There is very little in the way of a scout on Jackson Abiusi.
 
Almost no tape. 
 
And even a thorough Google search doesn't yield many results.
 
That's because before 2024, Jackson Abiusi had never played an organized match of volleyball.
 
But the 6-foot-5 middle blocker intends to make himself known to Winnipeg Wesmen fans as the latest commitment to Chris Voth's 2025 men's volleyball recruiting class. 
 
Make no mistake, Abiusi comes to the Wesmen with some credentials. As a member of the Columbia Bible College Bearcats last season, he was named to the PACWEST all-rookie team and a second-team all-conference, his first season of competition at any level. 
 
While the pandemic of 2020 put a wrench in a lot of prospective athletes' plans, it downright derailed Abiusi's dream. Admittedly never much into sports as a youth, Abiusi decided to try out for the St. Paul's Crusaders in Grade 12, a raw athlete who just wanted to give it a shot. 
 
But his Grade 12 year was wiped out by COVID and Abiusi was distraught that he was off to university without ever having a chance to show his skills. 
 
"I tried out for the volleyball team because I thought why not?'" Abiusi said. "I made it and I had a ton of fun. It was the most fun I'd ever had, and people were like 'what've you been doing? You should've been playing this earlier.'
 
That was the COVID year so we had, like, three practices and then everything got shut down." 
 
He spent one year of schooling at Manitoba then headed west to Simon Fraser, where he spent two more years before a friend urged him to give the local college in Abbotsford, B.C., a shot. 
 
"I had told people it was kind of my dream to go play (in his hometown) and that was a big goal of mine," Abiusi said. "I saw (CBC) could be a steppingstone. It was a great experience and I'm so glad I got that opportunity, and I felt really blessed to get the opportunity. I don't know where I'd be without that experience, so I'm just really grateful for it."
 
So, he took to CBC for the 2024-25 season and had a breakout year, earning his all-conference credentials and garnering attention from more than a few U Sports schools. 
 
"I knew I wanted to play better (competition) and get better," he said. "I always want to do that: I always want to play better competition and get better and improve my game."
 
After his first semester at CBC, Abiusi said he put in motion plans to try and land a U Sports opportunity. Not long after, he heard back from Voth, who himself was a rookie of sorts, halfway through what would be a memorable first season as head coach of the Wesmen. 
 
Abiusi, who will study Computer Science and have four years of eligibility, didn't take long to say yes to the offer to come home.
 
"Just as a person, when I was talking to (Voth), it felt like he cared about me, and I could feel like he was the best choice for my career, and it just clicked instantly. It really felt like I would be a valued member of the team."
 
Voth has bought into Abiusi's commitment and drive to overcome adversity.
 
"Jackson's unwavering commitment and dedication set him apart from others," Voth said. "Despite the setbacks caused by COVID and the time he missed from volleyball, he has put in the hard work necessary to reach the college level and exceed expectations. We are beyond excited to welcome him back to Winnipeg, where he'll help us achieve even greater success. A combination of strength and intelligence, Jackson's skills will be a major asset to our program, and we look forward to the impact he will make as part of our Wesmen program."
 
Abiusi's love for the game is what continues to push him. 
 
"I just really fell in love with the game and since then I've just been hooked on it and it's really what I look forward to most days. I just feel alive when I'm playing volleyball. I just love getting better and training. It's definitely the main part of my life right now."