Coming up Aces: A look at the history of Algonquin College Varsity Volleyball
Discover the rich legacy of Algonquin College Varsity Volleyball — from 1970s gold medal glory to national-level recognition.
Published: February 2, 2026
From back-to-back gold medals in the seventies to repping their school on a national level, there’s no denying the impact of Algonquin College Varsity Volleyball teams.
In celebration of the Algonquin Students’ Association’s 55th anniversary, we take a look at key moments throughout the program’s history.
Noteworthy achievements for Women’s Volleyball include winning gold for their two debut seasons in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) in 1975–1976 and 1976–1977, and having players named as Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Canadian and OCAA Hall of Fame inductees.
The Men’s Volleyball team also had their share of gold in the seventies (1975–1976 and 1977–1978). More recent milestones include two provincial gold medals in the early 2000s (2006–2007 and 2008–2009) and a National bronze medal (2006–2007).
The OCAA Hall of Fame inducted one of our players from the Women’s Volleyball team:
Sarah Hazlewood (2003–2004 to 2007–2008)
Hazlewood enjoyed a successful five-year career with the Algonquin Thunder women’s volleyball program.
Accolades were not uncommon during Hazlewood’s playing days. In 2003-04, she was named the OCAA Rookie of the Year. From 2004-05 to 2007-08, the Thunder were OCAA East regional champions with Hazlewood as the Team Captain. In 2004-05 and 2005-06, she was selected as an OCAA Second-Team League All-Star. In 2006-07 and 2007-08, she was selected as an OCAA First-Team League All-Star.
Hazlewood is known for her leadership qualities on-and-off the court. She began her coaching career as an assistant with the Thunder from 2009-10 until 2012-13. She also coached at the club level in Ottawa, Ont.
CCAA All Canadians
The CCAA has recognized two of Algonquin College’s Varsity Volleyball players at the national level:
- Breanne Scheerhorn (2018–2019)
Scheerhoorn is the program’s all-time leader in points and kills, and was the 2018–19 OCAA scoring champion. She is Algonquin’s first and only women’s volleyball All-Canadian and is a three-time OCAA East All-Star - Phil Yeldon (2012–2013 and 2013–2014)
In only two seasons with the Thunder, Yeldon finished 2nd all-time in program history in both points and kills, and won the OCAA scoring title twice. Both of his single-season point totals rank top five in OCAA history, and he holds the Algonquin single-season records for kills, points, and service aces. He was the OCAA Player of the Year in both seasons.