Canada West has unveiled their major award winners for the 2025-26 Volleyball season and a pair of Cougars will be walking away with some serious hardware. Kale Orr has been named the 2025–26 Canada West Rookie of the Year, while Max Turgeon earned the conference's Student-Athlete Community Service Award.
Kale Orr wins Canada West Rookie of the Year
Kale Orr's rookie season with the MRU Cougars was nothing short of exceptional, establishing him as one of the most dynamic offensive players in the conference.
Head Coach Shawn Sky says that Kale's offensive skillset was something that was evident the moment he stepped foot on a Canada West court "Kale is exceptional in so many ways but he has always had exceptional velocity and that was apparent right away."
Throughout the season, Orr became the focal point of the Cougars' attack, leading the team with 259 total kills and an impressive 3.55 kills per set average. Not only did those numbers pace MRU, they also ranked third across the entire conference.
While the statistics tell a story of explosive impact, Sky emphasized that Orr's rise was built through a measured and thoughtful approach. "We had to be smart in how we built up his load and his volume, and we just had to watch his growth and discovery process. Kale has a high-quality learning curve, sure there were some adjustments but the way he progressed throughout the season was exceptional."
Sky believes Orr's development is just the beginning. "His work ethic is just as good as his quality of play; we are starting our offseason strength and conditioning program and that will be huge for him. Building on the foundation of what he has already built will be amazing to watch and I have no doubt that the national team is in his future in some form, he has a very exciting future and he's just getting started."
Orr's breakout season provides the Cougars with a cornerstone to build around moving forward, while also personally putting him on the conference radar as a player to watch for the foreseeable future.
Kale Orr is a business student from Magrath, Alberta.
Max Turgeon wins the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award
Max Turgeon has come to represent the very best of the student-athlete experience with the MRU Cougars, combining leadership on the court with academic excellence and a sustained commitment to community service. Throughout his tenure, Turgeon has set the standard for professionalism for his teammates and peers.
Head coach Shawn Sky says Turgeon's off-court contributions consistently translate into his on-court presence. "He's an incredibly genuine human being, he's a leader and there are so many types of leaders but Max is unique. He's such a connecter of people, he has no problem being honest, he pulls guys aside to work with them on a 1 on 1 basis, there are leaders that are front and center and sometimes that's their role, but then there are others that are doing so much of the heavy lifting and unless you are really paying attention might seem like it's behind the scenes or it might even be missed, and that's where Max flourishes."
Beyond the court, Turgeon has played a key leadership role within MRU Athletics as Vice-President of Diversity and Inclusion on the Cougars Athlete Board, helping guide initiatives that promote representation, inclusion and athlete engagement across varsity programs. During his 2 years on the board, Turgeon has supported volunteer coordination, strengthened athlete participation in campus initiatives, and has been a champion for the development of Pride programming and inclusive representation within athletics. He also leads and manages the team's social media strategy, enhancing the program's digital footprint while utilizing the skills gained as a Public Relations major at MRU.
Turgeon's involvement in the community has both been consistent and varied across a number of initiatives during his time at MRU. Turgeon has volunteered for more than three years with Aventa Addiction Treatment Centre for Women, supported food security efforts through The Paper Bag Project, contributed to charitable initiatives with the Whitehorse Firefighters Charitable Society, and assisted communications strategy for the Manitou Stone Centre. He also volunteers annually at the Best of the West Volleyball Tournament, ensuring strong athlete representation and seamless event operations.
Coach Sky highlighted the challenge of balancing athletics, academics, and community engagement, noting how Turgeon's approach reflects his character, "To do everything that Max does, you need to have balance. His commitment to his work ethic and understanding the proper balance of what it means to be a true student athlete shows the type of exceptional person he is."
Academically, Turgeon holds a 3.9 GPA and is a four-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian. His achievements have been recognized through numerous scholarships and awards, including the Judy Wish Hamilton Memorial Scholarship in Communications and the Mount Royal Faculty Association Business and Communications Scholarship.
Max Turgeon is a third year Communications- Public Relations student from Calgary, Alberta.
