With elite athleticism in a multi-sport background, Red Deer's Penz set to make an impact with Griffins
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Excelling in multiple sports in her youth, Red Deer's Chloe Penz will bring her elite athleticism and talents to the volleyball court when she joins the Griffins next fall.
The captain of the Lindsay Thurber volleyball squad that won a silver at high school 4A provincials this past season has been a member of Team Alberta since she was 15 and will be on the provincial team headed to the Canada Summer Games in August.
In 2025-26, the Red Deer Queens volleyball club product will launch into a promising Canada West career with the Griffins as an outside hitter with a chance to make an immediate impact.
"Chloe's always going to be one that makes everyone's game a little bit better because she just competes so hard," said Griffins head coach Chris Wandler, who has known Penz well from his time in Red Deer prior to coming to MacEwan in 2024. "I have no fears that Chloe's going to slot herself into some type of role this year and I see that building as her time goes along here."
Penz was part of Team Alberta's Canada Cup U17 gold medal win last summer and helped Lindsay Thurber win a provincial medal in three-straight seasons, including gold in 2022. She also played on the Raiders' varsity basketball team.
"She's an exceptional athlete," said Wandler. "She's a volleyball player, but she's played basketball, she's meddled in track. She's just an all-around athlete and has great academics. She's captain of her volleyball team."
On the track, Penz was among the top sprinters in Alberta last year, finishing seventh in the 2024 intermediate girls high school provincial 100m final. She was also one of the top high jumpers too, tying for sixth at the 2024 provincials in her age group.
