The hospitality management student (and recreation facility management graduate) has yet to see a disappointing season for four years after graduating from Canterbury high school right here in Ottawa.

One might wonder how a student juggles school with the demands of being on the volleyball team.

“There’s no time for a job, I’m broke,” he said.

The Thunder have seen three losses this year with onlyfour games left. That’s more than Costa has seen since starting his career at Algonquin put together.

“It’s a different feeling to lose,” Costa said.

But despite the slight blemish on the current season, Solankis is on the brink of breaking the record for career aces, currently held by a loyalist player who achieved 121 in the seasons between 2003-08. Costaneeds only 12 more. 

Not only is the 22-year-old setter captain of thenumber one standing team in the league, he is a regional, provincial and national all-star.

Costa attributes the success of the team to the caliber of local talent. The Ottawa area has a great high school volleyball league and many of those players stay in town.

Coming up to his fourth championship, Costa is keeping his cool under the pressure.

“I’ve played the best volleyball of my life in frontof 600 people,” he boasts. “I guess it’s to shut the other team up.”

After this seasons championship, Costa is parting wayswith the school. With his dual citizenship, he stands a better chance landing a spot on a professional team in Greece, where his family is from.