From Player of the Year to national champion: Raya Surinx’s journey to a storybook season

For University of Manitoba volleyball standout Raya Surinx, success has never been about individual accolades, but about the people beside her on the court and the community that fills the stands.

Surinx, a third-year student-athlete with the Manitoba Bisons, has quickly risen to become one of the most successful in U SPORTS women’s volleyball. A two-time national Athlete of the Year in her sport, she helped lead the Bisons to a national championship on home court in 2025 — a long-awaited goal that capped years of team-building and perseverance.

“This was just such a special group,” said Surinx. 

“Our whole goal was to make volleyball fun again. We just needed to start fresh and I guess it worked.”

The Bisons finished fourth during Surinx’s rookie campaign and earned bronze the following year. With a core group intact from the post-COVID seasons and a high-stakes home crowd behind them, the Bisons left nothing to chance in 2025 and took home the gold.

“Having all of our friends, family, and even former coaches in the crowd made it so special,” she said. 

“And our fellow Bison teams, they showed up and went absolutely wild.”

Surinx is the only student athlete in the University of Manitoba's history to earn a major national award in each of her first three years as a Bison. Her journey to success began in Grade 7 after she saw her neighbour play club volleyball. 

“I remember going with my mom to watch one of her games, and I was like, this is so cool,” she said.

“I played soccer at the time so I was like, mom, can I try something new? And then me and my best friend tried out for the same club and we made the same team.”

In Grade 11, the Winnipeg-native was recruited by Manitoba head coach Ken Bentley and found a home with the Bisons.

“I’m such a homebody,” she said. 

“After meeting Ken, Michelle, and the team, I knew this was the right fit.”

Surinx says the adjustment to university life and grind of post-secondary volleyball was a big leap. But she credits her teammates and coaches with making that transition seamless, especially in her rookie year.

“Ken did a great job integrating us,” she said.

“He made sure rookies got time in drills, made us feel included. That helped a lot.”

That same sense of mentorship is something Surinx now offers younger players herself. Heading into her fourth year, she’s continuing to focus on her role as a veteran presence with the Bisons, especially with a large incoming class.

“We’ve had the same core of seniors for three years, and now we have to step into those roles,” she said. 

“But we learned from the best.”

Surinx’s path hasn’t been without challenges. Coming off a demanding summer with Volleyball Canada’s NextGen program, she returned to school physically present but mentally drained.

“I had burnout at the beginning of the year,” she said. 

“My coaches recognized it before I did. They told me to take a break and I needed it.”

That experience taught her the importance of communication and rest, something she now emphasizes with teammates.

“If you’re not feeling 100%, speak up,” she said. 

“Rest is part of being an athlete, too.”

The NextGen experience has also given her a glimpse of international volleyball and what it takes to play professionally. She’s traveled to Mexico and the Dominican Republic with the program and learned to adapt quickly to new coaching styles and systems.

“It’s a big learning curve,” she said. 

“Being adaptable and coachable is huge. You have to accept different systems and know you'll adjust back later.”

While professional volleyball is part of her future plans, Surinx is also balancing life as a general science student.

“If I don’t love playing pro, I want to be able to step away with no regrets,” she said.

“But I do want to try while I still can.”

Outside of volleyball, Surinx finds joy in quieter pursuits. An avid reader, she carries her Kindle everywhere, on team buses, planes, and even courtside before matches.

“It helps clear my mind before games,” she said. 

“I like to escape into fantasy novels.”

Surinx’s advice to young athletes is simply to focus on doing the work.

“Do the work behind the scenes. It doesn’t have to be glamorous,” she said. 

“And just be who you are. That’s always good enough."