Looking back, it was Callie Andres' competitive spirit that helped position herself on the cusp of a university volleyball career. 

Andres, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Steinbach, is the latest commitment to the Winnipeg Wesmen women's volleyball program in the Class of 2025.

She will study Kinesiology and have five years of eligibility. 

Andres said she started in volleyball in Grade 7, but it was just a few years later was when she started setting sights on potentially playing post-secondary. 

And when the game got serious, that's when she liked it the most. 

"In Grade 10 I started realizing that I was serious in this and that I could maybe go far," she said.  

"When it started to get more competitive, I really enjoyed that. I think that's when I started to develop more and really started to love volleyball more."

Named to Volleyball Manitoba's all-Manitoba team, Andres has been a key part of back-to-back successful seasons for Steinbach Regional. She helped the Sabres to this year's MHSAA AAAA Final Four and, in 2023-24, was named a tournament all-star as Steinbach won the quad-A crown. 

She will join her former Sabres teammate Izzy Voth, a Class of 2024 recruit, on the Wesmen roster. 

Andres was undoubtedly on the radar of university coaches, but she took the proactive route on her recruiting trail. 

"I reached out to a few coaches. I didn't wait for them to come to me. I wanted to get the opportunity," she said. 

And Wesmen head coach Phil Hudson "was one of the first coaches" she contacted. It didn't take long, she said, for her to know it was the right fit. 

"We started talking a little bit and he invited me to a practice and that's when I really knew I wanted to come to Winnipeg," she said. "I just loved the practice and the environment. I think I kinda knew that this is where I wanted to be."

Andres played her club volleyball with Junior Pilots until moving to Shock for her U18 season.

"Callie is a dynamic, quick athlete who has excellent all-around skills," Hudson said. "She has always been one of the main driving forces in her team's successes both at the school and club level. She is an excellent student with a high volleyball IQ, and we're excited to welcome her to the Wesmen."

A "dedicated" student-athlete, she said she is excited for the new challenge at UWinnipeg.

"I'm really excited for this opportunity and I'm excited to grow both as an athlete and as a person, and to be surrounded by a good team and great coaches."