Dalhousie Tigers men’s volleyball head coach Dan Ota is pleased to announce the commitment of Josh Young and Samuel Gallagher for the 2023-24 season.

Hailing from Gander, Newfoundland, Young played for the Gander Collegiate volleyball team who won the School Sports NL provincial title this past season. At the club level, the 6’5 middle plays for Loopers Volleyball Club. In 2022, Young and his Loopers teammates won the 17U Newfoundland and Labrador provincial title and will be representing their province at the Volleyball Canada Youth Nationals this spring.

“Becoming a Dalhousie Tiger has long been a goal of mine,” says Young. “I am quite excited and very much looking forward to joining the Tigers community.”

Young is a member of the Gander Collegiate Concorde Club for earning an average above 90%. He will be studying kinesiology at Dalhousie this fall.

“Josh has the size and jumping ability to be an effective middle blocker in our league,” says Ota. “He adds needed depth to the middle position on our squad, and we look forward to getting him into our gym this fall.”

A native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Gallagher is a member of the Spartans Volleyball Club. A 6’2 setter, Gallagher and his teammates were back-to-back 18U provincial champions in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and was named their team MVP this past season. Recently, he represented his province at the 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara with Team New Brunswick.

Gallagher is also a member of Leo Hayes High School (LHHS) volleyball team that won the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association (NBIAA) provincial title in 2021-22. Named the team MVP that same year, he was also named the LHHS junior athlete of the year.

“I am excited to start my post-secondary career with the Tigers,” says Gallagher. “Not only does Dal have a great volleyball program, they have an amazing academic reputation as well. I’m anxious to get in the gym and work with a great group of guys. I am looking forward to my future as a Tiger.”

Gallagher will be studying science at Dalhousie.

“Sam is physical enough to play at the net against the exceptional attackers in our league and has the athleticism to quickly get around the court,” says Ota. “Our league features tremendous players at the setter position, so we’re excited to see how Sam develops in our program.”

The Tigers returned to the RSEQ playoffs this season for the first time since the 2017-18 season.