Image Credit: TRU WolfPack Athletics

By Adam Donnelly

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

TRU WolfPack setter Abby Spratt reaches lofty career milestone

Jan 17, 2023 | 5:11 PM

KAMLOOPS — Over the weekend, Thompson Rivers University volleyball setter Abby Spratt recorded the 2,500th assist of her career on the road against Mount Royal University.

Reaching that milestone presented an opportunity for some reflection for Spratt.

“I think about, you know, how long I’ve been a part of this program and all the people who I’ve come across who have helped me get to this milestone,” Spratt tells CFJC Today. “Honestly, I can only thank all the girls I’ve played with and my coaches, because they helped me get to this milestone. I’m thankful and grateful.”

Spratt, in her sixth year with the WolfPack, is one of just 18 athletes who have played in Canada West to reach the 2,500-assist plateau.

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One of her targets for the past few seasons has been middle Hayley McNaught. McNaught is quick to credit Spratt as a positive influence on her development.

“In my first year, I think she was in her third year,” McNaught says. “She played a really big role in the player that I’ve become. She’s such a great leader and such a positive influence to have on the court. She’s always been such a calming presence, and for a player like me, that’s been really great.”

Last year, Spratt took her talents to the Slovak pro league but decided to come back and finish her degree and her eligibility with the WolfPack. That decision has benefitted interim head coach Behlul Yavasgel, as he’s filled in for Chad Grimm.

“She brings the best out of the team,” Yavasgel says. “At clutch times, she serves well, does her job, and communicates very well. Stuff that is hard to coach, really. She has it naturally.”

Twenty-five hundred assists is an impressive milestone to reach as a Canada West volleyball player. Teams play 24 matches per season in conference play, and players generally don’t start for their whole career. The achievement isn’t lost on her teammates.

“I’m so proud of her,” McNaught says. “It’s so great she’s been able to accomplish that and it’s such a testament to the things she’s done for our program. It’s really great to see.”

As a coach, Yavasgel sees that Spratt continually works on improving her game — in games and both on and off the court.

“It’s not just a physical skill. She puts in a lot of effort to connect with players off the court and talking to them,” Yavasgel says. “After each set, she goes and asks, ‘Was that good? Do you want it a little bit higher, faster?’ It’s an incredible accomplishment.”

Spratt is humble about her impressive career numbers and exudes gratitude for the continued opportunity to don the orange and black of the TRU WolfPack.

“I’ve grateful for the opportunities I was given. I’m grateful for Chad Grimm and Nathan Bennett for recognizing me at a young age, and bringing me in and giving me that opportunity to start in my first year and grow from there,” Spratt says. “Basically, the only word to describe it is grateful.”