Shynelle Woroniuk

Shynelle Woroniuk’s first visit to Albany came the day she moved in to attend UAlbany. Unlike most college recruits, Woroniuk never took a visit to the school, and the Red Deer, Alberta, native had never so much as visited the region.

“I was recruited during COVID, so my coaches had to take me around campus on a little Zoom tour and explain the area that way,” said Woroniuk. “Other than researching online, I didn’t really get the chance to come see Albany in person before arriving. Once I got here, though, I found the area really nice, and it reminded me a little bit of home because there are lots of trees and lots of places to escape into nature.”

In addition to taking her on virtual tours of UAlbany and the surrounding area, Coach Josh Pickers made a bold decision to offer Woroniuk despite a torn ACL. That show of faith spoke volumes to her and made Woroniuk confident in her decision to go to school so far away from home.

“I wanted to be honest with coaches during recruiting and tell them I had suffered that injury,” she said. “I had a lot of offers, but I’ll never forget the call I had with Coach Pickers. He basically told me not to worry and that they would make it work. They were my very last call of the whole process, and I was really grateful that he took a risk by still signing me to the team.”

Coach Pickers’ decision to offer Woroniuk despite her injury paid off in a big way. Woroniuk finished her career at UAlbany as a two-time First Team All-America East selection, a two-time All-Conference Tournament Team selection, and an America East Woman of the Year finalist. In her senior year, she surpassed 1,000 career kills while posting double-digit kills in all but three matches. Along with all her individual accomplishments, Pickers says it’s Woroniuk’s leadership that set her apart and made her a clear choice as a team captain for four years.

“Shynelle has served as a Division I team captain, a role earned through the respect of her teammates and coaching staff throughout most of her time on the team,” Pickers said. “She leads with a rare combination of accountability, empathy, and competitive drive. Whether in practice, competition, or the day-to-day demands of collegiate athletics, she consistently sets the standard for preparation, discipline, and resilience. Her leadership is not defined by words alone, but by her actions—she is the athlete others turn to in moments of challenge, and the one who elevates the performance and confidence of those around her.”

Woroniuk is working to make sure her volleyball career doesn’t end here. She’s actively pursuing opportunities to play professional volleyball as she spends the summer at her family’s lake house in British Columbia. But whenever it comes time to end her volleyball career, Woroniuk says she’s excited to use the leadership skills she gained at UAlbany.

“I graduated this year from UAlbany with a master’s in human resource information systems. Before that, I also graduated from UAlbany with a degree in marketing and management,” she said. “I’ve definitely discovered a new love for management while at UAlbany. I’m interested in figuring out how to use that moving forward, whether that’s in coaching, starting a business, or something in human resources.”

No matter what she does from here, Woroniuk says she will have great memories of her time here. After finishing her volleyball career this past fall, she’s spent the remainder of her time in college enjoying the area.

“One thing that felt unique was how connected the area is, with Albany, Troy, Schenectady, and Latham all feeling like parts of one larger place,” she said. “I’ve really enjoyed exploring the area, especially more recently when I’ve had more time outside of being a student-athlete. Thatcher Park is amazing; I love that place.”

Of all the awards and honors she’s received, Woroniuk says being part of the CDSWOY class of 2026 might be the most meaningful.

“This award means a lot to me,” she said. “It feels like such a great way to wrap up my career at UAlbany and my graduation. It gave purpose to trying so hard in school and athletics while balancing everything at the same time.”