Four recruits unveiled for men’s V-ball team
Men’s volleyball squad adds Brazilian duo along with two Ontario high schoolers
Head coach James Gravelle has been trying to make an international splash with the University of Windsor Lancers men’s volleyball team for years.
Gravelle has finally broken through with a pair of Brazilian imports as part of a four-man recruiting class announced on Wednesday.
“U Sports teams are allowed two international players on the roster,” Gravelle said. “We’ve mostly not taken advantage of that, and more and more of our opponents have been loading up.
“We’ve been trying to find a good fit for a number of years, and we finally found two really good ones that are good fits for us.”
Outside hitter Gustavo Siqueira, who plays for one of Brazil’s top club teams, Sesi-sp, joins the Lancers in the fall. The 21-yearold won a national title and three state titles. The 6-foot-5 Siqueira was also named a state all-star.
The 6-foot-5 Davi Ortiga, who is also an outside hitter, will join the Lancers in January when he finishes up high school. Playing junior club volleyball with Sao Jose Dos Campos, the 18-year-old
Ortiga has won the Parana Cup four times and the Carioca Cup three times, along with the Minas Cup and Wonderful City Cup. He’s also an accomplished beach volleyball player with two titles.
“Both have good size, both are long and have long arms that jump well and will be good for our league,” Gravelle said. “Both play in strong leagues. I’ve studied them both and they are high quality players that should have an immediate impact.”
Locally, Sandwich high school’s Chad Kristalovich, who also plays club for SKY Volley, will join the Lancers along with Ingersoll’s Colin Hutchison.
“James contacted me and he was very welcoming,” the 18-year-old Kristalovich said.
“I just love the environment there. Everything about it was a perfect fit for me and I’m just really excited and think I made the right choice.”
Kristalovich did look at other schools as well as options in the United States before opting to stay close to home.
“I was looking at a few other schools and a few schools in the States, but ended up going with Windsor because the environment is so great,” Kristalovich said.
The 6-foot-1 Kristalovich is an outside hitter, but Gravelle also thinks he can contribute early at libero.
“Such a quality person,” Gravelle
said of Kristalovich. “He’s just a model citizen for our (SKY Volley) club. A hard-working, character guy and will fit in well. He’s just going to put his head down and do the work.”
The 6-foot-4 Hutchison provides Gravelle with an elusive left-handed hitter that can play the right side.
“I’ve been searching for a lefty for seven seasons and finally found one,” Gravelle said. “He’s another good character guy. He jumps well and he’s an athletic lefty. He’s a nice addition. He and Chad played an extra year of high school, so they’re a little more mature and physically mature coming in.”
Hutchison helped Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute to a WOSAA championship in
I’ve studied them both and they are high quality players that should have an immediate impact.
2019 and a fourth-place finish at OFSAA. He earned team MVP and also played club volleyball for Forest City.
“We really like this class,” said Gravelle, who lost Tecumseh’s Brad Gyemi and Roland Bouchard to graduation. “We have a lot of graduations after next season and it’s important to reload.
“Under the current conditions, with the border closed, it presents a challenge and it’s a little awkward, but it can’t stay closed forever. Definitely a strong recruiting class and plugs some holes we have.”