2016-17 Canada West men's volleyball season preview: Manitoba Bisons

2015-16 CW regular season record: 19-5/ 2nd place in conference
2015-16 post-season record: 2-2 / won 2-0 vs. Mount Royal at home in Canada West Quarter-Finals best-of-three playoff series; lost to Saskatchewan in Canada West Final Four; lost to Alberta in Canada West Final Four bronze medal match

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2002-03 / 1
Last CIS championship / total CIS championships: 2002-03 / 10

2015-16 CW regular season ranks:
Points per set: 16.8, 2nd in conference
Kills per set: 13.35, 2nd in conference
Hitting percentage: .316, 2nd in conference

2015-16 CW regular season leaders:
Kills: 349 – Devren Dear, Right Side
Digs: 156 – Luke Herr, Setter
Blocks: 88 – Ken Rooney, Middle
Aces: 20 – Luke Herr, Setter
Assists: 988 – Luke Herr, Setter

Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
Evan Jackson / Left Side / 4 / Winnipeg, MB / Bisons Volleyball
Caleb Konrad / Setter / 4 / Abbotsford, BC / Douglas College

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
None

Key performer:
Ken Rooney
Middle
5
Winnipeg, MB

The last ride for Bison fifth year middle hitter Ken Rooney.

He has been the pillar for the program over the last five years and looks to end his Bison journey with a national championship.

Rooney enters his final year with the Bisons after being selected as a team captain for a fourth consecutive season. His vast leadership presence is felt throughout the Bison program since he arrived in his rookie season.
In addition, he has had numerous accolades from his court skills. Rooney was named as 2015-16 Canada West men's volleyball Second Team All-Star along with being a 2014-15 CIS men's volleyball Second Team All-Canadian and 2014-15 Canada West men's volleyball First Team All-Star plus earning 2012-13 Canada West Rookie of the Year plus CIS All-Rookie Team in year one.

Rooney earned his second conference selection (First Team All-Star in 2014-15) in his fourth season at Manitoba. In the 2015-16 season with the Bisons, the Winnipeg native was seventh in Canada West total blocks at 1.02 per set (88 blocks/86 sets) plus finished 19th in conference points (third on team) at 225.0 points while 20th in Canada West kills (third on the team) at 168. The 6'8", 220 lbs. student-athlete started and played in 23 of 24 conference matches and only missed three sets of the 89 overall Canada West sets played by the Bisons in 2015-16.

Rooney is poised for another All-Canadian season and his goal is to be lifting a shiny trophy at the end of the 2016-17 season.

2016-17 Preview: This is the last ride.

The Bison men's volleyball team has seven fifth year players and all have been starters in their illustrious career. Along with the fifth years, there are another five players in their fourth year and the veteran Bison squad returns everyone involved with being so close to reach the national championship in the 2016-17 season.

Last season, Manitoba ended up 19-5 regular season record and finished second in the ultra-competitive Canada West conference. After winning a home playoff quarter-final series, the team lost in the Canada West Final 4 and a chance for a berth into the nationals.

The returning players are highlighted by several veterans, which include middle player and captain Ken Rooney (2014-15 Canada West men's volleyball Second Team All-Star), left side and assistant captain Adam DeJonckheere (2013-14 CIS and Canada West All-Rookie Team) plus left-side and assistant captain Kevin Falconer. In addition, setter Luke Herr, middle Josh Crellin, right side Devren Dear and libero Alex Strachan are all back.

The new additions adds depth to the lineup and includes the return of left side hitter Evan Jackson (a former Bison) and setter Caleb Konrad are a couple of the strong players battling for starting minutes and will push the returning players.

The Bisons had a strong pre-season where they have only lost one match. They are poised to once again to be one of the top competing teams in the whole U Sports and vie for a conference title while trying to capture one of the elusive conference spots available into the nationals and reach their ultimate goal of winning the nationals.