Matt Zbyszewski

Matt first picked up a volleyball as a 15 year old, urged by his friends to try out for the high school volleyball team. He did, and hasn't looked back. In a span of three years Matt was able to carry his team to the OFSAA AAA championship. At the same time Matt managed to compete in three National Championships with his Toronto West club team, being selected to the Ontario Provincial team two years in a row. His success with the club and high school teams led to a scholarship offer from the NCAA powerhouse Indiana Purdue University, famous for producing some of the top players in the world.

Under the guidance of Arnie Ball, Matt evolved into one of the top players in the country, becoming a two time All American while leading the nation in points, kills, and aces. After graduating Matt proceeded to play professionally in Cyprus, Greece and Spain, the latter two considered as some of the best leagues in the world. Due to health problems, Matt's professional career ended after completing his season in Spain.

Having played beach as a summer activity, Matt decided to give it a serious shot. The summer before retiring from the indoor game Matt teamed up with Jessi Lelliott and captured a silver medal at the Canadian National Championships. A year of International beach volleyball experience and a new partner in Josh Binstock proved to be effective as the pair proceeded to win back-to-back Canadian National Championships. The team hopes to compete internationally with the ultimate goal being the 2012 London Olympics.

In the off-season, Matt is pursuing a Masters degree in Geology at the University of Western Ontario and hopes to one day find the often elusive diamond deposits in the Canadian Arctic. In his spare time, Matt loves pursuing his other passion, fly fishing.