Just one MCAC women’s volleyball team knows the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national stage, and Evan Turenne plans to keep it that way.
The sixth-year head coach and the Université de Saint-Boniface Les Rouges kick off the 2023-24 season on Friday on the road against the Assiniboine Community College Cougars with their sights set on a third straight league title.
“We have an even split of returning and new athletes. With so much youth, we have a lot of athletes looking to contribute in meaningful ways. Look for this team to grow as the season progresses,” Turenne said.
USB will have to move on without player of the year Sam Lemoine and left side Valeria Gonzalez, who joined the University of Winnipeg Wesmen.
Outside hitter Jacklyn Carson is back and likely to take a step forward with a new lineup including promising rookie Razan Haj Hassan in the middle.
PROVIDENCE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE PILOTS
The Pilots were close behind last year, falling in the league final. They lose all-Canadian Alex Buhler but get MCAC all-conference left side Tyra Peters and middle Taylor Hiebert back to chase their first championship since 2018.
Eighth-year head coach Kyle Guenther had added a solid rookie class including middles Emma Ethier and Claire Heide, outsides Mackenzie Lowden and Kara Bartel and setter Malia Thiessen.
This is going to be a really fun season. We have a lot of talent both returning and joining our program this year,” Guenther said.
“Our group that was so close to capturing the MCAC title last year is mostly back and motivated to put ourselves in a position to capture the banner that eluded us last season.
“With what is still a fairly young team, it will be fun to watch what this group can do on and off the court.”
CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY BLAZERS
The Blazers are looking to return to the top of the league for the first time since 2020 and have a solid core back to improve on a 6-12 finish last year.
Setter Paige Wright and outsides Rachel Bartel and Halle Meiser stay together for another season, with key rookies in outside Kiera Haney of Binscarth and libero Haelen Hanna from the Dakota Lancers.
They move on without captains Lauren Ens and Brooklyn De Jong, but sixth-year head coach Jayme Menzies feels her team has strength in its depth.
“This team is young, with only one fourth year and no one in their fifth year, but we have a lot of depth. Our entire rookie class is hardworking and talented,” Menzies said. “They have already brought up the healthy competition level in practice. At the stage of
the season, I would trust any of the 14 rostered players to perform as a starter.”
ASSINIBOINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE COUGARS
With a fair bit of turnover around the league, the always-fresh Cougars roster is in a good spot to catch up.
Second-year head coach Kevin Neufeld had a full season to recruit and has added opening-day starters in Kylee Peake, Kiera Virgo and Ryan DeGroot.
ACC has two setters back as Brooke Schoonbaert and Brie Mulligan shared the job last season, and they have all-conference attacker Elle Snyder to look to once she recovers from an injury that sidelined her for two months.
They lost Jayde Hansen-Young to Brandon University but can take advantage of a potentially wide-open league.
“We are a young team with 12 first-year players but our expectations continue to rise,” Neufeld said. “We will not scare anyone with our size but are fast and athletic.”
The league champion will head to CCAA nationals in Red Deer from March 6 to 9, 2024.