College of the Rockies' women's volleyball program has signed Maya Bowden from Prince Albert, Sask. for the 2024/25 season.
"I saw Maya playing for the first time at Nationals in May of 2023 in Calgary," said coach Bryan Fraser. "She was an impressive athlete both from a physical standpoint, but also in her ability to take over games and force her opponents to change how they wanted to play. She also attended our High-Performance Camp in August, and I was really impressed with how she interacted on the court with her fellow participants as well as her knowledge of the game. She is highly academic and very driven both in school and on the court. She will be a valuable member of our program and I'm excited to help her grow into a high-level player in the ever-competitive PACWEST league."
Now 6 ft. 2 in, Bowden started playing volleyball in the fourth grade and quickly fell in love. She joined the Prince Albert Toppers Volleyball Club in grade seven and remains with them to this day. In her grade 11 year, Bowden helped her senior A Saint Mary High School team win a silver medal in 5A provincials, following up that impressive run with a gold in her grade 12 year.
In the summer of 2023, Bowden was welcomed onto Team Saskatchewan as a red shirt, an experience she thoroughly enjoyed. She currently plays for 18U Toppers Volleyball Club along with playing basketball for Saint Mary's Senior A team. She looks forward to joining the Avs in fall 2024.
"College of the Rockies was an obvious choice for me," Bowden said. "The High-Performance Camp and the communication with coach Fraser helped me to choose to join the Avalanche. At the camp, I was thrilled to connect with a team that is so skilled and so kind and welcoming. I also love the mountains and the community in the Kootenays as my family has spent many holidays there."
If Bowden isn't playing volleyball or basketball, you will often find her riding horses. She will be balancing her time with the Avs with studying Kinesiology.
The next home games for the 2023/24 men's and women's volleyball teams will be January 19 and 20 when they welcome the Camosun Chargers.