Kodiaks men’s basketball team adds championship-winning forward

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks men’s basketball team has added size and athleticism to its front court with the commitment of Dimitri Veenendaal for the upcoming season.

A graduate of Coaldale Christian School, the six-foot-six centre and power forward joins the Kodiaks after a decorated high school career. Veenendaal will begin studies in the General Arts and Science program this fall, with hopes of pursuing Agriculture Sciences in the future.

Veenendaal helped Coaldale Christian capture back-to-back 1A provincial championships in 2024 and 2025 before helping the program win a 3A zone and provincial championship in 2026. He was also named a first-team all-star in the Deep South Basketball League in Grade 11 before earning league MVP honours in Grade 12.

For Veenendaal, the decision to join the Kodiaks was influenced by the opportunity to stay close to home and continue developing in a competitive environment.

“Dimitri’s athleticism really stood out,” says Kodiaks head coach Ryan Heggie. “He wants to attack the rim and not settle. He is always competing on the glass as well.”

Veenendaal first connected with the Kodiaks through his high school team as Heggie was invited to do training sessions with his group. He was later invited to attend some practices, the Kodiaks identification camp and additional scrimmages, where he began adjusting to the pace of collegiate competition.

In addition to basketball, Veenendaal competed in high jump throughout his high school career, clearing a personal best of 1.95 metres in competition and 2.05 metres in practice.

“Dimitri has already shown signs of improvement,” says Heggie. “He has a great work ethic and wants to become better each time he enters the gym.”

Veenendaal says he hopes to bring that work ethic and athletic ability to the Kodiaks as the team continues to build toward its goals. He also says he’s “looking forward to enjoying the experience, meeting new friends and becoming a better player.”

Heggie says he expects Veenendaal to continue growing as he adjusts to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) level.

“Daily improvement is what I expect – listening, hard work and discipline,” says Heggie. “Like many players coming from high school, they learn the ACAC is a huge jump. They need to become stronger, quicker and more physical to adapt. I have confidence Dimitri will attack this challenge.”

Veenendaal thanks his parents, friends and coaches for believing in him and pushing him to become a better player.

Veenendaal joins a Kodiaks program coming off an ACAC silver-medal finish and a national championship appearance during the 2025-26 season. The Kodiaks will open conference play in October as they set there sights on returning to ACAC men’s basketball post season play.