Strong display from Albany Volleyball Association women’s teams at Mandurah Cup ahead of local indoor season

Albany Volleyball Association made a powerful statement at the Mandurah Cup at the end of April, with two women’s teams advancing to finals rounds in one of WA’s premier regional tournaments.

The event, played over two days on April 26 and 27, featured teams from Kalgoorlie, Bunbury, Perth and Mandurah, highlighting the deepening talent pool in WA’s volleyball community.

The Albany B-grade team showed great resilience before bowing out in a tightly contested preliminary final.

The A-grade team, captained by Nienke Templeman, went one step further by reaching the grand final.

“Our journey shows the incredible talent and potential that regional volleyball holds,” Templeman said.

“We’re just getting started.”

Volleyball is on the rise in WA and across Australia, with several Albany players now competing in the WA Volleyball League and State squads.

Their presence at this level is not only a testament to their skill, but to the strong grassroots development taking place in the Great Southern.

One of Mandurah Volleyball Association’s coaches, Evan Robinson, has long recognised the calibre of players coming from the south.

Drawing on his time at Bunbury volleyball and years of involvement in the country week schools tournaments, Robinson praised the Albany teams.

“The teams that make the trip north to compete are always tough to beat,” he said.

“They set an incredibly high standard not only on court but also off court with their sportsmanship.

“They’re simply great people to be around.

“If we can get Greater Southern teams competing on a regular basis at the highest level, then volleyball in WA will be the winner.”

Momentum continues to build, with Albany now setting its sights on the Collie Cup in July, followed by the Country Championships in September.

There is a growing ambition to establish a Great Southern regional team in the WAVL, a move that would elevate regional volleyball and further strengthen the sport Statewide.

The association has now officially kicked off their 2025 indoor season, which will run until September.