The Olds College Broncos women’s volleyball team has looked to the West Coast for its first recruits of the 2019-20 season.
Maya Jovic of North Vancouver, B.C. and Francesca Sandini of Burnaby, B.C. come to the Broncos as longtime teammates with the Sonic Volleyball Club in Vancouver, most recently with the club’s 18U Girls team.
Both Jovic and Sandini will study sports management in the fall.
A five-foot-10 middle who can also play on the outside, Jovic cites her energy and positivity as her biggest strengths on the court.
“I am most looking forward to meeting new people and becoming part of an excellent program, an amazing team, and to be able to compete at a post-secondary level,” she said. “I am also excited to learn about my teammates and the school.”
Jovic also brings plenty of leadership to the table, as she has served as a team captain over her last three seasons in the Sonic system, and has won at just about every level she’s competed at, including a pair of national club championships.
Broncos head coach Rhonda Schmuland is keen to integrate Jovic into the team.
“[Maya’s] athleticism, hard work and competitiveness are going to be important pieces to our program’s success as we build throughout our coming season,” Schmuland said.
Meanwhile, Sandini profiles as a five-foot-nine outside hitter who can also play libero.
She’s also enjoyed success with St. Thomas More Collegiate, capturing back-to-back Catholic championships, with Sandini being named a tournament all-star in 2018 en route to an eventual third-place finish in the B.C. AA high school provincial championships.
Her skills also translate outdoors, with a third-place finish in beach volleyball at the 2018 B.C. Summer Games.
Sandini is excited about coming to Olds in the fall.
“The community was really nice,” she said. “I was always getting more information about it daily, and it got me more interested.”
Known for her defensive presence on the court, Sandini also sees herself as a vocal leader who plays an aggressive style.
“A big adjustment will be the change of game and how fast it is, but it will be a challenge that I will gladly accept,” she said.
Sandini is eager to begin her post-secondary career with a familiar face in Jovic.
“It means a lot,” she said of continuing to play with Jovic. “We’ve had a long journey together, and I’m excited to see what comes next.”
Schmuland sees Sandini becoming a stabilizing force on the court for the Broncos.
“She is going to help bring consistency to our serve-receive, and she will strongly add to our defensive presence in the ACAC,” she said.
In terms of expectations for the season, both Sandini and Jovic expect the Broncos to continue their positive growth.
“I believe people will see a strong team of women who support each other and give it their all in every game,” Jovic said.
The Broncos will open their 2019-20 campaign in Calgary against the SAIT Trojans on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., then return to the Ralph Klein Centre for their home opener on Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.
Geordie Carragher is an information officer for Broncos athletics.
