For the first time ever, the Brandon University men’s volleyball team are national champions.
The 8th-ranked Brandon Bobcats beat the 3rd-ranked and defending champion University of Alberta Golden Bears 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 28-26, 25-17) over the weekend.
“Unbelievable. It’s indescribable. Everything you dreamed of. It’s crazy,” said Bobcats coach Grant Wilson.
Brandon was the host city for the national championship, becoming the first host school to win on home court since Laval in 2013.
The championship weekend started with Brandon beating the top-ranked University of Winnipeg Wesmen 3-0, followed by a tight 3-2 victory against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
Liam Pauls led the Bobcats with 12 kills, Riley Grusing had 11, and both Tom Friesen and Phillip Lauter had 10 each.
Lauter was also named the Championship MVP.
“I don’t think it gets any better than to have this as my last game as a Bobcat,” said Lauter. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. I don’t think I have the words to describe it. That was so special.”
The men’s team isn’t the only Manitoba team to be named national champions this year, as the University of Manitoba Bisons women’s volleyball team won their first title in 11 years last week.
