The College of the Rockies Avalanche Men's Volleyball program is proud to announce the signing of Kio Kemp, a 6'2" setter from Richmond, British Columbia, for the 2026/27 PACWEST season.
Kemp joins the Avalanche from École Secondaire Hugh McRoberts Secondary and the Pacific Coast Volleyball Club (PCVC), where he served as team captain in both 2024 and 2025. A proven leader on and off the court, Kemp brings a strong combination of technical skill, composure, and high volleyball IQ to the setter position.
Throughout his career, Kemp has built an impressive resume of achievements. He helped lead Hugh McRoberts Secondary to the 2022 Richmond City Championship, earned MVP honours and was named a Senior AA All-Star at the 2023 South Fraser Volleyball Championship, and captained both his high school and club teams in 2024 and 2025. On the provincial stage, he earned a bronze medal at the U15 BC Regionals and a silver medal with Team BC at the U17 level.
Kemp, who plans to enroll in the Bachelor of Business Administration: Sustainable Business Practices program at College of the Rockies, said he was drawn to the Avalanche for both athletic and academic reasons. "I wanted to join a team that has a competitive volleyball culture that is well coached — a team that I can continue to develop and contribute to," said Kemp. "As well, the school offers small class sizes and an ideal place to learn as a student athlete."
Head Coach Cisco Farrero is excited to welcome Kemp to the program, noting the impact he expects him to make in the setter position. "Kio is someone we have been locked on as our top setter target for awhile now," said Farrero. "He has such a smooth style to his game and a calm demeanor that benefits him well leading an offence. Kio has a high volleyball IQ and a great frame to build on at the PACWEST level. Our business program appealed to him, he likes our small-college feel, and he brings a consistency to the setter position for the future. I'm really excited to add him to our program."
Kemp becomes the first addition to the Avalanche's 2026/27 recruiting class as the program begins building toward another strong season in the PACWEST conference.
