Latest Huskies recruit finding her feet in a Hurry
Transfer from B.C. is becoming a star in the middle for U of S volleyball team
Georgia Hurry is a new year’s revelation for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s volleyball squad.
As a transfer student from Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C., Hurry was slow to adjust to a new league, but has really come on during the past month. She has not only earned a regular spot in the Huskies’ lineup, but she’s also emerging as a star in the middle.
Hurry has 42 kills, four service aces and 11 digs in the Huskies’ last five Canada West conference matches, four of them wins. She’s also had a hand on 30 blocks over that stretch.
“She’s found her place and she’s really started to flourish,” says Huskies head coach Mark Dodds, whose playoff-hungry squad (7-7) plays host to the MacEwan Griffins (0-12) in Canada West conference play Friday and Saturday (6 p.m.) at the PAC on the U of S campus.
“When she got here, it took her a little bit of time to adjust to the speed of Canada West volleyball and just our offence. We run a very different offence than what they ran at Douglas College her last few years, so it took her a while to connect and develop a relationship with the setters and other hitters.”
Hurry, a native of Summerland, B.C., attended high school in Penticton before attending Douglas College, a PAC Conference collegiate team, in the Greater Vancouver area.
She was named to the PAC West all-star rookie squad in 2015.
“It (U Sport) is definitely a faster league and quite a few stronger players than I’m used to, but I like it and I think I’m adjusting well and definitely finding my place on the team,” said Hurry, adding the key has been finding chemistry and timing with the setter and getting used to a faster pace.
“The speed increased. Once I got more comfortable with that, it kind of helped me find a connection with the setters and put balls away.”
At Douglas College, Hurry was coached by Saskatchewan native Jeff Ross, who grew up in the Battlefords area. Ross put in a good word with Dodds to help pave the way.
“She (Hurry) was a planned addition to the team,” explains Dodds, “and we’re definitely happy to have her.”
Nearly six-foot-three, Hurry is the tallest player on the Saskatchewan squad, but she’s definitely finding a lot more height among her Canada West opponents than she did in the PAC West.
“She’s one of those players who has a lot of qualities you can’t teach,” says Dodds. “She’s sixfoot-three; she’s athletic. I hadn’t seen her play a whole lot, but I knew she had the intangibles we were looking for and that’s size and athleticism. Blocking is one of the big areas where she’s really helping our team, but she’s also come along offensively as well.”
PLAYOFF PUSH
Hurry is one of four middle players on the Huskies’ active roster, joining fellow newcomer Carissa Noble, an NCAA transfer, plus holdovers Marguerite Ferguson and Brooke Listwin.
“Our practices are very competitive because of the depth we have at our middle,” says Dodds. “It’s definitely been a huge piece to us being successful this year, just the quality we have in the middle. When you come up against Canada West play, we’re more prepared than we have been in the past.”
Hurry chose to come to the U of S, hoping to get into the veterinary medicine program next fall.
She’s also hoping to qualify for the Canada West playoffs with the Huskies, who haven’t reached the post-season in well over a decade.
“Definitely for the Huskies to be in that position is very exciting,” says Hurry.