The Varsity Blues women’s volleyball program is pleased to announce that Olivia St-Jean, Arissa Fogolin and Emma Armstrong have committed to play volleyball and pursue an education at the University of Toronto in the fall of 2010.

With the loss of five key members of the 2009-10 OUA champion Varsity Blues women’s volleyball team, head coach Kristine Drakich will rely on a strong recruiting class to remain one of the top contenders in the country.

A member of the 2010 Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) girls’ volleyball championship team from Louis-Riel H.S., St-Jean was named the most valuable player on the Ottawa Mavericks beach volleyball team in 2009. The Ottawa native will be immediately called upon as a leftside hitter and is looking to pursue a degree in psychology while at U of T.

"Olivia is outstanding and will contribute significantly to our offence in her first year,” said Drakich. “Olivia's high school and club team have prepared her very well to train and compete at the university level and I'm excited to have her be a part of our program."

Fogloin has been accepted into the Faculty of Physical Education and Health’s Concurrent Teacher Education Program (CTEP). Recognized one of Wilson’s top 25 players in Canada in 2008, Fogolin attended the prospects Canadian volleyball camp and the volleyball high performance camp in 2009.

The Caledon, Ont., native comes by the sport and her competitive nature naturally. Her father played Varsity basketball for the Ryerson Rams, while her sister was a member of the Western Mustangs soccer team.

“Arissa is an outstanding person and a great athlete who has the desire to train and compete at this level,” said Drakich. “Thanks to the Georgetown Impact Club, she is skilled in every position at the net and will add strength and depth to our outside hitting position.”

Armstrong rounds out this strong group of recruits looking to make an impact at U of T. She is no stranger to success, having won four Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (EOSSAA) championships with St. Thomas Aquinas C.H.S., as well as an OFSAA title in 2009. Her father, Barry, played Varsity football for the Ottawa Gee-Gees (1981-84) and was drafted by the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1984.

The Russell, Ont., native will enter U of T’s actuarial science program in the fall.

Drakich looks forward to the presence that Armstrong brings both on the court and in the classroom:

"Emma is a great player who can fill both an outside hitting and libero role with the team. She has developed her skills and work ethic through the strong Ottawa Mavericks Club program and is ready to contribute to our program both on and off the court.”

Students who sign a letter of intent and commit to Varsity Blues intercollegiate teams will be eligible to play at the University of Toronto provided they are academically admissible and have applied through the normal process with the Ontario Universities Application Centre.

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.