Michelle Jakszuk of Elphinstone Secondary School in Gibsons has committed to suiting up for the UBC's Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team next fall.
The 6'1'' outside hitter comes with a great set of skills, is very athletic with great jumping ability and, for a player still in high school, already possesses a wide variety of shots, as Heat coach Steve Manuel has noted.
"She has the ability to be the player who can break a game wide open with her offensive abilities, a role we will be looking to fill now that Alex Basso is graduating," Manuel said.
Basso, a five-year starter for the Heat, was a decorated outside hitter who was a key member of the team's three-time provincial and two-time national championship titles while in the CCAA and helped guide the team into the CIS and a playoff berth this past season.
Michelle's versatility isn't limited to the things she can do on the volleyball court, but across a handful of activities. She was a successful multi-sport athlete during her high school years, playing soccer, basketball and volleyball, as well as competing in track and field. Consistently an MVP for her high-school soccer and volleyball teams, she eventually settled into volleyball as her first and primary passion.
She was a North Shore, provincial high school and provincial club first team all-star from 2010 to 2012. She was also the 2012 Ogopogo high school tournament MVP (held at UBC's Okanagan campus each fall) and was named to the all-star team of the UBC high school tournament in Vancouver
"We believe that Michelle will be an impact player in Canada West and we are very happy that she has chosen to join our Heat program," Manuel added.
Michelle said she is very excited to attend UBC Okanagan for her studies as well.
"I chose UBC Okanagan because of its small campus. I like the idea of a smaller school with smaller classes," she said. "The campus being new and renovated is a bonus, too. I've been coming to the Okanagan every summer for as long as I can remember, so I really like the location."
She will enroll in the BA program but is not sure yet what she will major in.
"I still don't know exactly what I want to study, but I do know I want to do something to help people, whether it's through teaching or medicine, I'm still not sure," she added. "As far as the team goes, the Heat girls are all very inclusive and they made me feel welcome from day one. I think you need to be friends off the court as well as on the court, so I'm looking forward to making some long-term friendships."
- Submitted by UBC Okanagan Athletics
