Vigrass became the first Dino to claim the award since 2002 and the 13th consecutive winner from Canada West. The honour came one year after the Calgary native's tournament-MVP performance at the 2010 CIS championship, when he led the Dinos to their first national title in 17 years.
Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball
Other CIS major award winners announced during the All-Canadian Banquet held at the Langley Events Centre were Western Ontario left side Garrett May of Toronto, who was chosen rookie of the year; UBC's Blair Bann of Edmonton, named the nation's top libero for the third time in four years; UNB's Dan McMorran, who earned coach-of-the-year honours; as well as UNB's Jacob Kilpatrick of Saint John, who received the Dale Iwanoczko Award recognizing his excellence in volleyball, academics and community involvement.
The 2011 CIS championship gets under way Friday at Trinity Western University and concludes Sunday at 6 p.m. Pacific Time with the gold-medal final. SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all 11 games from the tournament.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Graham Vigrass, Calgary
Vigrass is the fifth U of C player to win the CIS MVP award, joining Mark Kolodziej (1982), Randy Gingera (1989), Tom Elser (1991) and Denis Zhukov (2002).
One year after leading the Dinos to the CIS title from the right side, the 21-year-old returned to his usual spot in the middle this season and posted outstanding numbers in multiple statistical categories. The 6-foot-8 senior finished second in the nation in hitting percentage at .397 while also posting 3.94 kills per set – third best in Canada West. His 256 kills in conference play nearly doubled his previous career high and accounts for 40 percent of his career total of 640. Also one of the top blockers in the country, Vigrass became Calgary's all-time blocks leader with 199 in four campaigns.
The science student, who represented Canada at the 2009 junior world championship in India, helped the Dinos post a 16-0 start to the regular season – en route to a 16-2 mark and second place in the conference standings – before guiding them to their first Canada West banner since 1994. Calgary enters this weekend's national tournament as the top seed, looking to repeat as CIS champion for the first time in school history.
"Graham's play has been outstanding this season," said fifth-year Calgary head coach Rod Durrant. "He has developed into an all-around player in both the front row and the back of the court. He leads by example, and he has been a huge part of our team's success this year."
UNB middle Jacob Kilpatrick of Saint John, Laval outside hitter Karl De Granpré of Pierreville, Que., and Windsor outside Kyle Williamson of Essex, Ont., were the other nominees for CIS MVP.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Garrett May, Western Ontario
May became the first Mustang in history to be named CIS rookie of the year and the first OUA player to claim the award since McMaster's Peter Hrkal in 2004-05.
The 18-year-old came into his freshman campaign on a high after winning the gold medal with teammate Sam Schachter at the 2010 world junior beach championship in Turkey – marking Canada's first podium finish in the 10-year history of the event. His impact on the Mustangs was immediate as Western won its first 13 regular season games en route to an 18-2 mark and first place in the conference standings, a first for the team since OUA moved to a single division in men's volleyball in 2002-03. The Mustangs went on to reach the OUA final for the first time since 2005.
The 6-foot 2 left side finished fifth in Ontario in kills (3.3 per set) and seventh in both points (3.7 per set) and hitting percentage (.311) in his university debut, statistics that earned him a spot on the second OUA all-star squad. He was named an all-star at the York Excalibur tournament over the holiday break as the Mustangs won the event for the first time.
As May performed this season, so did the Mustangs. In Western's 18 conference wins the talented rookie had a .349 hitting percentage while in the team's two losses, he was held to a .056 success rate.
"Garrett had an outstanding rookie season. He has made steady progress throughout the year to become a leader on the team," said Western head coach Jim Sage. "He is a pleasure to coach as he always looks for a way that he can improve. He has incredible potential and will represent Western well in years to come."
Memorial middle Jalen Blackmore of Clarenville, Nfld., Laval middle Olivier Bibeault-Pinard of L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que., and Manitoba setter Chris Komishon of Winnipeg were also in the running for top-rookie honours.
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Blair Bann, UBC
Bann ends his university career with three selections as CIS libero of the year (2011, 2010, 2008), one less than former Dalhousie star Jeff Weiler, who was honoured four straight times from 2003-04 to 2006-07. The only other recipient since the inception of the award in 2004 was Laval's Nicolas Quirion in 2008-09.
The 6-foot, 180-pound senior capped off his stellar five-year Thunderbird career in style this season with 283 digs over 18 conference games, eclipsing the previous single-season Canada West record of 258 (in 22 matches). His 3.72 digs per set in 2010-11 rank second all-time in CW history, just behind his own 3.76 average from a year ago. Bann also owns the conference career record with 1018 digs, 280 more than his nearest rival, and a 2.66 digs per set average. He also has the incredible streak of playing in every set during his five campaigns at UBC.
A four-time Canada West libero of the year, Bann is a three-time conference all-star and was a CIS all-rookie team selection back in 2006-07. He is a member of the senior national team program and helped Canada to a sixth-place finish at the 2009 Summer Universiade in Belgrade, Serbia.
"Blair has been our most consistent performer all year. He brought his best each and every day which made others around him better. He's a positive role model for our sport which makes him an extremely special kind of player, teammate, and person," said UBC head coach Richard Schick. "We at UBC are so proud of Blair and his accomplishments on and off the court this year and over his career. It was a true privilege having him wear the Blue and Gold these last five years."
UNB's Kyle Blanchard of Saint John, Laval's Pierre-Alexis Lapointe of La Malbaie, Que., and Western Ontario's Patrick Johnston of Whitby, Ont., were the other nominees for libero of the year.
COACH OF THE YEAR, presented by Coaches of Canada: Dan McMorran, UNB
McMorran became the first UNB men's volleyball coach in history to be honoured by his CIS peers and the first recipient from Atlantic University Sport since Dalhousie's Al Scott claimed the award back in 1989. The Varsity Reds mentor has received the AUS award three times over the past five seasons.
In his seventh campaign at the helm, the native of Oromocto, N.B., led the V-Reds to first place in the Atlantic conference standings with an 11-6 regular season record, and then to a two-game sweep (3-2, 3-2) of perennial powerhouse Dalhousie in the AUS final for the team's first conference title since 1979. UNB's appearance at this weekend's CIS championship will be the school's second in 32 years (2009).
McMorran played for the Varsity Reds from 1987 to 1993 including two seasons as captain of the team. He graduated with degrees in both Physical Education and Education while achieving CIS academic all-Canadian status. He has previously coached at St. Thomas University as well as with the New Brunswick Canada Games program.
"Dan being recognized as the CIS coach of the year validates his outstanding effort and the significant growth of our men's volleyball program within CIS," said Kevin Dickie, director of athletics at UNB. "He is one of the country's top coaches and is a terrific person. UNB couldn't be prouder of him and our team."
Laval's Pascal Clément, Western Ontario's Jim Sage and Calgary's Rod Durrant were also up for CIS coach-of-the-year honours.
DALE IWANOCZKO AWARD (outstanding student-athlete – community service): Jacob Kilpatrick, UNB
Kilpatrick is the first UNB student-athlete to receive the Dale Iwanoczko Award since its inception in 1994. He was the AUS nominee for the third straight year.
Kilpatrick has already graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from UNB, but returned this season to continue his studies by taking a Diploma in Technology Management Entrepreneur. A member of the prestigious CIS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian list in 2009-10, he has achieved academic all-Canadian status each of his first four years at UNB, is a two-time Dean's List student, is in his third year as president of the UNB Student-Athletes' Council, and is also the UNB nominee for the James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award which will be handed out by AUS later this month.
On the court, the imposing 6-foot-9 middle and team captain was named AUS MVP this season, marking his third selection as a conference all-star. He led the nation with a stellar .439 hitting percentage and also ranked first in the Atlantic in blocks (1.35) and service aces (0.37) per set.
Kilpatrick is a leader with a number of UNB initiatives, including the "Heads Up with the Reds" program where student-athletes visit local area schools and talk to children each year about Respect, Esteem, Dedication and Strategy. He also participates in the school's "Read with the Reds" program, where athletes read to over 1,000 kindergarten children each year.
"Jacob is a natural leader not just as captain of our team, but within the entire athletic department here at UNB," said head coach Dan McMorran. "He has been, and continues to be, an exceptional individual who encompasses all that we want from our student-athletes. He is a special young man who is a very worthy recipient of this award."
Montreal outside Sébastien Robichaud, an engineering student from Pincourt, Que., Western Ontario outside Reid Halpenny, an engineering student from Exeter, Ont., and Trinity Western middle Rudy Verhoeff, a religious studies student from Calgary, were the other finalists for the Dale Iwanoczko Award.
ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS
The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Wednesday.
Joining Vigrass on the first unit were conference most valuable players Kilpatrick (AUS), De Granpré (RSEQ) and Williamson (OUA), as well as Alberta setter Tanner Nault of Sherwood Park, Alta., Guelph left side Winston Rosser of Whitby, Ont., and Brandon left side Paul Sanderson of Melbourne, Australia.
Sanderson, the CIS MVP a year ago, was named an all-Canadian for the fourth straight season, including first-team nods each of the past three years. De Granpré, who was the CIS rookie of the year back in 2007-08, is the only other returnee from last year's first squad and is now a three-time CIS all-star, including a pair of first-team selections.
The second dream team for 2010-11 is comprised of Laval setter Justin Boudreault of Dolbeau, Que., Sherbrooke middle Pierre-Marc Lussier of Fleurimont, Que., Western Ontario right side Matt Poulin of Shanty Bay, Ont., Dalhousie outside Sander Ratsep of London, Ont., Thompson Rivers left side Kevin Tillie of Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, Trinity Western middle Rudy Verhoeff of Calgary, and Queen's outside Joren Zeeman of Cambridge, Ont.
Zeeman was selected to the second CIS unit for the third consecutive season, while Ratsep had been a first-team all-Canadian each of the past two years.
Joining May on the season's all-rookie team are conference top freshmen Bibeault-Pinard (RSEQ) and Komishon (Canada West), as well as UBC left side Ben Chow of Surrey, B.C., Trinity Western left side Nicholas Del Bianco of Langley, B.C., Waterloo outside Fiodar Kazhamiaka of Waterloo, Ont., and McMaster outside Jori Mantha of Vanier, Ont.
2010-2011 CIS MEN'S VOLLEYBALL AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
Player of the year: Graham Vigrass, Calgary
Rookie of the year: Garrett May, Western Ontario
Libero of the year: Blair Bann, UBC
Coach of the year, presented by Coaches of Canada: Dan McMorran, UNB
Dale Iwanoczko Award (outstanding student-athlete – community service): Jacob Kilpatrick, UNB
First Team
Position - Athlete - University - Year - Hometown - Faculty
Outside Karl De Granpré Laval 4 Pierreville, Que. Statistics
Middle Jacob Kilpatrick UNB 5 Saint John, N.B. BTME
Setter Tanner Nault Alberta 5 Sherwood Park, Alta. Education
Left Side Winston Rosser Guelph 3 Whitby, Ont. Psychology
Left Side Paul Sanderson Brandon 5 Melbourne, Aus. Education
Middle Graham Vigrass Calgary 4 Calgary, Alta. Science
Outside Kyle Williamson Windsor 3 Essex, Ont. Psychology
Second Team
Setter Justin Boudreault Laval 3 Dolbeau, Que. PE & Health
Middle Pierre-Marc Lussier Sherbrooke 5 Fleurimont, Que. Ms. Admin.
Right Side Matt Poulin Western 3 Shanty Bay, Ont. Social Sciences
Outside Sander Ratsep Dalhousie 5 London, Ont. Economics
Left Side Kevin Tillie Thompson Rivers2 Cagnes-sur-Mer, Fr. Arts
Middle Rudy Verhoeff Trinity Western4 Calgary, Alta. Religious St.
Outside Joren Zeeman Queen's 4 Cambridge, Ont. P&H Education
All-Rookie Team
Middle Olivier Bibeault-Pinard Laval 1 L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que. Civil Eng.
Left Side Ben Chow UBC 1 Surrey, B.C. Human Kinetics
Left Side Nicholas Del Bianco Trinity Western1 Langley, B.C. Human Kinetics
Outside Fiodar Kazhamiaka Waterloo 1 Waterloo, Ont. Computer Sc.
Setter Chris Komishon Manitoba 1 Winnipeg, Man. University 1
Outside Jori Mantha McMaster 1 Vanier, Ont. Social Sciences
Left Side Garrett May Western 1 Toronto, Ont. BMOS