Canada West Student-Athlete of the Year and nominee for the CIS Th茅r猫se Quigley Award is Rayel Quiring of the UBC Thunderbirds, clearly a leader on and off the volleyball court.

The fifth-year player has had a massive impact as a leader on the court for the UBC Thunderbirds, winning four consecutive CIS championships, and helping the team to a season-long No. 1 ranking in CIS.

She works just as hard outside of volleyball to help others as a volunteer leader with the Canadian Cancer Society Committee, managing eight different events to fundraise $10,000 by June 16 for the Relay for Life.  She also helps the CCS as a Human Resources Project Volunteer, spending 12 hours a week working on developing, implementing and evaluating a new Workplace Wellness Program.

Quiring is a Walnut Grove Secondary graduate.

Quiring has been accepted into the prestigious Leaders of Tomorrow mentorship program of The Vancouver Board of Trade and last summer worked as a Relief Worker for a Habitat for Humanity. She also coaches at the Atomic Volleyball skills clinic and works to help run UBC鈥檚 annual high school volleyball tournament.

鈥淩ay is the heart of the team 鈥� the player that is always looking to lead and encourage her teammates to be their best,鈥� said UBC head coach Doug Reimer. 鈥淪he is a player that makes things happen on the court and this has carried out to her many volunteer endeavours and projects outside of volleyball.鈥�