BU’s Roberge returns to home court

Alex Roberge straps on her knee brace and goes to work at the Healthy Living Centre almost every day.

She moved more than 1,700 kilometres west from Jordan Station, Ont., to do so back in 2023.

For the last 686 days, it’s been all work and no play.

Until today.

Roberge makes her long-awaited return to home-court action as the Brandon University Bobcats host the Winnipeg Wesmen for a pre-season doubleheader today at noon and 2 p.m.

“I’m really excited to compete,” said Roberge, who played a few points in a 3-0 loss to the University of Alberta on Nov. 30, 2024, but hasn’t seen regular-season action since.

“It’s been a really long time since I’ve been able to showcase all the time and effort I’ve put in on the outside into the volleyball court.”

Before the second semester started last season, Roberge landed awkwardly on her right leg, tearing her ACL, MCL and lateral meniscus while fracturing her tibial plateau.

It was a devastating blow for the six-foot-one setter, who loved the position she was in, learning from veteran Carly Thomson and pushing her for court time. Suddenly, barring a second-semester return in 2025-26, they had played their last match together as teammates.

No one would have blamed Roberge if she left the program and the sport behind, knowing the daunting road to recovery ahead. There was, and still is, a chance a new setter could step in and take the job.

But Roberge believed in herself and the recovery process athletic therapist Schad Richea outlined, and got to work. Veteran middle blocker Megan Pickford has watched it all, and is ecstatic to have her back.

“She could have easily been like ‘I’m done,’ but she took it as an obstacle (to face) and came out better,” Pickford said. “Watching her and her dedication to coming back is so inspiring.

“Whatever she’s done is the survival guide for whoever does it next. It’s such a hard thing to come back from that and the perseverance and mental training, off-court training, physical training, all of that, she is amazing at and such an inspiration.”

For Roberge, the biggest challenge wasn’t mental and physical pain following the injury, nor the immobilization following surgery, but the roller coaster of good and bad days that only those who have experienced similar rehab processes fully understand.

She said there were days she could almost fully practise, then others where she could barely walk in the morning.

“It was taking it day by day and knowing one bad day doesn’t define how my progress is doing,” Roberge said.

“I really had to try to stay level-headed. I couldn’t really feel the highs or feel the lows.”

While Richea guided Roberge through the process, she said she became her own biggest supporter, learning how to “show up for herself” and not be dependent on others.

Still, teammates made it easier, especially Shaunti Gill, who is also rehabbing her shoulder following surgery in March.

“It’s meant everything. We’ve supported each other through everything; even with her injury right now, we can teach each other lessons,” Roberge said.

Head coach Kailan Robinson, who is back from her maternity leave in time for the regular season to begin next week, said she’s still adapting to Roberge’s limits as she continues to gain strength and confidence in her right leg.

Still, Robinson said she’s already one of the team’s best blockers, and as one of the tallest setters in Canada West, provides a scoring threat other teams don’t have to the same degree in their setters, with the new, stricter application of the rule on tipping the volleyball this season.

Since players have to avoid “throwing” the ball, Roberge’s higher contact point will keep her attacking as an option, and also speed up Brandon’s offence.

“I’m super excited because we really needed a setter to fill Carly’s shoes and she’s the kind of player that can play six rotations,” Robinson said.

“We recruited her for her size and what she brings in the front row. She’s been working so hard for the last year and a half to prove she’s ready to take on that role we need to fill.”

Roberge is set to start ahead of fourth-year Grace Gallacher and rookie Kaitlyn Couckuyt.

It’s a new role for the former middle blocker, who hasn’t been a setter that long and was a backup for her club team to current University of Georgia setter Kaiya Tyson.

“I was really lucky to set alongside Carly. She taught me a lot leadership-wise and how to stay levelheaded and make good decisions as a setter and as a person in general,” Roberge said.

“With her gone, I have to take that step up in that leadership role but with my modified role last year, I was able to learn a little bit more of what it takes on the court and apply that more this year.”

It’ll be Roberge’s third year of eligibility, but the last season in Bobcat colours for many of her teammates. Libero Brooklyn Pratt, middles Pickford and Nerissa Dyer, outside hitter Maddy Shackleton (nee Hettinga) and opposite Cassidy Hauta are set to move on after this year.

“Kailan’s been working up to this point, rebuilding our program since my first year was her first year,” Roberge said. “We knew this time would come.

“I don’t think that adds pressure or anything; it’s just nice that we’ve been playing with each other for a long time and know how to be teammates.”

QUICK HITS: The Bobcats and Wesmen plan to play alternate lineups in the noon match today, then roll out their starts for the second match at 2 p.m.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com