UBC Thunderbirds men's volleyball player Joel Regehr has been named to Volleyball Canada's national junior team.
Regehr, a 6-foot-7 middle from Courtenay, red-shirted last season at UBC. He was selected to the junior team program following the National Team Challenge Cup, which was held July 15-20 in Gatineau, Que.
He is one of 14 athletes taking part in a five-day training camp at Algonquin College in Ottawa. Following the camp, 12 players will be chosen to travel to San Salvador, El Salvador for the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship, July 27 to Aug. 4.
The top two teams from this tournament will earn a berth at the 2015 FIVB U21 World Championship.
Regehr represented Team BC at the National Challenge Cup last summer. He played his high school volleyball at Mark R. Isfeld Secondary in Courtenay.
His mother, Donna Baydock, is a UBC graduate and a former coach of the women's volleyball team. She was named the Canada West and CIS Coach of the Year in 1989.
He said his mother's history with Canada's most successful athletic program is one of the big reasons he chose to play for the T-Birds.
“The men's program is attractive to play for because of the calibre of young, talented guys who are on the team right now and that I'll get to play with over the next couple years,” said Regehr at the time he joined the T-Birds.
“I also enjoy coach Schick's coaching style and feel like I can become the best I can be with the resources at UBC and the guidance of coach Schick and (assistant) coach Matt LeBourdais.”
In 2013, Regehr was ranked as the No. 5 graduating player in B.C. high school boys volleyball by The Province newspaper.
“Joel's a guy who's flown under the radar for a while,” said UBC coach Richard Schick in announcing Regehr's decision to join UBC.
“With his size and physical ability, he's going to be an outstanding CIS player. He's been really well coached through his early club and high school years by someone who knows and understands the game and is a player who … has really good overall skills.”
SIDE OUTS Regehr played on the B.C. White team at the 2011 Western Elite Championship … on the club circuit, he played for the Victoria Volleyball Association, led by coach Dave Dooley …