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The Great Plains College SunDogs have named the first crop of recruits for the 2013 men’s and women’s volleyball teams.

Tessa Vandersteen joins the college after her older brother Ty Vandersteen also played for the SunDogs men’s volleyball and basketball teams in 2011 and helped the SunDogs to the PAC provincial volleyball championship. Tessa played at Swift Current Comprehensive High School as well as in the Junior SunDogs program.

"Definitely made it easier to adjust probably to the college life," Vandersteen said. "Because I already know what the SunDogs are kind of like."

She embraces a leadership role.

"I'm a really good team leader and I was captain quite a few years on the club volleyball team," Vandersteen said. "My skills I just play smart. I think that's really important while playing volleyball like learning to place the ball."

She'll be joined on the women's team by fellow SCCHS Arden Katelin Peters.

"I think I have a really strong work ethic," Peters said. "Very self motivated."

Both Peters and Vandersteen pointed to the opportunity to play close to home as a big reason they chose to join the SunDogs.

The men's volleyball and basketball teams will get a boost from the addition of 6'6 Marty Funk from Consul High School. He played volleyball  at Consul and basketball for Shaunavon.

"I was a pretty good blocker in high school," Funk said. "Hitting was one of my strong suits too."

He spent last year at Briercrest College and missed playing.

"This past year I really wasn't doing anything in sports and I kind of got restless. I'm ready to get back into it."

Funk is enrolled in Power Engineering at Great Plains College. He'll be joined on the volleyball team by Ryker Wall of the SCCHS.

Wall was described by the college as a highly-regarded setter who played for both the High School Colts and SunDogs U18 club team.

"These recruits bring a combination of size, skill and familiarity with the SunDogs program that will allow our teams to hit the ground running in the fall," said athletics coordinator Mary Jane Benesh.

The college is planning to announce full rosters in the coming weeks.