TRU WolfPack WVB welcomes Danish dynamo

By Bronwen Scott
June 13 2007

KAMLOOPS-She’s the WolfPack’s newest recruit, but she’s no rookie

The TRU WolfPack women’s volleyball team is looking forward to the arrival of one of Denmark’s top volleyball players: Stine Bleeg Christiansen, a 5’9” setter from Ribe, Denmark.

“We are looking forward to Stine joining our WolfPack women’s volleyball team this season,” said head coach Carrie Barrett, noting that she expects Stine’s playing experience and knowledge of the game to dramatically impact TRU’s program.

“As the starting setter for our team, Stine will be responsible for our team offence. With the terrific group of young athletes that will surround her this season I expect great things from Stine, and look forward to working with her,” added Barrett.

Christiansen, who just turned 22, has played on the Danish national volleyball team since 1999 after being named best serve-receiver for the 1998/99 season when she played junior club volleyball. In her 1999/00 debut year with the junior national team, she was named MVP and best defence player, best setter and MVP in 2000/01, and best setter and her region’s Player of the Year in 2001/02.

In 2003/04 she was recruited to the Danish senior national team and to an elite Danish club (professional) team, helping her club team to the national championship that season, to a 4th-place finish the following season, and to a 7th-place finish in the 2005/06 season, before joining a Swedish club team while continuing to play for the Danish national team.

She has also excelled at beach volleyball, helping her team to a national junior-series championship in the 2000/01 season, to a 2nd-place finish the following season, and to a national championship in the 2002/03 season, when she also played with her team in the European Championships held in Salzburg, Austria. She was named a Top 9 senior in beach volleyball in the 2004/05 season.