Aussie middle Quennelle transfers to BU

Shae Quennelle has helped turn a total lack of depth at middle blocker into a position battle for the Brandon University Bobcats.

While the BU men’s volleyball team was fortunate to have Matt Siebenga and Riley Brunet healthy for the entire 2025-26 Canada West men’s volleyball season, head coach Grant Wilson isn’t willing to roll the dice again.

The unexpected losses of veteran Chris Bryant and recruit Kash Meyers last summer led BU to add former Assiniboine College Cougar Josh Budach. Still, the starting jobs were as safe as any in recent history.

That changed quickly. Quennelle joins a recruit class including Winkler’s Alfredo Enns and Langley, B.C.’s Luke Schroeder that will push Siebenga and Brunet this fall.

“You always have to work,” said Quennelle, who transferred after two seasons with Douglas College in British Columbia’s PacWest conference.

“In my first year, I went up against an amazing middle and it really showed me you have to work for your spot. There’s always going to be someone that’s better than you.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity I’ve been given. I know there’s already a couple of middles on the roster so I’m excited to compete for that spot.”

Wilson said he actually started the transfer process back in March, after the PacWest defending champion Royals lost in the semifinals and settled for a bronze medal, missing out on the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament.

It took longer than usual to finalize, since Quennelle is an Australian-Canadian dual citizen, like second-year libero Cooper Bevan. The benefit is that he doesn’t count against BU’s two-import limit. The team already has Aussie Sam Chen and New Zealand native Jobe McAuley taking those spots.

“(Quennelle) is a little bit older and experienced, which is good because we’re getting to be a younger group. All reports say he’s a great kid, great teammate; we’ve had pretty good success bringing Australian student-athletes in, so it seemed to be a good fit,” Wilson said.

“Being a middle blocker that’s already played post-secondary, we feel he’s going to be ahead of where a lot of first-year athletes in Canada West are in terms of reading the game, understanding what it takes to be successful. He’s a hard worker and is finding ways to make himself better.”

The six-foot-five middle blocker was interested in Brandon for a few reasons. He feels it’s a great program and has a connection already since he was part of the same New South Wales Phoenix volleyball program that Chen played for.

The big one is being close to family, as some of his relatives live in Redvers, Sask., just a 90-minute drive from the Wheat City.

He feels he’s a strong blocker, but wants to be more.

“Middles are very put in their box and I’m trying to break out of that and be a player who can do everything, even if I do play middle,” Quennelle said.

“That’s what I’m striving for, to be able to do all those positions. If I’m needed somewhere, that’s it. That’s where I’m going.”

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com