This summer, Trinity Western Spartans alumni will shine on the global stage as they represent Canada at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
TWU saw five Spartans alumni compete at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo. This summer, TWU will once again see five alumni compete on the global stage wearing the Maple Leaf.
TWU at the Olympics
Five Trinity Western Spartans alumni will be representing Canada in the Olympic Games Paris 2024: Eric Loeppky, Brodie Hofer, and Lucas Van Berkel will be competing on the men's volleyball team, Regan Yee in the steeplechase, and Alison Jackson in the road race and time trial cycling events. The Olympic Games in Paris will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Stay tuned this summer on TWU's website and social media channels to see their stories.
Remembering TWU days
One alumnus is Eric Loeppky (’20), currently a professional athlete with Canada’s men's senior volleyball team, where six out of eighteen players are also from TWU. They bond over shared memories.
“We still do a lot of reminiscing of the good old days playing for the Spartans,” says Loeppky.
Now that he and his teammates are headed to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Loeppky reflects on what has helped him come this far. He sees this step as the fruit of “all of the work, time, emotion, and passion” invested not only by him but also by his friends, family, and loved ones. The support from this community is incredible, and added to that is the strong foundation of Loeppky’s Christian faith.
“Volleyball has been such a big part of my life—it means so much to me,” Loeppky begins. “But at the same time, as a believer—as someone of faith—it isn't everything to me.”
Faith and vocational calling
“Volleyball has been such a big part of my life—it means so much to me,” Loeppky begins. “But at the same time, as a believer—as someone of faith—it isn't everything to me.”
Regarding becoming an Olympic athlete, Loeppky explains, “It's an honour . . . but I think first and foremost, my identity is in Jesus. That's how I see it. I see it as just the ‘gravy,’ as just the blessing, and I'm super grateful for the opportunity.”
Loeppky’s outlook on faith and his vocational calling as an athlete was strengthened during his years at TWU.
“Being a Spartan and going to Trinity Western has really molded me into the man I am today."
Gratitude for supporters
“Being a Spartan and going to Trinity Western has really molded me into the man I am today,” he says.
He thinks especially of his coaches and teammates, whose encouragement, care, and friendship have made a tremendous impact on him. “I will always look up to them,” he says, expressing gratitude for his TWU mentors and peers, “I am who I am today because of them.”
Beyond the TWU community, the biggest supporters throughout Loeppky’s athletic career have been his family.
“I just feel so much love and support from them, and really, I feel like we're doing this together.”
Giving credit
“I have to give all the credit to my parents and my grandparents. They just supported me. They gave me all the means to do everything I could have ever imagined with volleyball and really pushed me forward and nudged me in the right way.”
“They've always been supporters and still are,” Loeppky emphasizes, “but now, my wife would be my biggest support, as our family and my kids—they mean everything to me. So having their support through this, and getting to go to the Olympics as a husband and father, is super important and really cool.”
“I just feel so much love and support from them, and really, I feel like we're doing this together.”
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.
The Complete Champion Approach™ (CCA) helps Trinity Western Spartan student-athletes become champions in all areas of their lives by focusing on whole person development.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has locations in Canada: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn. For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.