Kodiaks women’s volleyball recruits Yukon middle Kate Tobler

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks women's volleyball team is adding middle blocker Kate Tobler of Whitehorse, Yukon to the roster for the 2026-27 season.

Tobler recently played for the Subzero Volleyball Club and graduated from F.H. Collins Secondary School, where she was named an All-City All-Star in both Grade 11 and Grade 12. She also earned MVP honours in the Whitehorse SuperVolley high school league during her senior season. Earlier this year, she served as co-captain of Team Yukon, helping the squad capture its first Arctic Winter Games gold medal since 1972. 

Tobler says Lethbridge Polytechnic stood out because of its academic opportunities and the culture surrounding the women's volleyball program.

"I chose Lethbridge Polytechnic because of its Exercise Science program," she says. "The chance to play on the Kodiaks volleyball team was exciting to me. The team emphasizes values and character, and it was obvious that a lot of care had been put into building the program." 

Tobler first connected with the Kodiaks after reaching out to head coach Anna Schwark by email and sharing video of her play. From there, the two continued the recruiting process through conversations about her academic goals and opportunities with the program. 

Schwark says Tobler's combination of size, athleticism and leadership qualities immediately caught her attention.

"Kate's height definitely drew us to start watching her play," says Schwark. "After watching film, she showed a good understanding of her role as a middle and an eagerness to continue learning. Through our conversations, I also learned she enjoys being a leader and motivator for her teammates, which is very important to me as a coach." 

Schwark believes Tobler's blocking ability is one of her greatest strengths and expects it to continue developing at the post-secondary level.

"She understands the importance of her role as a middle player, and her athleticism tells me she has a very high ceiling,” says Schwark. “I think those skills will continue to improve as she trains." 

Schwark adds she’s excited to watch Tobler develop over the coming years.

"I hope we see Kate wearing the Kodiaks colours for a long time," she says. "I'm excited to see her work with our setters and continue using her personality to motivate this new team while creating her own leadership role.” 

Tobler says she hopes to bring energy, passion and a positive attitude while competing and growing in a competitive conference. 

"I'm looking forward to becoming a part of this team, learning and becoming closer with my teammates as well," she says.

Tobler credits her parents and past coaches for inspiring her to pursue post-secondary volleyball and helping her reach the next stage of her athletic career.