GATINEAU, Que. – UBC Okanagan Heat men's volleyball player Renn Petryk has been selected to this summer's U21 Canadian men's team as announced by Volleyball Canada last week.
Petryk, a native of Edmonton, was one of 16 players selected to the Canadian roster. This year's U21 squad will represent Canada at two events this summer, including the NORCECA U21 Pan American Cup from June 3-11 in La Habana, Cuba, and the FIVB U21 World Championships from July 7-16 in Manama, Bahrain.
"I couldn't be prouder of Renn," commented Heat head coach Brad Hudson. "Renn came to us essentially unrecruited by other schools and told by many he couldn't transition from middle to an outside/opposite. We believed differently. Renn has 100 percent earned the leaf through grit, determination, and passion. Our program is loaded with young men like Renn and I'm ecstatic that he has become an ambassador for this next generation of our program and our institution on the national and international stage."
The 6-5 outside hitter, who just completed his second year of eligibility with the Heat, is coming off a very strong season with the Heat as he led the team in kills with 228 and points with 261.5. He also ranked second on the team in digs with 89 and was fourth in blocks with 32.
One of the highlights of the season for the arts major was his 18-kill performance against the rival Thompson Rivers WolfPack in November that helped the Heat clinch the men's Presidents' Cup competition.
Petryk becomes the second member of the UBCO Heat men's volleyball program to be named to the U21 Canadian team, following in the footsteps of Eli Risso, who was named to the national junior team back in 2016.