2024-25 SEASON PREVIEW: VARSITY BLUES MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team is looking to make their mark on the 2024-25 season after reaching the OUA postseason last year.

The Blues went 13-7 in 2023-24, finishing in seventh place in the OUA standings. Taking on the 15-5 Queen’s Gaels proved to be too much for the Blues, as they were eliminated in the OUA quarter-finals after falling in straight sets. The Blues split two preseason games with York in September, participated in the Humber Cup preseason tournament, and came out on top against TMU in five sets on October 4.
 
FROM THE COACH’S DESK:
“I’m very excited about this new group and the potential for great things to come. We will be a mixture of experience and youthful energy and I’m confident we will see more ups than downs. Where the peak of the group is this year will depend on our individual and group development, and how we perform when the bright lights come on. I can guarantee this: we will be game for the battle and we will be able to compete with and beat anyone. It should be a blast to watch this group play. It may be the most depth we have ever had.”

• John Barrett, University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s volleyball head coach

 
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Key Returnees: Michael Hickey (S), Jayden Talsma (OH), Hunter Arulpragasam (OH)
Key Additions: Justin Peng (OH), Iannis Toma (OH), Orgil Munkh (OH), Luka Minic (MB), Jovan Jovevski (MB)
 
LAST SEASON’S LEADERS:
KILLS: Hunter Arulpragasam | 18 MP, 284 Kills
ACES: Jayden Talsma | 19 MP, 14 Aces
BLOCKS: John Dunning | 17 MP, 44 Total Blocks
DIGS: Hunter Arulpragasam | 18 MP, 146 Digs
ASSISTS: Michael Hickey | 18 MP, 401 Assists
 
FROM THE COURT:
“Heading into this season, we have an exceptional mix of young talent and seasoned veterans. Our younger players are eager to make an immediate impact on the court, while our experienced veterans bring lots of experience from competing in the OUA, with many players having been to at least one U SPORTS championship. It’s rare to have a group so evenly matched in skill, creating exciting and competitive practices, and giving us the flexibility to put out various lineups, each with unique strengths. Our goal, as always, is to win the OUA championship and earn a spot at the U SPORTS Championship. With the support of our experienced and dedicated coaching staff, we believe this team has what it takes to make a deep run this year.”

• Connor Vanderkuip, 4^th year, Outside Hitter

 
MARQUEE GAMES:
Oct. 25/26 vs. McMaster
The Blues open the regular season with two contests against the McMaster Marauders, a team that went 16-4 last season en route to their third consecutive OUA title. Toronto will be tested early in these matches and has a recent history of pushing this talented Marauders program to the limit, splitting the season series in 2022-23 and taking a 2023-24 decision to a fifth set.

Nov. 29/30 at Queen’s
Toronto hits the road for their final two games of 2024 against a Queen’s team that eliminated them in last year’s playoffs, so they will be hungry for revenge. Toronto won both regular season matchups against the Gaels in 2023-24, and have won four of the last six regular season games since 2021.

Feb. 7/8 vs. Trent
In their final home contests of the regular season, the Blues look to get fans excited for a playoff run with two games against the Excalibur. Toronto has bested Trent in 12 consecutive meetings, going back to November 2016. While the Blues close the regular season on the road at RMC, the Blues will hope that these games can allow them to build momentum as they approach the OUA postseason.