The Bison volleyball teams host the UBC Thunderbirds on January 13-14 weekend at the Investors Group Athletic Centre (U of Manitoba campus) to start second half of the 2016-17 conference season at home with the men's game at 6 p.m. CT and the women's game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT on Friday and 3 p.m. start for men and 4:30 p.m. CT start for women on Saturday. Tickets available at the door of IGAC.

The #3 Bison men's volleyball team (11-1) is on a ten game conference win streak and in a tie for first spot in the Canada West conference standings. The Thunderbirds (8-4) are in fourth place and won last four matches. The two teams met in conference play last season when Manitoba won 3-2 (Oct. 23/15) and won 3-0 (Oct. 24/15) at UBC.

In conference 2016-17 stats, the Bison men's team is second in hitting percentage at .298, second in blocks at 2.92 per set, sixth in assists at 11.26 per set, seventh in conference kills at 11.86, seventh in service aces at 1.28 and 11th in conference digs at 8.49.

Individually, Devren Dear is fifth in Canada West with 3.47 kills per set while Adam DeJonckheere is ninth at 3.31. DeJonckheere is second in hitting percentage at .348 and Dear is fifth at .292. Luke Herr is fourth with 9.35 assists per set and fifth with 0.42 service aces per set. Ken Rooney is fourth with 1.14 blocks/set while Dear (4.2) and DeJonckheere (3.8) are fifth and 12th in points per set.

The Bison women's volleyball team (6-6) is on a four game conference win streak in 2016-17 and face #4 and third place UBC (9-3). Manitoba is tied for sixth place in the Canada West conference standings. The two teams met in conference play last season when Manitoba lost 3-0 (Oct. 23/15) and lost 3-0 (Oct. 24/15) at UBC.

In Canada West stats, the Bisons are eighth in hitting percentage at .166, sixth in conference kills at 11.38 per set, sixth in assists at 10.56 per set, sixth in blocks at 2.10 per set, 12th in service aces at 1.48 per set and first in conference digs/set at 14.54.

Individually, Kearley Abbott is ninth with 3.13 kills per set, fourth with .288 hitting percentage and seventh in points at 178.0. Sydney Booker is fourth at 9.13 assists per set and seventh with 0.50 service aces/set. In digs per set, Cassie Bujan is seventh at 3.09 while Caleigh Dobie at ninth with 2.97. Sarah Klassen is 12th in hitting percentage at .243, 12th place in blocks per set with 0.91. Tori Studler is 18th with 128.5 points.

Bison Notes: Bison men's volleyball head coach nears another milestone as he sits at 1,298 overall wins in his 35th season at Manitoba heading into the weekend.