Ring of Honour
One of the most celebrated volleyball people in Canadian history ended his career elsewhere, but it started with the Wesmen.
Garth Pischke became synonymous with the sport in Canada and spent three decades coaching the Manitoba Bisons men's team. But Pischke's playing career started as a member of the UWinnipeg Wesmen who he helped win two national championships in 1973-74 and 1976-77.
Pischke would go on to play for the Bisons and coach the men's team at U of M over the course of three decades, retiring after the 2019-20 season.
Pischke twice competed for Canada at the Olympics, first in 1976 when the team finished ninth, and then again in 1984 when Canada lost in the bronze-medal match and finished fourth. He would later go on and coach the national program from 1996-2000.
In 2000, Pischke was named Manitoba’s Amateur Athlete of the 20th Century and by True North Volleyball Magazine as “Canada’s Best Male Volleyball Player” of all time.
Pischke has previously been inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1999, Canadian Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2000, and Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
Pischke was inducted into the Wesmen Ring of Honour in November 2019 prior to a match between the Wesmen and Bisons, which stood as the final time he coached on the UWinnipeg campus, where his post-secondary career started.
