(FREDERICTON, NB) Catherine Burns, the 2018 MVP with Fredericton’s Spartans volleyball club, has signed a U SPORTS Letter of Intent and will join the UNB Varsity Reds.
Burns, completing her second season with the Spartans, is a member of the varsity girls team at Ecole Sainte Anne, and a veteran of two seasons with Fredericton’s Tommies club team.
“Catherine struck me as an exceptional athlete when I first saw her play,” said Varsity Reds head coach Jilliane Portelli. “She’s grown into a good setter and I look forward to seeing how much further she’ll grow in this program.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to be playing in my hometown, in front of friends, family, and everyone who supported me and helped me reach this level,” said Burns. “It has been a long-time dream of mine to play in this league and I am ecstatic to be living it with the V-Reds.”
Along with her club and high school experience, Burns has been part of Team NB at different levels.
She plans on pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology Degree while attending UNB.
The Varsity Reds have also received a signed U SPORTS Letter of Intent from Katie MacDonald, of St. John’s, NL.
The 6’2” middle has been a member of the Sea-Hawks High Performance Club for four years and was part of Team Newfoundland and Labrador at the 2017 Canada Summer Games.
“Katie has the height, athleticism, and work ethic to develop into an outstanding middle, and will be a great fit with the program,” said Portelli. “I’m very excited to see the player she will become.”
MacDonald has also been part of the Gonzaga High School Vikings for three seasons. She was named tournament MVP as the Vikings captured the 2018 Newfoundland and Labrador Varsity Athletics U18 title.
“Playing volleyball at the AUS level has been a dream of mine since I started junior high school,” said MacDonald. “It’s a privilege to fulfill this dream with the UNB Varsity Reds.”
Like Burns, MacDonald will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology Degree while at UNB.
Both will join the Varsity Reds beginning in the 2018-19 season.