By Cascades Media. UFV athletics director Rocky Olfert is pleased to announce the hiring of Kyle Donen as head coach of the UFV men’s volleyball team. Donen is the first head coach the program has hired since 2005, and will continue to lead the team in competition in the PACWEST (Pacific Western Athletic Association) division of the CCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association).
“Kyle has so many of the qualities that we were looking for in a coach, and I believe he will be key in leading this program forward,” said Olfert. “He is very professional, well-prepared, and passionate about developing student athletes at UFV and in the surrounding communities that we serve.”
Donen played CIS volleyball with the Thompson River WolfPack from 2006-2010, competing in three national championships over the course of his career. He also competed in Tel Aviv in 2009 as part of the Canadian Jewish National Volleyball team, and played on Team BC from 2004-2009.
Donen spent the latter half of the 2013-2014 season as assistant coach of the Cascades, and has previously coached with the Seaside volleyball club in White Rock as well as at Semiahmoo Senior Secondary and Elgin Park Secondary. Also an accomplished play-by-play broadcaster, he has been the voice of many volleyball championships over the past few years, including last year’s Canada West Men’s Final Four hosted by Trinity Western University.
“I am really excited for the opportunity,” said Donen. “Volleyball is my passion so having the opportunity to coach at this level is a dream come true. I’m honoured to be a part of the UFV team.”
Cascades men’s volleyball has struggled through recent years, finishing out of the PACWEST playoffs this season (8-16), and recording a 6-18 record in 2012-2013. Donen will be tasked with re-building UFV men’s volleyball into a consistently competitive squad.
Donen will begin working with the team immediately, and will make his official debut behind the bench at the start of the 2014-2015 season in October. “I think this group of guys has the ability to take their game to the next level and I’m hoping to get them there this season and continue to build for the future as well,” said Donen.