For the first time in 24 years, the U SPORTS Women's Volleyball Championship has returned to Investors Group Athletic Centre. The Herd, ranked No. 3 in the tournament, are hoping history repeats itself. The last time the Bisons hosted, they ran the table, beating Sherbrooke in the final for their fifth national title.
 
Rest assured, Manitoba has the roster to get it done. Their veteran core has been to three straight national tournaments, advancing to the final four both of the last two years, with a bronze medal finish a year ago.
 
"To have a team like we have to host, I'm grateful for it. I never wanted to host just to host. That was not even something I thought about. If we were going to host, I wanted to have a team of note," Bisons head coach Ken Bentley, who's been in the U SPORTS game for 43 years, said prior to the season.
 
"Hosting for the sake of hosting I wasn't interested in at all. When we won the bid, I knew that this team would be in the prime wheelhouse of one of the teams that could win."
 
Their roster features back to back National Player of the Year Raya Surinx, who led the nation in kills and kills per set for a second straight season. She became the first player in program history to accomplish the feat since assistant coach Michelle Sawatzky-Koop in 1991 and 1992.
 
Meanwhile, setter Katreena Bentley, a second Team All-Canadian, led the nation in assists and assists per set, and is the only player in Canada West history to lead Canada West in assists every season she started (2021-25).
 
Surinx (First Team All-Canadian) and Bentley's All-Canadian nods marked the first time the program has had two All-Canadians in the same year since 2008.
 
Manitoba's roster is largely local, the nucleus of whom have played together in their whole lives.
 
Fifteen members of the team are from Manitoba, with seniors Bentley, Canada West Libero of the Year Julia Arnold and Light Uchechukwu having played club together their whole lives. They won club national titles with the Junior Bisons from 14U to 17U, and didn't lose a set at nationals from 15U to 17U. Middle Chloe Ellerbrock also joined the fold in 16U.
 
It's fitting that this group of seniors gets to conclude their career on home court, ideally with a gold medal around their necks.
 
"It's a full circle moment. We started off here, so it's really cool that we're going to end off here," said co-captain Uchechukwu.
 
"I literally grew up in this building. It's kind of crazy to have this chapter end at home."
 
The friendly confines of IGAC have been good to the Bisons. They went undefeated at home all of last year, going 15-0, and they're 24-2 inside their home gym in the regular and post season over the last two years.
 
"It's fitting," added Arnold.
 
"We would have been happy to play at nationals anywhere, but being able to do it in front of all of our supporters who have been our supporters all year, it's for us but also for the whole community that's been behind us."
 
This year's tournament kicks off tomorrow, with Manitoba facing No. 6 seed Saint Mary's in a rematch of last year's national quarterfinal.
 
The Bisons won that game in four sets, paced by 19 kills from Uchechukwu, who has double digit kills in seven of her last ten playoff games, and 129 overall.
 
It's important to note that Surinx also missed Manitoba's quarterfinal and bronze medal games last year due to injury. Her 1,248 career kills are 11^th most in school history and second most in the rally scoring era, and if Saint Mary's can't stop her, it will be a long night, as she can hit from all six positions.
 
Andi Almonte, Brenna Bedosky and Eve Catojo all had over 100 kills in the regular season as well, with Catojo leading the country in hitting efficiency and Bedosky finishing third.
 
Their opponent, Saint Mary's, have overcome a ridiculous amount of adversity this year, coming together when it mattered to rise to the top.
 
The AUS champs lost their starting and backup setters for extended periods early in the year, and had nine different players deal with concussion issues. One of their most efficient players, Madison Hann, dealt with a shin injury as well, but still ranked 15^th in blocks per set.
 
Hann also saved assistant coach Steve Simmons' life. He suffered a stroke at an individual practice, but Hann recognized the symptoms and with her FAST training and background in nursing support, the 2023-24 U SPORTS Student Athlete Community Service Award winner was able to help him, and he was rushed to the hospital just in time.
 
Rest assured, the team will have Simmons on their mind this week, adding extra motivation for the Atlantic conference's best team, which bolsters a versatile roster including Belarus natives Emilia Mikanovich and Alena Piatukhova.
 
They have thrived in their 2.5 seasons with the Huskies, with both being named AUS First Team All-Stars this season, while Mikanovich won AUS MVP. They are also both 4.0 students.
 
"When we won [the AUS banner] we obviously celebrated as a group, but being able to put the banner over [Simmons] and have him walk on stage with us was huge," said Hann.
 
"Steve was a middle coach for me since first year. He is a huge part of our team. He's [head coach Darren Russell's] best friend. For us, we're resilient, but also being able to fight for him is huge."