Name: Shannon Neville
Program: Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering
Academic Year: 5
Sport/Position: Volleyball/Outside Hitter
 
Finishing her senior 2015-16 season as an OUA East first team All-Star, you could say that Queen's Gaels left side hitter Shannon Neville (Cambridge, Ont.) closed out her time with the Queen's women's volleyball time on a high note.
 
The then fourth-year engineering major finished second in the OUA with 3.35 kills per set. Neville, who played in all 19 games for the Gaels during the 2015-16 season, recorded 228 total kills to finish first in the conference.
 
The following 2016-17 season would see her returning to Queen's classroom for her Master's, but not to the court.
 
Balancing academics and athletics during her undergrad, Neville wished to focus her energy full time on her post-graduate Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Biomedical Engineering.
 
"When I decided not to play in the first year of my master's, I wasn't sure whether I was going to really miss playing on the team and end up regretting my decision, or if I was going to enjoy having a little more down time," reflected Neville.  
 
Trying to redirect her focus from volleyball, Neville couldn't stay away from the game.
 
"I signed up for intramurals, which was definitely a fun way to keep playing," said the second year Master's student.
 
"Eventually though, I started to miss the team atmosphere and getting to see and play with such a great group of girls every day. I ended up keeping in touch with the coach and started coming to practices to help out and satisfy my thirst for competition."
 
For Neville, a natural competitor, returning to practices made her realize just how much she missed playing for the Gaels.  
 
"The thought of returning for my last year became a real possibility. I was back-and-forth for months, trying to decide if it was going to be too much to balance a master's and full-year varsity sport," said the Cambridge native.
 
"I tossed around the idea with friends and family for a while, and eventually I spoke with my master's supervisor and the head coach of the team, Ryan Ratushniak, to gage how manageable it would be. They were both incredibly understanding and flexible, and so I was able to fully commit to coming back near the end of the summer, under the condition that my academics still come first in the event of any conflicts."
 
Now in her second year of her Master's, Neville's fifth and final season with the women's volleyball program is well underway. The season home opener weekend for the Gaels saw Neville pick up right where she left off. The fifth year left side hitter led the Tricolour attack, tallying 21 total kills.
 
For the veteran player, leading is something that she observed from her older sister on the court.
 
The 2012-13 season – Shannon's rookie debut with the Gaels – saw two Neville's donning the Tricolour. As a first-year player on the volleyball team, Shannon had the unique opportunity to play alongside of her then fourth-year sister, Katie Neville.
 
"I was so excited to have the opportunity to play on a varsity team with my sister, a chance not a lot of people have," recalled Shannon. "Katie was captain the year I came onto the team, and it was such a great learning opportunity to get insight into what it takes to be a leader on the team."
 
Looking to this season, Neville is savoring her final return to the Queen's women's volleyball team and recognizes her role as a senior leader.
 
"I hope to be able to help the younger players settle into their roles and develop confidence on the court, especially considering we have such a talented group of people on the team this year," said the fifth-year student-athlete.
 
"Our head coach, Ryan, has brought a great deal of experience and insight to the team, and has instilled in us the mindset of 'Together Stronger'", continued Neville. "With that mentality, I think we have a great shot at our goal of winning OUA's and moving on to play in the U SPORTS Championships this year in Quebec."

Catch #6 on the court this weekend when the Gaels take on the Guelph Gryphons and Waterloo Warriors. Friday and Saturday's game times are set for 6pm in the ARC main gym.