NAIT’s women’s volleyball team had an incredible comeback at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) provincial championships in Camrose, Alta. after picking up their first medal since winning the ACAC conference championship in 2013.
The Ooks won bronze against the Briercrest Clippers, taking the game three sets to one. The women reached the bronze medal game by defeating the SAIT Trojans 3-1 on Feb. 27, then falling 3-0 to Lakeland in the semi-finals on Feb. 28.
Katie Nashim and Rachel Mallett lead the Ooks with 48 and 39 kills through the tournament — Nashim had 17 alone in the bronze medal game, and Mallett had 15. Mallett led the team in digs with 44, edging out Racquel Lussier, who finished the tournament with 43. Lexi Gedny tallied 42 assists in the bronze game and 100 total across the three games.
Head coach Erminia Russo-Thorpe says she believes her team was “playing the best volleyball of the season” in the tournament, which played a key role in the group taking home bronze.
“If we needed a big hit, or we needed a dig, we came up with that … when it came time for someone to do their job and perform, that’s exactly what we did,” Russo-Thorpe says. “Our bronze [game], you know, sometimes it’s hard to get up for that match. Because you’re disappointed about not being in the gold medal. But we came out and really, again, just played some great volleyball … everyone just did their job this weekend. And I was really proud of that.”
The women’s program has been steadily improving year over year since Russo-Thorpe took the reins of the team back in 2021, when the Ooks posted a 3-13 season. The team clinched their first playoff berth under her last year, finishing sixth in the tournament.
So placing in the top three, was a “huge” moment for Russo-Thorpe and the team.
“It’s really such a feeling of accomplishment,” she says. “And the girls, you could see the joy on their faces. You could see the tears, you could see, you know, we’ve kind of, last year we’re on that cusp … and yeah, I’m proud, they’re happy. It was really just a great finish to a great season.”
NAIT’s campaign wraps up after a 13-6 regular season, and the Ooks will lose two seniors who are set to graduate — Tanisha McQueen and Racquel Lussier. Russo-Thorpe hinted that there could be more, which will impact how the team approaches next year, but reiterated the team will “reload” and push ahead for 2026-27.
“I’m guessing we will lose others due to programs finished, graduating, moving on, that type of thing,” says Russo-Thorpe. “That’s one of the toughest things about NAIT is that you lose your players after two and three-year programs, right? Which makes it difficult to build … you’ve always got to be constantly thinking ahead.”
“In terms of a wrap-up, really proud of this group, really happy that we finally kind of broke through … but to me now and for all of us at our last meeting, it’s ‘okay, what’s next for us?’ Well, what’s next is top two.”
Featured photo via U of A Augustana Vikings/Infinite Eye Photography
