KAMLOOPS – Thompson Rivers University WolfPack athlete Robin Schoebel has been named the 2007 Canada West Rookie of the Year.

Schoebel, selected by head coaches across the conference, came to TRU from Beausoleil, France, last fall to take an outside hitter position with the WolfPack in his first year of CIS play.

The talented young arts student, who came to TRU after logging 65 matches with the U-18 French national team, ranked among the leaders in several categories during conference play, picking up 4.10 points/set to finish fourth in the league, along with making 3.42 kills/set, seventh-best in the conference, and 0.27 aces/set (9th).

“Robin is planning on staying in Canada over the summer and will return to the WolfPack in the fall. I think that to find someone of his ability and desire to be here for five years is certainly exceptional, and someone you can build a winning program around,” said WolfPack men’s volleyball head coach Patrick Hennelly.

“As he became acclimatized to our systems and a new country and being a student athlete, he definitely got stronger as the year went on and his results in the second half of the season were even better. Finishing with his Friday night result vs Winnipeg in the post-season, scoring 32 points (26 kills, 3 aces, 10 digs and 3 blocks) was an exceptional performance for any athlete in volleyball, much less a first-year athlete,” added Hennelly.

Schoebel helped TRU to a 6-12 record this season, a vast improvement from the 1-19 mark the WolfPack had in its first CIS season, and his outstanding 22-kill performance in the WolfPack’s penultimate regular-season match vs the Calgary Dinos was crucial to securing the ‘Pack the final playoff spot in Canada West.

For more information, please contact Patrick Hennelly at 250-572-6619.