Below is a summary of Vilis’ volleyball exploits. All volleyball photographs are copyrighted and provided courtesy of Mathew Barber Studios
Volleyball History for Vilis Ozols
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL:
- 1975 – Freshman, Banting Memorial High School, Georgian Bay Conference Volleyball Champions
- 1976 – Sophomore, Banting Memorial High School, Georgian Bay Conference Volleyball Champions
- 1979- Senior, Player/Coach, Burnhamthorpe High School, Etobicoke Conference Champions (National Team Rule Change: Ozols eligible for High School Competition)
UNIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL:
- 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 – University Of Guelph Gryphons Varsity Volleyball Team Member
- 1981 Ontario Universities Athletic Association (OUAA) West Conference Champions, Undefeated
- 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 – Ontario Universities Athletic Association (OUAA) Vilis Ozols named First Team All-Conference All-Star
- 1982, 1983, 1984 – Ontario Universities Athletic Association (OUAA) West Conference Vilis Ozols named Conference Most Valuable Player.
- Ozols inducted into the U. of G. Athletic Hall of Fame. Vilis Ozols, a 3-time volleyball conference MVP, 4-time all-star, an All-Canadian, a Jr. National Team member and Pro Beach Volleyball tour competitor was inducted into the University of Guelph Gryphon Athletic Hall Of Fame in September 2001.
CLUB VOLLEYBALL:
- 1977 – Ontario Juvenile (U-17) Volleyball Champions, Toronto West Volleyball Club. *Vilis Ozols named Tournament Most Valuable Player.
- 1977 Canadian National Juvenile (U-17) Championships, Bronze Medalists, Toronto West Volleyball Club.
- 1978 – Ontario Juvenile (U-17) Volleyball Championships, 4th Place, Toronto West Volleyball Club.
- 1978 Canadian National Juvenile (U-17) Championships, 5th Place, Toronto West Volleyball Club. *Vilis Ozols named 1st Team All-Canadian selection.
- 1978 – Ontario Junior (U-19) Volleyball Champions, Toronto West Volleyball Club
- 1979 – Ontario Junior (U-19) Volleyball Champions, Toronto West Volleyball Club
- 1980 – Ontario Junior (U-19) Volleyball Champions, Toronto Blues Volleyball Club
- 1980 – Canadian National Junior (U-19) Volleyball Championships, 5th Place, Toronto Blues Volleyball Club
- 1987 – Colorado State AA Champions, Incline Club. *Vilis Ozols named Rocky Mountain Region Player Of The Year. Participant USAV Open Championships.
- 1988 – Colorado State AA Champions, Incline Club, Participant USAV Open Championships.
- 1990 – Colorado State AA Co-ed Champions, Participant USAV CoEd Championships.
- 1994 – Colorado Cup Champions, Straight Down Volleyball Club
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL TEAM:
- 1977 – Member Ontario Provincial team
- 1978 – Member Ontario Provincial team
- 1979 – Member Ontario Provincial team
- 1979 – Canada Winter Games, Silver Medalists, Ontario Provincial Team
- 1980 – Member Ontario Provincial Team
INTERNATIONAL VOLLEYBALL:
- 1977 Canadian Junior National Team Member
- 1978 Canadian Junior National Team Member
- 1979 Canadian Junior National Team Member
- 1979 North America, Central America, Caribbean (NORCECA) World Championship Qualifying Tournament. Canada Silver Medalists
- 1980 Free World Olympiad (Moscow Boycott Event) Gold Medalist, Latvian National Team
- 1976 Montreal Olympics, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics – Spectator
PROFESSIONAL BEACH VOLLEYBALL:
- 1988 Jose Cuervo Colorado Pro Beach Championship AA Champion
- 1988 Miller Lite AVP Tour Competitor, Corporate Sponsor: Incline Club Sportswear
- 1989 DeKuyper Schnapps Pro Tour Competitor
- 1990 Make-A-Wish Foundation Co-Ed Colorado Beach Champions
- 1990 Make-A-Wish Foundation Co-Ed U.S. National Championships, Bronze Medalists, Orlando, FL
VOLLEYBALL COACHING
- 1979 Burnhamthorpe High School Coach/Player – Etobicoke Conference Champions.
Record: 20-3
- 1985, 1986 Toronto Latvians Women’s Volleyball Club Coach – 1987 Canadian National Champions
- 1986 Toronto Region All-Star Team Coach – Ontario Summer Games Silver Medalists
- 2005, 2006 – D’Evelyn Middle School and High School. 7th Grade Girls Coach. 3rd Place Gold Crown Gold Division.
- Queens Volleyball Club – 13 year USAV club team- established 2007
2nd Place – RMR Division 2
- Mullen High School, Denver, CO – Head Volleyball Coach, 2007 to 2010.
- 2007 record: 13-13 (9th place in State 4A).
- 2008 record: 22-9 (2nd Place in 4A State, Regional Champions, District Champions).
- 2009 record: 26-4 (2009 Centennial League Champions, Semi-Finalists in 4A State, Regional Champions, District Champions)
- 2010 record: 13-16, (7th place in State, Regional Champions, District Runners-up)
- University of Colorado Volleyball, NCAA Division 1- Volunteer Assistant Coach 2011
- University of Wyoming Volleyball, NCAA Division 1 – Assistant Coach, 2011-2013.
- Niagara University Volleyball, NCAA Division 1 – Head Coach
- Ozols led Niagara to MAAC Tournament berths in each of his final four seasons at the helm, while posting a 42-30 (.583) record in league action during that time.
- Over his five seasons on Monteagle Ridge, he recruited and developed three-time MAAC Libero of the Year Rylee Hunt — who ranked third nationally averaging 6.17 digs per set in 2017 — seven All-MAAC selections, and six MAAC All-Rookie Team honorees.
- In 2017, Ozols piloted the Purple Eagles to the fourth highest overall win total and third most conference victories in the program’s 40-year history. Niagara was victorious in 17 of its final 22 matches to secure its highest win total in six years in posting an 18-10 overall record. The Purple Eagles finished second in the MAAC with a 14-4 league mark, and were heralded with two First Team All-MAAC, one Second Team, and two All-Rookie Team selections.
- Ozols guided Niagara to .500 or better finishes in conference play in each of his last four years, and propelled the Purple Eagles to a MAAC Semifinals appearance in 2015. In just his second year at the helm in 2014, Ozols orchestrated a 10-win improvement which marked the 10th best turnaround in the nation.
- 2018, Siena College, Albany, NY. NCAA Division 1 Head Coach –
Vilis Ozols was named the seventh head coach in Siena Volleyball history on Feb. 12, 2018.
Other Sports Stuff For Vilis:
- High School High Jump Champion and record holder. Vilis jumped a height of 2m 11cm. (Just a hair under 7 feet)
- 1979 High School Basketball Etobicoke/Toronto All City All-Star
- Vertical Jump: Vilis’ measured vertical jump while on the Canadian National Junior team was 44 inches.
All of the above are subject to Vilis’ notoriously poor memory. If you have a correction or enhancement from your experience please e-mail us.