Abbotsford – A pair of University of the Fraser Valley volleyball players have been honoured for their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom by the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
Nick Bruce and Olivia Heinen are among 165 nationwide recipients of the CCAA Academic All-Canadian award. The award requires excellence in both athletic and academic pursuits – recipients must earn conference all-star recognition, along with honours standing at their university (UFV’s Dean’s List threshold is a 3.5 grade point average).
Bruce’s stellar senior season saw him earn PACWEST first team all-star honours after finishing among the top 15 in the league in kills (3.28/set, seventh), total offence (3.93/set, seventh), digs (2.00/set, 10th) and blocks (0.44/set, 14th). The fifth-year left side from Surrey, B.C. was similarly successful in his Bachelor of Science studies, amassing a 3.80 GPA in the fall 2017 semester.
Heinen, a rookie setter from Langley, B.C., had an outstanding debut at UFV both on and off the court. She was a PACWEST all-rookie selection after finishing second in the conference in assists per set (9.4), and subsequently notched a PACWEST championship tournament all-star nod after helping the Cascades women’s volleyball team to a bronze medal. Heinen posted a 3.66 GPA in the fall semester in pursuit of her Bachelor of General Studies degree.
