Griffins libero Kaitlin Rolph is second in Canada West in digs and fifth in receptions (Husain Dhooma photo).
Griffins libero Kaitlin Rolph is second in Canada West in digs and fifth in receptions (Husain Dhooma photo).
January 22, 2026

Embracing the learning curve in her first season as a starting libero, Rolph leads Griffins vs. Bisons

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Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – In her first season as a starting libero for the MacEwan Griffins women's volleyball team, the development curve has been on full display for Kaitlin Rolph.

As expected, there have been highs and lows that come with growing into such a demanding position, often called the captain of the defence.

"Just constant growth," said Griffins head coach Chris Wandler of what she's bringing to the table after mostly coming off the bench in her rookie campaign of 2024/25. "She's in her second year and at times we think she's got it down and other times we think she hasn't. It's just where she is in her development. 

"But we're slowly starting to see a whole bunch of more positives and that curve to growing is getting a little more consistent. The bumps in the road are really evening out. There's lots of learning going on and taking that learning into performance. It's allowing her teammates to be a lot more trustful that she's capable of doing the job."

At times, Rolph has been a difference maker for the Griffins as passing is so crucial to their entire game. She's currently second in Canada West in digs (181) and fifth in receptions (329).

"I feel I was given a lot of opportunity this year and with that comes a lot of responsibility," said Rolph, a graduate of Strathcona high school and product of the NAVC Griffins club. "I'm just really grateful for the opportunity I was given."

Rolph will be in the spotlight this weekend as she leads MacEwan into action vs. Manitoba (Friday, 5 p.m. and Saturday, 3 p.m., both David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV). Friday is the program's annual NAVC night with many members of her former club team on hand to watch her play and pass out scholarships to two Griffins student-athletes.

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"It was everything for me," said Rolph of playing for NAVC. "It was the only club I ever played for. I came in a year late starting club at U14, but the coaches and the players that I met through that program just developed me into who I am today. 

"I think my coaches and teammates have had a really big influence on who I am as a person and an athlete."

Kaitlin Rolph is making some spectacular plays in this, her second season with the Griffins (Husain Dhooma photo).

Rolph is the latest in a long line of strong liberos the Griffins have had, which includes her assistant coach Karly Edgar, who is third in the program's Canada West history in career digs with 899 from 2014-18. She also recently played against former Griffins libero Bronwyn Ettinger, who was a key member of MacEwan's 2023/24 playoff team before transferring to UBC for her studies.

"I've been inspired by Bron and by Karly, just how disciplined they are and how steady they play," said Rolph. "They don't get flustered when things don't go their way or a hard serve comes their way. Just regrouping and making the next pass even better."

That's the level she's trying to get to and Wandler has no doubt Rolph will.

"She definitely has all kinds of upside," he said. "She's strong, she holds a platform well, she's really good first contact and she's super analytical. She's a student of the game and loves to play and compete. That's primarily why we had our eye on her a couple years ago."

Meanwhile, Rolph will keep riding the development curve, striving to constantly improve.

"I think nobody will ever say their game is where they want it to be, they just want to get better," she said. "I just want to be improving as my years go on. I do have so many years left with the program, so I am looking to forward to the development time that I have."

Kaitlin Rolph and the Griffins are at their best when they stay level, play gritty and work as a team (Husain Dhooma photo).

Rolph and the Griffins are embroiled in an intense playoff battle as they head down the final stretch of the regular season. 

With six matches remaining, including this weekend, they are sitting 11th, needing to crack the top 10 to qualify for the post-season. They are technically tied with both Winnipeg and UBC Okanagan for 9th on record (all three teams are 5-9), but both of them have the tiebreaker over the Griffins on points (Winnipeg) and sets won/lost ratio (UBCO).

Needless to say, any success they can find against defending U SPORTS champion Manitoba this weekend can affect their position in the standings, even number of sets won.

"I think we've got to be really gritty and stay really level as a team," said Rolph of facing the Bisons, who also collected a Canada West bronze medal last season. "We can't have fluctuations of good moments and bad moments. We have to bounce back from the bad moments really quickly and let our minds dwell on that. 

"I think it will really come down to everyone coming together as a team, playing for each other and not just individuals."

They're coming in off a 3-1 loss to U SPORTS No. 1 UBC last Saturday, where the Griffins pushed the Thunderbirds and displayed the kind of fight they're going to need to be successful against the conference's best teams.

"I think we have to be a whole heck lot more assertive with our serving," said Wandler. "If you even let up a little bit, good teams just pass the ball in system and are allowed to just run their offence at will. You can't do that against big, physical teams like UBC and Manitoba. 

"We're up for the challenge, challenging them with our serve this weekend and try to turn it into an off-script, out-of-system game. That's what we're banking on."