MVB | Thierman commits to the Kodiaks

May 5, 2020 – Lethbridge College Kodiaks men’s volleyball head coach Greg Gibos is excited to announce the signing of Clay Thierman to his 2020-21 roster.

Thierman hails from the small community of Webb, SK and brings a wealth of high-level experience to the program.

“When evaluating the recruiting class this year, we identified Clay as a clear target to become a Kodiak,” says Gibos. “Clay has loads of provincial team experience and has performed at the highest levels throughout his youth career.”

Thierman is indeed used to the pressures of elite competition. He was a member of U16 Team Saskatchewan and played as an underage athlete last season on the U18 Team Saskatchewan roster.

“I think it speaks to the maturity and high skill level that Clay possesses,” says Gibos. “Their provincial organization selected him as an underage athlete to compete at the Canada Cup in Halifax last season. During that competition their team was successful, and Clay has a passion and excitement that is infectious to his teammates.”

Thierman and Team Saskatchewan went 3-1 in the round robin before falling to British Columbia in the national quarterfinal.

For Gibos, the signing of Thierman checks all of the Kodiaks three pillars – dedication to academics, athletics, and community.

“I’ve said it before when we go through the recruiting process. We desperately want guys who love volleyball and are willing to go the extra mile for themselves and their program,” says Gibos. “Another aspect that stood out to us with Clay was his willingness to get better. During his club season he was willing to drive nearly three hours one-way to train in Regina. We know Clay is dedicated to becoming the best athlete he can and helping his team achieve a high level of success”

Thierman represented both the Jr. Sundogs Club and most recently the Regina Volleyball Club. As a member of the Jr. Sundog program he was part of the U18 provincial championship winning team in 2018.

He was also a provincial champion while representing his high school as a member of the Swift Current Composite Colts in 2017.

“Clay is a proven winner and has a hunger to become a champion both on and off the court. Our program prides itself on being competitive and I know he’s going to bring this every day,” says Gibos.

“When watching Clay compete, I was always impressed with his genuine happiness for his teammate’s success. He’s going to be a tremendous addition to our team, and I know he is hungry to leave the Kodiaks jersey in a better place.”

Sold on the Kodiaks Culture

After watching his future team from afar, Thierman said it was the strong volleyball culture at LC that sold him on joining the program.  

“Right now when people talk about Lethbridge, everyone says the same thing,” said Thierman when asked about his decision to choose the Kodiaks. “Everyone talks about the tremendous volleyball community, being part of the Kodiak Family, and joining a close knit group of guys. At the end of the day these were the biggest selling features in my decision to attend Lethbridge College.”

Thierman grew up as a part of a ranching family and will be enrolling in the college’s highly regarded Agricultural Science Program.

“I’m hoping I can bring the hype and continue to support and grow this team. I just can’t wait to get on the court and get started and hopefully help this team achieve its ultimate goals.”

The Kodiaks are coming off a historic season in which they qualified for CCAA nationals for the first time in program history. While no one can say for sure what the fall season will look like due to the global pandemic, the addition of strong recruits like Thierman leaves Gibos feeling confident in the direction of the program.

“Adding a high-level athlete like Clay is another big piece to growing our program both provincially and nationally,” says Gibos. “Our program is starting to make some noise on both levels and the challenge for this next group is to keep growing the legacy and foundation that has been laid by the student-athletes before them.”

With the program graduating four key student-athletes, Theirman will play a big part in the Kodiaks reload.

“Clay possesses a tremendously quick arm swing and is already a threat behind the service line,” says Gibos. “He’s a big physical kid at 6’4, but also has the ball control necessary to be a successful outside hitter. He will help us retool our outside position which had four student-athletes graduate last season. I know he’s got a bright future in post-secondary sports, and we are excited to watch him grow in a Kodiaks uniform.”