North Bay, ON – The Nipissing Lakers Women's Volleyball program is excited and proud to announce the signing of 2026 recruit Layla Gonsalves. 

Gonsalves, a setter who hails from Hamilton, Ontario, is excited to take her game to the next level in OUA action after completing a successful junior career with the Smash Raiders Volleyball Club. 

"I'm excited to get to push myself and play at a much higher level with more experienced athletes for me to look up to," Gonsalves said when asked what she's most looking forward to for 2026 and beyond. 

Layla will be enrolling in the Bachelor's of Physical Health and Recreation program at Nipissing next year. 

When asked what she can bring to the team, Layla said she is a positive presence and always brings energy while cheering on her teammates on the court. 

"I chose Nipissing because I had a lot of fun during my visit and liked how welcoming and fun the team was. I am also excited to get to have Lexi Pollard as my coach again after working with her this past summer with Team Ontario." 

"We are excited to welcome Layla to the Lakers family," said head coach Marc LaRochelle. "Layla possesses strong communication skills which are essential in the setter position. Her speed allows her to get in a good position to deliver a good set. We look forward to working with Layla to reach her goals." 

When asked about the Women's Volleyball program and coaches, Layla said "I have heard many fantastic things about the program. This made me even more excited to choose Nipissing and become a Laker." 

#GoLakers