Athlete Eligibility: Female athletes in Grades 10-12

Location: Richmond Olympic Oval, Richmond, BC

Dates: September to December (approximately 80 training days)

Sport Medicine: IST Staff, including mental health and recommended practitioners will be made available.

Athlete Selection: Volleyball Canada will identify and invite 16-20 athletes

Education: Student-athletes complete online courses from their home province or territory and are provided daily face-to-face classroom support from a certified teacher. Three hours of daily study time is integrated within the program schedule, with evenings and weekends free for additional study time.

Living Arrangements: Athletes will reside with a locally approved homestay family.

Training: Sessions will vary from on-court, strength and conditioning, education, therapy, and recovery.

Competition: Travel and competition opportunities with local University and College programs.

Approximate Program Fee: $6000-$7000 plus tax (will be confirmed prior to selections) includes all training, gear, administration, education support, local travel, and homestay expenses. This fee does not include travel to and from the training venue and does not include any education-related expenses for online registration or out-of-province students.

Check with your PTA for details and/or other sources of subsidies.

Additional Information

Nationally identified athletes would be committed for the duration of the program and would not participate in other club or school-based programs during the program (Sept-Dec). This program is designed for athletes who have chosen volleyball as their primary athletic pursuit. Student-athletes may be exposed to other sports during the year as a means to support their volleyball development. Athletes will return to their home school in January and are encouraged to participate in their local club to further their development and regain family/social bonds.

The program would integrate online and/or classroom learning to support excellence in academics while managing a high-performance training load. Students graduating from the program can expect to improve their opportunities to excel in a post-secondary program.

This program also aims to propel Canada beyond the current success of Olympic qualifications to Olympic podium performances.

Step 1: Complete an Online Application through Sportlomo

We are piloting a separate Futures camp for athletes born in 2011 & 2012 in Alberta and Ontario. This pilot project in 2026 aims to provide earlier identification and educational opportunities for athletes interested in the NEP. The Age/Grade ranges for the camps are as follows:
- NEP: Grade 11/12 or born in 2009–2010
- Futures: Grade 9/10 or born in 2011–2012
To register for the virtual component, athletes must complete the online application through Sportlomo by selecting their appropriate pathway:

Click here to register via Sportlomo

Once registered, athletes will receive an invitation to complete the virtual evaluation via SkillShark.
Each athlete must create a personal profile that includes:
- Physical metrics
- A highlight video
- A video of a full set

Online application Fee: $70 CAD
Application Opens: November 5, 2025
Deadline: November 28, 2025

Futures ID Camps :
Please be aware that there will be no training sessions for the Futures Program. The Futures initiative is intended solely as an early identification opportunity, emphasizing exposure, evaluation, and education. Selected athletes will participate in the ID Camps as an introduction to Volleyball Canada's National Team development pathway; however, they will not engage in ongoing training or follow-up programs after the camps.

Step 2: Athlete In-Person Camp Invitation

Based on SkillShark submissions, athletes will be invited to attend regional in-person ID camps, which will take place across Canada from December 2025 to March 2026. Invitations will be sent out in mid-December. Saskatchewan athletes will be notified earlier. Athletes not selected for in-person camps will be notified by email.
Registration Fee In-person Camp: $125 CAD

In-Person ID Camp Schedule:

Saskatchewan: Saskatoon – December 6/7, 2025
Ontario: Kitchener – January 3/4, 2026 (NEP & Futures)
British Columbia: Vancouver – January 10, 2026
Alberta: Calgary – January 17/18, 2026 (NEP & Futures)
New Brunswick: Moncton – February 21, 2026
Quebec: Montreal – February 22, 2026

Step 3: Athlete Selection

Final selections will be made in April 2026. All athletes will be notified whether they’ve been selected.

Program questions can be directed to Sandra Lamb at slamb@volleyball.ca

2025 NEP Roster
Laura Adel (ON), S
Alexandra Brenner (ON), OH
Megan Deveaux (AB), OH
Brooke Fermaniuk (AB), OH
Nikola Gamlin (AB), MB
Ashlyn Gent (AB), L
Ella Hope (ON), MB
Savannah Jamieson (NS), OPP
Ania Magier (ON), MB
Mia Molnar (BC), OH
Amanda Nagy (SK), L
Ana Nastase (ON), S
Dara Obeid (ON), MB
Olivia Orosz (SK), S
Chantel Peters (BC), OH
Dasia Smith (ON), OPP
Ana Stojanovic (ON), OH
Avery Thiessen (AB), MB

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been selected to the 2024 National Excellence Program:

Molly Beatty (IN), S
Sydney Bell (ON), OPP
Maya Bukovcan (ON), MB

Remy Catojo (S), MB
Jorgie Cornish (AB), OH
Brooke Fermaniuk (AB), OH
Ashlyn Gent (AB), L
Sara Gray (SK), L
Ella Hope (ON), MB
Savannah Jamieson (NS), OPP
Emerson Matthews (SK), OH
Ana Nastase (ON), S
Lea Pendergast (ON), OH
Zoey Purvis (MB), S
Kate Sinclair (AB), MB
Alicia Thibodeau (QC), OH
Abby Wasutyk (SK), MB
Lydia-Jane Wigston (AB), MB
Sofia Zabjek (ON), OH

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been selected to the 2023 National Excellence Program:

Maeli Cormier (QC), OPP
Jasmine Ellison (ON), L
Gabi Flaman (SK), L
Sara Gray (SK), OH
Brooklyn Grobb-Prins (MB), OH
Sophia Hansen (AB), OH
Logan King (ON), OPP
Isabel Kuna (BC), S
Élodie Lalonde (ON), OH
Lydia-Jayne Wigston (AB), MB
Avaya Maga (ON), S
Sydney Mcdermott (ON), OH
Ana Nastase (ON), S
Trinity Shadd-Ceres (ON), OH
Ella Piskorz (ON), MB
Marilou Robichaud (QC), MB
Alicia Thibodeau (QC), OH
Carmen Waye (NS), MB

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been selected to the 2022 National Excellence Program:

Maëli Cormier, Quebec
Mary Healy, California
Erika Bang, Alberta
Anya Fehr, Alberta
Lydia Johnson, Alberta
Taylor De Boer, British Columbia
Calinda Kok, Ontario
Lauren Perugini, Ontario
Ronnie Dickson, Alberta
Kaiya Tyson, Ontario
Olivia Edlund, Alberta
Logan King, Ontario
Isabella Stothart, Alberta
Delaney Watson, Ontario
Esther Lim, British Columbia
Naomie Sinclair, Quebec
Tianna Kehler, British Columbia
Sophia Magus, Saskatchewan
Mischa Hameed, Alberta

Congratulations to the following athletes on their selection to the 2021 NEP:

Jessica Andrews (ON), Middle
Evvia Belireau (AB), Libero
Maryn Boldon (AB), Outside
Olivia Boulding (BC), Outside
Taylor de Boer (BC), Outside
Ava Ebert (ON), Middle/Outside
Tara Garvey (ON), Outside
Kylee Glanville (AB), Outside
Jaime Hewlett (BC), Libero
Lauryn Hovey (ON), Opposite
Lydia Johnson (AB), Opposite
Payton Lightfoot (ON), Middle
Sophia Magus (SK), Setter
Brooke Malek (AB), Libero
Mackenzie Pool (BC), Outside
Naomie Sinclair (QC), Middle
Isabella Tehrani (ON), Middle
Kaiya Tyson (ON), Setter
Viktoria Wahlgren (ON), Setter

2020 National Excellence Program Roster

Congratulations to the following athletes on their selection to the National Excellence Program:

Brooke Malek, AB (Libero)
Chloe Ladd, BC (Libero)
Viktoria Wahlgren, ON (Setter)
Bella Noble, NS (Setter)
Lucy Borowski, BC (Setter)
Mackenzie Pool, BC (Outside)
Maryn Boldon, AB (Outside)
Mady Saris, ON (Outside)
Emoni Bush, BC (Outside)
Tara Garvey, ON (Outside)
Olivia Boulding, BC (Outside)
Jada Hamer, AB (Outside)
Shynelle Woroniuk, AB (Outside)
Jenna Pollock, ON (Middle)
Elyse Allard, SK (Middle)
Payton Lightfoot, ON (Middle)
Grace Melnick, ON (Middle)

2020 National Excellence Program Staff

Shannon Winzer, Head Coach
Nicole Ban, Assistant Coach
Cody Piwowar-Desilets, Assistant Coach & Strength and Conditioning Coach
Mischa Partridge, Athletic Therapist
Dr. Sara Forsyth, Team Physician
Dr. Anne Muscat, Psychologist and Mental Performance Coach
Ashlen Leonard, Sport Dietitian
Beathen Thomas, Educational Support
Dawna Sales, Program Manager
Bree Fraser, Program Coordinator