After securing the Quigley Cup three-peat, the Badgers’ season came to an end all too soon on the national stage, losing to Acadia in the first round of the U Sports playoffs. Despite the disappointing conclusion, Brock had one of their best seasons in program history, a year that warrants further analysis.
Key Takeaways:
Composure: With poise, tenacity, mental toughness, stick-with-it-ness or whatever you want to call it, the Badgers certainly displayed an ability to adapt and overcome almost any situation all season long. While many (if not most) of their regular season matches were unceremonious blowouts in their favour, Brock showed the unique ability to recover from serious adversity without seeming to so much as bat an eye at the daunting odds.
While the desired result didn’t come in Hamilton, in both the OUA semi-finals and the U Sports quarterfinals, the Badgers were able to recover from being down two sets to nothing and force a playoff set. While the season ended earlier than they would have liked, their unrivalled energy and mental fortitude are things the Badgers should be proud of.
Depth: In the playoffs, it was particularly evident how many contributors the Badgers had in their amazing season. While many of Brock’s great regular season performances continued into the postseason, it is impossible to expect an athlete to maintain that level of play through every set. In spite of that, Brock seemed to have a “next player up” mentality where, whenever someone was struggling, there was always someone else to pick up the slack. This was reflected in the provincial honours, which saw three Badgers selected to the OUA First Team, one to the Second Team and another to the Rookie Team. Even unselected players like Aleiah Torres (fourth in the OUA in digs and digs-per-set), Madison Chimienti (19th in the OUA in kills and 14th in digs per set) and Laurin Ainsworth (named one of Brock’s ‘Athletes of the Week’ on March 18th) were all major contributors.
MVP:
Sara Rohr: Despite Brock’s depth, fifth-year setter Rohr is a clear choice for Brock’s most valuable player of 2024. As she has done for many years, Rohr used her intelligence, craftiness and strong positioning to run the OUA’s best offence this year, and in 2024, she took her play to a new level. Rohr managed to leave this year with 2,475 career assists—a new program record—three OUA First Team selections, one U Sports First Team selection, and 2024’s OUA Player of the Year award.
HM: Gigi Markotic: While not relied upon as much as hitters like Emily Foest, Sadie Dick and Chimienti, Markotic—who joined Rohr on the OUA First Team—was one of the most efficient players in all of Canadian volleyball this season. Out of everyone who played in OUA women’s volleyball this season, there were only two players who had more attempts than Markotic while committing fewer errors. As a result, Markotic finished second in the OUA in attack percentage, a key cog in the Badgers’ offence.
Rookie of the Year:
Emma Baruchelli: Again, like the pick for MVP, Baruchelli is the clear choice for this award. Baruchelli joined the Badgers from Italy and made a strong case for a role increase next season. While Baruchelli didn’t play enough to feature in the OUA’s statistical leaders, she attacked well and efficiently from the middle position, with a .330 attacking percentage that would have made her the second most efficient player in the OUA if she had factored in enough matches. With Baruchelli poised to join Brock’s starting group, the future looks bright for the Badgers.