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University of Houston Athletics
Lucy Charuk Continues to Rise Above
9/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
One thing has remained constant for Lucy Charuk -- volleyball.
"I am very thankful for the opportunities playing professional volleyball has given me," Charuk said. "I realize I am very fortunate and do not take any of it for granted."
Houston fans best remember Chaurk as a commanding presence at the net. A four-year letterwinner for the Cougars from 2007 to 2008 and 2010 to 2011, she was a three-time Conference USA First-Team All-Conference and three-time AVCA Midwest All-Region selection.
She was named AVCA All-America Honorable Mention in 2008 and 2010 before garnering Third-Team All-America laurels as a redshirt senior in 2011.
The native of Tswwassen, British Columbia, is still the program's career record holder for hitting percentage (.361) and ranks second all-time in total blocks (526) and block assists (440), third in blocks per match (1.24), fifth in solo blocks (86) and eighth in kills (1,250).
"I have so many memories from Houston, Charuk said. "Everything from preseason training, to practically living inside Athletics/Alumni Center and traveling around the United States with all of my teammates."
Nowadays, she's entering her sixth season as a professional volleyball player.
"Through my connections at Houston, I was introduced to my current agent who launched my professional career," Charuk said. "Having played in the NCAA through college was an easily recognizable platform for teams to measure my playing ability and accomplishments."
Two months after her Cougar career closed, Charuk inked her first professional contract in January 2012, signing with ?OK Split 1700. After helping Split 1700 to a runner-up finish in the Croatian League that season, she returned to Houston and completed her schoolwork to graduate with a degree in retailing and consumer science in December.
Upon graduation, she rejoined Split 1700 one month later for her second professional season.
In the summer of 2013, Charuk returned to her home country of Canada to play for the national team. Representing her country was nothing new to Charuk, who was a member of the national team in the summer of 2011 for the Women's Pan-American Volleyball Cup before returning to Houston for her senior campaign.
"Playing for the national team is unlike any other volleyball experience," Charuk said. "I get to represent my country on an international level as well as compete at the highest level.
"I love being recognized as a Team Canada member overseas and around my own country."
That next fall, she spent her third professional season in Kamnik, Slovenia, with OK Calcit Kamnik where she helped the team win the Slovenian Cup, MEVZA Cup (Middle European League), where she was named Best Middle Blocker, and post a runner-up finish in the Slovenian League.
In 2014, she played for VT Aurubis Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany, before spending 2015 training with her national team, which is based in her hometown Tswwassen.
In 2016, she joined Rote Rabin in Vilsbiburg, Germany. That summer she also was named captain for the national team.
"There are a lot of responsibilities being captain of the national team," Charuk said, "but responsibility increases the reward of being in that position. It's a title that will stay with me past my career and that is something very special."
In the fall of 2016, she played for CSM Bucuresti in Bucharest, Romania, helping the team to a runner-up finish in the Romanian League.
Currently, Charuk is playing for the Canadian National Team which just finished competing in the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix. Canada went 3-6 across the international tournament, picking up wins over Argentina (3-0), Croatia (3-1) and Peru (3-1).
The team's three-win campaign is the best World Grand Prix performance in the nation's history.
Charuk and Canada will compete in Pool B in the NORCECA Championship across Sept. 26-Oct. 16 in Vancouver. The top two teams of each pools will qualify for 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Japan.
"We couldn't be prouder of Lucy and all the success she has had on both the professional and international level," Houston Volleyball Head Coach Kaddie Platt said. "She was a tremendous player for this program, and her success is a result of her passion for volleyball and all the hardwork she has put into the sport."
Considering her professional options for 2017, Charuk is looking forward to returning to Houston this upcoming season.
"I still come back to Houston for the city and UH athletics," Charuk said. "I hope to catch a couple volleyball games this fall as well as tailgate at a football game."
A worldwide traveler, yet forever a Houston Cougar.
