Chin, Alberta has a population of 62 but will be less one this fall, as one of the residents will be moving on from the southern Alberta hamlet to the Okanagan.

The 5’11” Amaya Perry has committed to playing with the UBCO women’s volleyball team for the 2019-20 season. Perry moves on from Catholic Central High School in Lethbridge to join head coach Steve Manuel’s Heat varsity program and she brings with her a spectacular resume.

The outside hitter was a three-time member of the Alberta provincial team between the years 2016 and 2018. In 2017, she served as the team’s captain, and in 2018 Perry played a key role in helping Alberta capture bronze at the Canada Cup.

In high school, the three-year senior racked up the hardware with the Cougars. In grade 10, she was the Southern Alberta High School Volleyball League’s Rookie of the Year, while earning a first team all-star in 2016. She was once again a first team all-star in 2017 and this past fall, her grade 12 year she was the league MVP, leading the Cougars to the league title.

As a student at Catholic Central, Perry has made the honour roll in all three years to date and is on her way to a fourth straight distinction; as an aspiring pediatrician, she will enroll in the Bachelor of Science program this fall at UBC Okanagan.

“I chose UBC Okanagan because I love the location and appreciate that it is a highly academic and competitive school,” said Perry whose sister, Rayn, also plays U SPORTS volleyball, but in the OUA, at the University of Toronto.

“I am very excited to go and play volleyball with other girls who are just as passionate about the sport as I am, I can’t wait to expand my skill set with the help of UBCO’s awesome coaching staff and teammates. I am looking forward to the challenge of being a varsity student athlete and learning how to balance my responsibilities.”

2019-20 will be head coach Steve Manuel’s 19th with the program, and the decorated coach is very pleased that the Panther Volleyball Club product has elected to don the blue and gold of the Heat for her post secondary volleyball career.

“We [the entire women’s volleyball coaching staff] could not be happier that Amaya chose to study at UBC Okanagan and to compete for the Heat program. We believe that Amaya has all the tools to make an impact with our program and we look forward to welcoming her to the family.”

Perry will join a young and strong group of hitters for UBCO next fall. Two of head coach Steve Manuel’s recruits last year, Jade Bussard and Sydney Grills, earned spots on the Canada West All-Rookie team and Manuel feels Perry will be another impact player that will mix in nicely with that group.