VANCOUVER – Two top-five teams from a season ago are squaring off to open the men's volleyball season this weekend as the UBC Thunderbirds host the Mount Royal Cougars for a Friday-Saturday series at War Memorial Gym. Both matches are set to begin after the two schools' women's teams play, with approximate start times of 7:45pm (PT) on Friday and 6:45pm (PT) on Saturday.
The T-Birds are coming off of a strong 2022-23 regular season in which the team went 15-9 and qualified for the Canada West playoffs. However, with several key departures, including captain
Michael Dowhaniuk, superstar outside hitter
Matt Neaves, and the versatile
Coltyn Liu, who was the last remaining member of the 2018 U SPORTS National Champion team, everyone on this year's squad has something to prove as they carve out a new identity.
"With such significant turnover from last year's roster, we've been in a unique situation this season where we're able to be deliberate and purposeful on resetting our team's culture and to shape it based on what our staff feel is best and what matches the personalities of this new group of T-Birds," remarked UBC head coach
Mike Hawkins. "We expect a number of returning players –
James Vincett,
Mason Greves,
Conaire Taub,
Logan Greves – to step into more prominent leadership roles, but we know every member of our roster will need to contribute to the leadership of our team. In terms of performance, we're excited at what newcomers like
Gavin Moes and
Toby Bergh can do, while 2
nd year
Reeve Gingera will build off a great first season and summer with Team Canada to make an impact for us."
On top of his national team experience, Gingera has already proven what a weapon he can be at the U SPORTS level, as the then-freshman did an admirable job taking on an unexpectedly large role in place of the injured Neaves for much of last season. His counterpart as the team's other top outside threat appears likely to be a new face, whose explosive attacking created plenty of buzz throughout the pre-season.
"
Gavin Moes, a second year transfer from Lethbridge College, has made an immediate impact with his combination of size, skill, and power," praised Hawkins. "For such a big guy, he's technically really sound and has a done great of adjusting to the speed and physicality of our level."
The team is starting the new campaign with a difficult test, taking on an MRU Cougars side that finished second in the Canada West regular season a year ago with a record of 19-5. Mount Royal and UBC split their two matchups last year in Calgary, each winning 3-1. Despite MRU failing to advance past the first round of the playoffs, or perhaps because they didn't, Hawkins says he expects to see a hungry Cougars team this weekend with plenty of teeth.
"MRU is one of the teams I expect to be near the top of the standing by the end of the season," commented the sixth-year coach. "They're a tough squad with the most experience and veterans out of anyone in the league. Coach Sky will do a great job in preparing the Cougars and it will be important for us to limit the impact of Chris Byam. With an athlete of his quality, you don't aim to completely shut them down, but to limit their ability to control the game."
The four-time national champion T-Birds hit the road for nearly a full month after the back to back with MRU; there won't be a chance to catch them at War Memorial Gym again until November 17
th against Thompson Rivers. Every game this season will also be streamed live and available on demand on
Canada West TV. Find the team's full schedule
here.
