Volleyball Canada announces 2010 national men’s team

OTTAWA – Dallas Soonias of Red Deer, Alta., Adam Simac of Ottawa and Louis-Pierre Mainville of Notre-Dame de l'Isle, Que., are among several returning players named to the men's senior national team today by Volleyball Canada. The Canadians launch their international season early next week at the Pan American Cup in Puerto Rico. They will also travel to Australia in June, play exhibition matches against Cuba in Canada later summer before heading to Europe to finalize preparations for the world championships this September in Italy.

Fifth-year Canadian national team coach Glenn Hoag named 19 players to the senior squad the majority of whom spent this past winter playing professionally overseas. They include Soonias who was a star player in Almeria Spain as well as Dan Lewis of Oakville, Ont., who helped Bled, Slovenia to a best-ever fourth place in the Champions League, a team coached by Hoag.

Along with Simac and Mainville, other returnees from the 2009 team are, Nicolas Cundy of Edmonton, Alexandre Gaumont-Casias of Marieville, Que., Toon Van Lankvelt of Rivers, Man., Frederic Winters of Victoria, Gavin Schmitt of Saskatoon, Brock Davidiuk of Edmonton, Benoit Raymond of Vaudreuil, Que., Adam Kaminski of Chatham, Ont., Dustin Schneider of Brandon, Man., Steve Brinkman of Bowmanville, Ont., and Mark Dodds of Lucky Lake, Sask.

Josh Howatson of Victoria returns after missing the last couple of years due to injury. Howatson was named the tournament MVP as he and Soonias helped Almeria to the Spanish League crown. Jeremy Wilcox of Calgary, a member of Canada's 2007 Pan Am Games team, is also back on the senior squad.

Steve Gotch of Okotoks, Alta., and Olivier Faucher of Plessisville, Que., graduate from the 2009 B team.

Also announced was the national B team for 2010. They are: Ciaran McGovern and Tim Gourlay, both of Grande Prairie, Alta., Jay Blankenau of Sherwood Park, Alta., Gord Perrin of Creston, B.C., Marc Howatson and Rudy Verhoeff, both of Victoria, Davin St-Pierre of Dieppe, N.B., Karl DeGrandpré of Pierreville, Que., Joren Zeeman of Cambridge, Ont., Terrell Bramwell of Mississauga, Ont., Pierre-Alexis Lapointe of La Malbaie, Que., Blair Bann of Edmonton, Graham Vigrass of Calgary, Justin Duff of Winnipeg, Max Burt of Gander, N.L.

Canadian national men's volleyball teams announced today by Volleyball Canada:

Senior A team: Dallas Soonias, Red Deer, Alta.; Adam Simac, Ottawa; Louis-Pierre Mainville, Notre-Dame de l'Isle, Que.; Dan Lewis, Oakville, Ont.; Nicolas Cundy, Edmonton; Alexandre Gaumont-Casias, Mareville, Que.; Toon Van Lankvelt, Rivers, Man.; Frederic Winters, Victoria; Gavin Schmitt, Saskatoon; Brock Davidiuk, Edmonton; Benoit Raymond, Vaudreuil, Que.; Adam Kaminski, Chatham, Ont.; Dustin Schneider, Brandon, Man.; Steve Brinkman, Bowmanville, Ont.; Mark Dodds, Lucky Lake, Sask.; Josh Howatson, Victoria; Jeremy Wilcox, Calgary; Steve Gotch, Okotoks, Alta.; Olivier Faucher of Plessisville, Que.

B team: Ciaran McGovern, Grande Prairie, Alta., ; Tim Gourlay, Grande Prairie; Jay Blankenau, Sherwood Park, Alta.; Gord Perrin, Creston, B.C.; Marc Howatson, Victoria; Rudy Verhoeff, Victoria; Davin St-Pierre, Dieppe, N.B.; Karl DeGrandpré, Pierreville, Que.; Joren Zeeman, Cambridge, Ont.; Terrell Bramwell, Mississauga, Ont.; Pierre-Alexis Lapointe, La Malbaie, Que.; Blair Bann, Edmonton; Graham Vigrass, Calgary; Justin Duff, Winnipeg; Max Burt, Gander, N.L.

Source:

Volleyball Canada