the Niagara Rapids club program, he won a silver medal at the 2001 Under-16 National Championship and a bronze medal at the 2003 Under-18 Ontario Championship. Trivedi and Lions sweeper Rob Dyba captured bronze at the 2003 Canadian Juvenile Beach Volleyball Championships.
York finished second in Ontario University Athletics with a record of 14-4 last season. The Lions lost to Toronto in the OUA final after advancing with a semifinal victory over Guelph.
This article was submitted to YFile by Jim McLarty, sport and recreation information officer for the School of Kinesiology & Health Science.