University Of Tourism Technology And Business Studies (UTB) volleyball club has signed several players ahead of the upcoming volleyball national league, which will kick off on December 17.

The new signings include right attacker, Tony Shyaka from Lycee de Nyanza, left attacker Jean Claude Nshimiyimana from Kigali Volleyball Club, left attacker, Patrick Ruzindana, Claude Niyibizi from APR, center player, Paul Hakinayezu (IPRC), right attacker Claude Gakire (Rayon Sports), and center player Guillaume Irakarama from APR.

The team is also still in negotiation with Justin Munyinya (centre), and Fred Muvunyi (left attack) from Kirehe VC.

"We have some problems with documents of Justin Munyinya and Fred ‘Rufu’ Muvunyi but we hope that we will sort it out before the end of the week. We want to get them but we need to first get a release letter from their club,” he said

Others, who signed before October are Yussuf Siborurema (left attack), Isaac Giraneza (libero) and Gideon Mutabazi (left attack) from Kigali Volleyball Club, John Nkurunziza (center) from UNIK and Emmanuel Mugisha (setter) from Lycee de Nyanza (setter).

The new players have been given scholarships to study for free on top of getting match bonuses. UTB is among the new teams playing in the national volleyball league. Others are Rwanda Energy Group (REG), and Gisagara Volleyball Club.

They will compete with University of Kibungo, APR, Kigali Volleyball, Kirehe, IPRC-South, Rayon Sports, Lycee de Nyanza and Umubano Blue Tigers.

The newly formed UTB started their preparations on a high in October, winning the 2016 Alphonse Rutsindura memorial tournament last weekend.

University of Kibungo (UNIK) won the league for the second consecutive season this year, while Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) are the defending champions in the women’s league. Both UNIK and RRA will represent Rwanda at the 2017 Africa Club Championships.

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