Carter Hansen, fifth-year forward for the Kodiaks mens volleyball team, prepares to spike the ball in a practice at the Val Matteoti gymnasium on Jan. 9, 2020.
After winning their last game against the Red Deer Kings, the Lethbridge College Kodiaks will look to continue to win games as they go into the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championships.
The championships will be hosted by the Kodiaks for the first time, as the team will be front and centre when it plays in front of its home crowd. The team is currently 11-3 on the season and sits second in the south division.
One of the main reasons for its success is due to fifth-year star Carter Hansen. Hansen currently holds the ACAC records for kills in a career, when he broke the record of 1,168 kills that was previously owned by his former teammate, Dax Whitehead, in December of last year. Hansen has 186 kills this season as he will look to add to his total. Hansen said he has enjoyed his career with the Kodiaks.
“It’s been a good five years. It has had some ups, it has had some downs. The last two years have definitely been some good ups, which makes it end on a good note, which is better than having it end on a bad note, so I have enjoyed every moment I have had here,” said Hansen.
The Kodiaks will play 10 more matches before the conference championships. They will have a tough schedule as they will play teams that are over .500 in six of those matches.
Greg Gibos, the coach of the team, says his group is ready for the home stretch.
“The second half of the season is going to bring a lot of excitement. We are hosting the ACAC championships this year, so the guys are all happy and excited to be back in the gym. I mean, we are the number one seed in the south, so we want to keep it that way and have a really good seeding heading into the playoffs,” said Gibos.
Gibos added the college has done a fantastic job of bringing in new talent to help build the program into something that the community can rally behind. He said fifth-year players Hansen and Michael Hummel will get the chance to celebrate their last season while playing on the big stage at home.
The Kodiaks will continue their season when they face off against Old’s college at the Val Matteotti gymnasium on Jan. 17 and 18.