VANCOUVER – The long wait is finally over. The 2023 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball National Championship tournament is officially upon us, and for Doug Reimer and the UBC Thunderbirds, countless hours of preparation both on and off the court have set the table for an unforgettable weekend of volleyball at War Memorial Gym. UBC enters the tournament as the #7 seed, and will begin their quest for a 13th national championship Friday at 6:00 pm when they battle the #2 ranked Brock Badgers for the first time ever.
“In general, it’s just a feeling of excitement. It’s the best week of the year,” remarked Doug Reimer who is in search of his 10th national championship victory as a coach, and ninth with UBC. “We’re grateful to have the chance to host this tournament, but by no means are we just happy to be here.”
After an 18-6 finish during the regular season, the blue and gold entered the Canada West playoffs as the #3 seed. But UBC’s playoff hopes came to an end in late February after a pair of losses at home against the eventual third-placed Manitoba Bisons. It was an earlier exit than the blue and gold had hoped for, but it did allow for them to recover, and regroup.
“It took some time for us to recover after we lost in Round 1,” admits Doug Reimer. “But the last month has been good for us as it’s allowed us to build momentum and recover from some nagging injuries. I love the fact that we’re able to train and compete hard against each other and I’m not worried at all that the layoff will hurt us come Friday. That will not be an excuse for us.”
All season long, depth remained one of the great strengths of the UBC Thunderbirds. Fifth-year outside hitter Elise Petit led the way with 220 kills and 264.5 total points, but had plenty of support thanks to the team-leading 32 service aces from captain Brynn Pasin, the 970 combined assists from Kayla Oxland and Issy Robertshaw, and the 4.14 digs per set from the 2022-23 Canada West Libeiro of the Year, Kacey Jost. Doug Reimer knows that it will require depth and a major commitment to the serve and pass game to take down a quality opponent like Brock University.
“Brock is a very good team,” observed Reimer. “They’re experienced, athletic and are well coached. They’ve won Ontario two years in a row against some quality opponents, so if we are going to be playing on the championship side of this tournament, we are going to have to earn it.”
While certainly no stranger to the intensity and the grandeur of a national championship tournament, this one is unique for Doug Reimer. He adds, “To this point in time I’ve enjoyed this week a lot more than other times previously. For the first time since I’ve been to UBC we haven’t had to travel, and we haven’t had to familiarize ourselves with a gym where we’ve never played before. Now we just have to make sure that we’re managing potential distractions. We’re still living in a national championship bubble, but with the advantages of our home crowd, familiar routines and home court.”
Tickets for all games during the 2023 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball National Championship tournament can be purchased HERE. All 11 games from the eight-team competition will be webcast live on CBC Sports digital platforms (English) and USPORTS.ca (French), up to and including Sunday’s gold medal game. The full webcast schedule will be available throughout the tournament at usports.ca/en/broadcast.
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