College of the Rockies' men's volleyball team is pleased to announce the signing of Albert Francisco, a 6-foot Libero from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Francisco is transferring to the College from Canadian Mennonite University where he played two years with the CMU Blazers. He has had an impressive volleyball career so far, earning most valuable player three times in high school, junior varsity and varsity Athlete of the Year, was chosen for the 2018 Team Manitoba Indoor team, played with Team Manitoba again in beach volleyball for the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games. In the 2022/23 season, Francisco also earned a spot on Manitoba College's Athletic Conference All Conference team, CMU Rookie of the Year, and CCAA Academic All-Canadian.

"Albert brings a mature professionalism to our program," said men's coach Cisco Farrero. "He exudes a quiet confidence and has an utmost belief in his abilities. He is ultra-athletic and can impact the game at both the libero and outside hitter positions. The former MCAC all-rookie team member, Albert will be a great addition to our program. Albert is also a very high-achieving student and will be finishing his business degree at the College."

Having chosen to transfer into the College's Bachelor of Business Administration: Sustainable Business Practices program, Francisco is excited about his move to the PACWEST and the College.

"I chose College of the Rockies because of its strong business program and high level of volleyball," he said. "I'm impressed by the positive culture that the team, coaches, and the community have, and I wanted to be a part of that."

Francisco will have his chance to show his skills when the Avalanche take part in exhibition games in September.