A Cochrane High graduate has just wrapped up a stellar volleyball season at an Illinois university.
In his third season with the Aurora University (AU) Spartans men’s volleyball team, Josh McLellan earned numerous honours and set new team records.
The six-foot-eight outside hitter was named the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Player of the Year and selected as a First-Team AVCA All-American — the first in AU program history.
He was also named Region IV All-Region and earned First-Team All-Conference honours.
McLellan says he feels honoured and blessed by both his personal achievements and those of his team.
“Over the years, I’ve been practising and working out in the gym constantly, trying to improve myself. It’s been great this season to see that the hard work I’ve been putting in is paying off.”
It was the first time the team had won its conference and advanced to the NCAA Division 3 Sweet 16 tournament.
“Unfortunately, we lost, but we performed very well for our first time being there,” he said. “We were ranked against a very skilled team, but we were still able to perform pretty well. It didn’t work out the way we wanted it to, but we’re excited for next year, that’s for sure.”
According to AU statistics, McLellan recorded 413 kills (4.09 per set) with a .308 hitting percentage during the 2025 season. He also contributed 139 digs, 42 blocks (including four solo), 18 service aces and six assists.
This season, McLellan set a new single-season kills record, breaking the mark he set in 2024. He also became AU’s all-time kills leader, with a current total of 786.
AU finished the 2025 season with a 26-5 overall record and went 11-1 in the NACC, capturing both the regular season and tournament championships. The 26 wins shattered the previous single-season record of 18, set in 2024.
McLellan is entering his senior year at AU.
“After I graduate next year, I’ll have a mathematics teaching degree. So, I can be a high school teacher and hopefully coach as well, to give back to the community and show students the love I have for volleyball and basketball.”
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McLellan credits the sports culture at Cochrane High with influencing his athletic pursuits, saying several great coaches helped shape his career.
“In volleyball, I had Doug Jensen and Dan Hasiuk. He was my senior coach and helped me get to where I am today. In basketball, I had great coaches too — Patrick Court and my dad, Jamie, who coached me through my entire high school career. I couldn’t have been luckier.”
While basketball was his main sport growing up, McLellan eventually embraced volleyball in high school after being cut from the middle school team.
“I found that in volleyball, everyone had each other’s back, and it was just a great, great environment. I was new to the sport and knew I had a lot of room to grow. I already loved the game, so I wanted to keep pursuing it.”
In his graduating year at Cochrane High in 2020, McLellan was named athlete of the year for his standout performances in both volleyball and basketball. He was also named Rocky View Schools' most valuable player in both sports. That season, the Cobras volleyball team won the zone banner and advanced to provincials, while the basketball team won the zone title and was ranked in the provincial top 10 before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled provincials.
McLellan’s first post-secondary volleyball experience came with the University of Calgary Dinos, but things didn’t quite align. His first year was cancelled due to COVID, and an injury combined with coaching decisions limited his playing time in his second year.
He caught the attention of U.S. coaches at a volleyball camp, which led to offers from both the AU Spartans and the NCAA Div. 1 Grand Canyon Antelopes in Arizona.
The ability to fully transfer his credits made AU the better fit.
“I was given the opportunity to come to Aurora, just outside Chicago, to play volleyball here, and it’s been a blessing ever since.”