Hall of Fame
Kristine Drakich has played every role with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues Women's Volleyball Team: player, captain, coach and mentor. Her affiliation with the Varsity Blues volleyball program began when she was a child attending practices and games with her mother, Mary, a Blues player and father, Eli, a coach of the team. When Kristine entered university in 1983, she had already shown her own volleyball prowess as a member of the Canada Games bronze medal winning Team Ontario and she has never looked back.
Kristine played for the Blues from 1983 - 1986 before taking on a two year challenge with Team Canada in its attempt to qualify for the Seoul Olympics. During her Varsity career she was a three time OWIAA All-Star, two-time All-Canadian, including being U of T's first female All-Canadian volleyball player, and won U of T 's prestigous Silver T. She returned to the Blues for the 1988-89 campaign but suffered a season-ending injury and spent the remainder of that season supporting from the sidelines.
Always a strong competitor, Kristine's skill and determination made her an excellent addition to Canada's national team as a junior for two years in 1984 and 1985 (team captain) and as a senior from 1986-89. Her international experience included representing Canada in the 1997 World Student Games (FISU), the 1987 Pan American Games, the 1987 NORCECA Zone Championships and the 1988 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Kristine's love for volleyball, her strong technical skills, and her interest in people allowed her to make a smooth transition from player to coach. In 1989, with her intercollegiate playing career ending, she became head coach of the U of T women's volleyball program.
