Months after her teammate Emma McKinnon became McMaster's first commit for the fall of 2020, libero Hayley Brookes of the decorated Halton Hurricanes club program added her name to that list on Monday.

Achieving all-star status at the national club championships in May, Brookes helped her Halton Hurricanes team to a second consecutive national title. She was subsequently named to the shortlist for the Canadian youth national team which competed at the FIVB World Youth Championship in Egypt.

Brookes' commitment comes as an early Christmas gift for Tim Louks and his Marauders staff, who can look forward to the addition of a staunch defender and a vocal on-court leader for years to come.

"It's very exciting to be able to announce the addition of a libero to our roster before the holidays," says Louks.

"Hayley is, first and foremost, a hard-line competitor with a tremendous, positive spirit. She is becoming wiser and wiser to the needs of her team and the demands of the game as she improves all of the time. Her tenacity, determination and competitiveness make an exciting combination when coupled with her infectious energy and positive behaviour."

Standing at 5'11", Brookes is an accomplished passer with an unusually tall frame, but when asked what separates her from the pack as a player, the libero points to her mentality rather than physical tools.

"I'm a very supportive player," she explains. "I'm very loud and outgoing when I'm on the court. My team is pretty outgoing off court, but on it they can be pretty shy and quiet. So I know that I have to take over. I hate to see my teammates get down when they make mistakes, and I make it my mission to help them get through the tough times."

Given McMaster's academic standing, Brookes needed no convincing that the school would make a sensible landing spot for her as a student. It was when she spoke with the Marauders coaching staff that she knew that the team culture would fit her as well.

"Tim is a very caring coach, and I really like coaches who, rather than just focusing on the technical stuff, are involved in their players' lives and their growth as people," she says. "The staff at McMaster aren't just thinking about winning, they want to develop you as a person, and I knew that was the sort of environment I wanted to be in."

With her decision made, Brookes will now have the opportunity to bond with her future teammates and begin strength and conditioning work alongside the Marauders, hopefully aiding her adaptation to life as a varsity student-athlete as September 2020 arrives.

Her on-court arrival remains months in the future, but Louks believes that his young libero can already have a positive influence on her new team.

"This is outstanding news for our program, and the addition of Hayley makes our team better immediately."