MacEwan University is extremely proud of its alumni (and a current student) who are donning Team Canada colours and going for gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games!

Some competed as Griffins during their time at MacEwan, while others studied and trained here while completing their studies. All of them are fantastic representatives for the university and the country, and we will be cheering them on as they compete.

Canada’s women’s sitting volleyball team features Heidi Peters, Allison E. Lang and Sarah Melenka on the players’ roster while head coach Nicole Ban and assistant coach Kate Rozendaal will be guiding the team from the sidelines. Amanda Rummery will be racing in the 400-metre track event.

We wish them all the best of luck! The 2024 Paralympics will be held in Paris from August 28 to September 8 with more than 4,000 athletes from around the world competing in individual and team sports.

2024 MacEwan Connections at the 2024 Paralympics 

Allison E. Lang

Design Foundations '13 and Design Studies '15 – representing Canada in sitting volleyball. Previously played for Canada at the 2022 World Championships, winning a silver medal.

Sarah Melenka

Massage Therapy '21 – representing Canada in sitting volleyball. Previously played for Canada at the 2022 World Championships, winning a silver medal; the 2020 Paralympic Games; the 2019 Parapan Am Games, winning a bronze medal; and the 2018 World Championships.

Heidi Peters 

Travel Diploma '17 and current Bachelor of Arts student, Political Science major – representing Canada in sitting volleyball. Previously played for Canada at the 2022 World Championships, winning a silver medal; the 2020 Paralympic Games; the 2019 Parapan Am Games, winning a bronze medal; the 2018 World Championships; the 2016 Paralympic Games and the 2015 Parapan Am Games, winning a bronze medal. 

Nicole Ban

Former Griffins athlete and BSc student – representing Canada as head coach of the women’s sitting volleyball team, a title she has held since 2014.

KATE Rozendaal 

Bachelor of Science '19 – representing Canada as assistant coach of the women’s sitting volleyball team.

Photo courtesy of Mundo Sport Images

Amanda Rummery

Bachelor of Commerce '19 - representing Canada in the 400-metre track event. Previously competed for Canada at the 2023 World Championships, the 2019 Parapan Am Games and the 2019 World Championships.