For the second consecutive season, Yevgeniya (Jane) Lytvynenko of the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners is the 2023 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

In addition, Lytvynenko is one of 14 players who has been named 2023 CCAA Women’s Volleyball All-Canadians. See the full list below.

The student-athletes were honoured at the 2023 CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship, hosted by Vancouver Island University (VIU) in Nanaimo, BC.

An inspirational story and an inspirational person, Lytvynenko – who spent the bulk of the offseason arranging to get family members from her native Ukraine to safety in Canada – has built upon her 2022 CCAA Player of the Year season with another outstanding campaign.

“Jane proved to be a force for VIU last year and continued to show dominance and leadership this season,” said Beth Clark, CCAA Women’s Volleyball Convenor. “She’s really impressive on the court but also a formidable student-athlete and young mother, carrying herself with grace and using volleyball as a healthy outlet from the chaos happening in her home country of Ukraine.”

Lytvynenko led the Mariners to the top of the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) standings once again with a 19-1 record. VIU will look to capture its fifth consecutive CCAA Championship crown in Women’s Volleyball this week.

The fourth-year outside hitter led the PACWEST with 3.97 kills per set and 4.66 points per set. She is one of the tallest and strongest student-athletes in the CCAA, an outside hitter who can elevate above opposition blockers and threaten defenders with power or a well-placed tip to free space on the opposite court.

Lytvynenko also placed in the top 20 in blocks, aces and digs, solidifying her ability to be a difference maker on offense and defence.

A quiet leader who lets her play do the talking, Lytvynenko has taken on a mentor role and has proven to be very popular with her teammates at VIU, which featured seven first-year players on its roster this season.

Lytvynenko is an instructor/group leader with VIU fall youth volleyball camps and also provided instruction at summer beach volleyball camps.

“Jane is one of the most respected student-athletes in the conference, an ‘A’ student, and someone who has given endless thanks and gratitude to her volleyball teammates, coaches, and community for helping her rise above an unconscionably difficult year,” said Matt Carter, Communications & Sports Information Coordinator at VIU. “She has repaid them and then some with another dominating season on the court and mentorship and friendship off it.”

The CCAA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year receives a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA.

2022 CCAA Women’s Volleyball All-Canadians

NAME: Jane Lytvynenko
CONFERENCE: PACWEST
TEAM: VIU Mariners
POSITION: Outside Hitter
ELIGIBILITY: 4^th year
PROGRAM: Business Administration

NAME: Erica Bolink
CONFERENCE: PACWEST
TEAM: Camosun Chargers
POSITION: Outside Hitter
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year
PROGRAM: Athletic Exercise Therapy

NAME: Jenay Varga
CONFERENCE: ACAC
TEAM: Lakeland Rustlers
POSITION: Outside Hitter
ELIGIBILITY: 3^rd year
PROGRAM: General Studies

NAME: Jamie Brown
CONFERENCE: ACAC
TEAM: Lethbridge Kodiaks
POSITION: Outside Hitter
ELIGIBILITY: 5^th year
PROGRAM: Exercise Science

NAME: DJ Molle
CONFERENCE: ACAC
TEAM: Augustana Vikings
POSITION: Middle
ELIGIBILITY: 3^rd year
PROGRAM: Kinesiology

NAME: Samuelle Lemoine
CONFERENCE: MCAC
TEAM: Les Rouges de Saint-Boniface
POSITION: Setter
ELIGIBILITY: 5th year
PROGRAM: Education

NAME: Alex Buhler
CONFERENCE: MCAC
TEAM: Providence Pilots
POSITION: Middle
ELIGIBILITY: 3^rd year
PROGRAM: Science

NAME: Erika Dodd
CONFERENCE: OCAA
TEAM: Humber Hawks
POSITION: Left Side
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year
PROGRAM: Sport Management

NAME: Ngameni Davina
CONFERENCE: OCAA
TEAM: Seneca Sting
POSITION: Outside Hitter
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year
PROGRAM: Accounting

NAME: Kiana Huggins
CONFERENCE: OCAA
TEAM: St. Clair Saints
POSITION: Outside Hitter
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year
PROGRAM: Business Administration Finance

NAME: Oriane Racine
CONFERENCE: RSEQ
TEAM: Lynx d’Édouard-Montpetit
POSITION: Outside Hitter
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year
PROGRAM: N/A

NAME: Emma Waskiewicz
CONFERENCE: RSEQ
TEAM: Nordiques de Lionel-Groulx
POSITION: Setter
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year
PROGRAM: Accounting

NAME: Abby Lanteigne
CONFERENCE: ACAA
TEAM: St. Thomas Tommies
POSITION: Left Side
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year
PROGRAM: Arts