Hitter Noonan To Join REDS
(FREDERICTON, NB) Kalan Noonan has played key roles with some of Newfoundland and Labrador’s best club and high school volleyball teams in recent years.
Now, he’s adding the UNB REDS to his resume.
The 6’2” outside hitter has signed a U SPORTS Letter of Intent and will join the REDS ahead of the 2022-2023 RSEQ men’s volleyball season.
“He’s an outside hitter with a strong technical base, and he plays a fairly physical game for his size,” said REDS head coach Dan McMorran. “With his determination and strong work-ethic, I feel he can develop into a very effective and versatile player for us. We’re excited to get to work with him.”
The 17-year-old, from St. John’s, is finishing his Grade 12 year at O’Donel High School, in Mount Pearl, where he was named tournament MVP in leading the Patriots’ 4A boys’ team to the 2021-22 provincial high school championship. Noonan was also MVP in the school’s regional championship effort.
He’s currently a member of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Canada Games training team.
A veteran member of Pythons Volleyball club teams, Noonan was part of U16 teams that won U18 and U17 Newfoundland-Labrador Volleyball Association titles in 2019-20, the last real season of club play due to the pandemic. That Pythons team earned a U16 silver medal at the 2019 national championships.
“I’ve worked very hard over the past six years, both on and off the court, to continuously improve and build on my volleyball skills and athleticism,” said Noonan. “My work-ethic and self-discipline has remained strong and will continue with the REDS as I strive to be a better player and teammate than I was yesterday.”
Noonan is a multi-sport athlete, earning individual awards in basketball, hockey, baseball, softball and soccer, as well as volleyball, and is an assistant coach and official in grassroots volleyball leagues.
Academically, Noonan has maintained an average between 97 and 99.75% throughout his high school career.
He has big plans for what he hopes is a five-year REDS career.
“I’d like to help my team reach our goals by working to my full potential, both on and off the court,” he said. “I’ll strive to help the REDS compete for a conference title and have the opportunity to play at the national championship tournament. In five years, I hope that I will have grown as a player, teammate and student.”
Noonan becomes the second member of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Canada Games training team to join the REDS’ 2022 recruiting class, following setter Nathan Marshall. The two are also Patriots and Pythons teammates.
Noonan will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology while attending UNB, and plans to go into Medicine following graduation.
PHOTOS: Submitted