Hailey Ward switched course in the spring of her graduating year at NorKam secondary, ditching plans to pursue a college education and volleyball career in the U.S.
“I decided I wasn’t ready to move that far away and spend that kind of money, and my little sister was 13 at the time,” said Ward, a lifelong Kamloopsian who was born at Royal Inland Hospital. “I just wasn’t ready to leave my family. I’m so thankful I changed my mind and literally would not want to do it any other way.”
Thompson Rivers University has six U Sports varsity teams — men’s and women’s outfits in soccer, volleyball and basketball — and Ward is among 18 Kamloops athletes who will toil for the WolfPack in 2025–2026, according to a list provided by the school’s athletics department.
“I was kind of bummed at first, not being able to get the dorm experience and move away from home, but I’m super thankful,” said Ward, a third-year outside hitter for the WolfPack women’s volleyball squad. “I have a meal cooked for me every day. I feel very supported in Kamloops and I’m really thankful for that.”
The men’s soccer team leads the way among the WolfPack varsity squads with eight Kamloops players on its roster: Domenico Comita, Lucas Rinaldi, Griffin Ansley, Sasha Ryga, Markus Molett, Caleb Kroad, Aren Christianson and Luca Cupello.
Comita, whose brother Alesandro toiled for the Pack before moving on to the professional ranks in Europe, grew up watching the WolfPack and was a ball boy during the 2017 U Sports Men’s Soccer National Championship in Kamloops, inspired by the home team’s bronze-medal victory.
He achieved his dream of playing for TRU and scored the winning goal in a penalty shootout to give the WolfPack their first U Sports championship title in 2022 — a moment considered among the greatest in Kamloops sports history.
Comita is likely to be named team captain this year.
“It would be a huge honour,” said Comita, a fourth-year defender. “I was born and raised here. I would be extremely grateful if [WolfPack head coach John Antulov] gave me that opportunity and I’d love to make the most of it.”
The women’s basketball team has four Kamloops players — Morgan Eichenberger, Kylee Koppes, Lucy Marchese and Isabel Phillips — on the roster this season.
Brandon Johnson and Alex Howard (from Merritt but moved to Kamloops and graduated from South Kamloops secondary) are the WolfPack men’s volleyball locals, while the duo of Aliyah Deneault and Jocelyn Orr are the River City representatives on the women’s soccer squad.
Rookie Cason Scott is the lone Kamloopsian on the men’s basketball team, a blue-chip recruit who turned aside many offers to play elsewhere.
“When I got hired two years ago, one of the things that was really important to me and my vision was making sure that we were able to keep the very best talent from Kamloops in Kamloops,” WolfPack men’s basketball head coach Chad Jacobson said.
“He was our No. 1 recruiting target for the last two years. I certainly hope that it’s going to have a positive impact with other recruits and, hopefully, really show that local kids can stay here in Kamloops and do the things that they want to do right here at TRU.”
WolfPack women’s volleyball head coach Chad Grimm became familiar with Ward while teaching elementary and high school camps across the city, a connection that spurred her signing at TRU.
Ward is now teaching at those camps and aiming to influence the next generation of homegrown WolfPack talent.
“That’s the goal,” Ward said, noting she would like to play professionally in Europe after graduating from TRU. “When I grew up, volleyball wasn’t super big in Kamloops for the youth. I aspire to be a role model for some of those girls.”
The Canada West soccer regular season is underway, with the volleyball and basketball campaigns slated to begin in October.
Find schedules online at gowolfpack.ca