A pair of Edwin Parr Composite’s volleyball standouts is ready to take the sport to a new level.
Maegan Kuzyk will attend the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in the fall, and she has already claimed a spot on the school’s women’s volleyball team.
Her counterpart Neil Topola, meanwhile, is headed to Grant MacEwan University, where he will try out for the men’s team.
Competing at the university level is the next logical step for the pair of dominant high school players.
Topola plays the power position, while Kuzyk has excelled as a setter. And both have played crucial roles in the success of their respective teams at EPC over the years.
For Kuzyk, her last year at EPC was the team’s most successful, as they made it to provincials.
“I’m glad we finished on a high note,” she said.
Topola also enjoyed a successful end to his years in high school volleyball, and is looking forward to getting to Grant MacEwan and staking his claim to a spot.
“I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and keep pushing,” he said.
His EPC coach, Chad LeMessurier, thinks he’s got what it takes to make the team.
“I’m very proud of him for how hard he has worked. Physically he’s not the biggest player, but he makes up for that in his intelligence and his ability to work hard.”
Help from their coaches (Joe Mireault for Kuzyk) and the added experience of playing club volleyball has been key for the pair.
This year’s club season was valuable for Kuzyk, as it pitted her against the kind of players she’ll likely see at the university level.
“Good players push you more,” she said.
Both students know they will be challenged on and off the court, and both are excited for their academic futures as well. The years of experience they’ve had at EPC will serve them well as they take the next step.
