After capturing its first Canada West conference banner in March, the Wesmen men's volleyball team earned a No. 7 pre-season ranking from coaches.
The Wesmen, who finished fifth at the national championship in March, return all but four players from a season ago but were ranked outside the top five in the annual coaches poll released by the Canada West on Thursday.
The Wesmen women's team, meanwhile, earned a pre-season No. 9 ranking from conference coaches after sweeping its play-in series against Calgary and advancing to the conference quarter-final a season ago.
The men's team lost all-Canadian left side
Isaiah Olfert but reloads with a solid core of fifth-year seniors led by middle blocker
Paxton Koop, setter
Alex Krykewich and left side
Jaxon Rose. Adding to that punch is the blossoming talent on the right side, Luke Lodewkys, who competed with the U21 national team in the off-season and enters 2025-26 as the team's returning kills leader.
An intriguing recruiting class that includes MCAC player of the year
Sebastian Verdaguer also boosts the Wesmen threat in the west.
On the women's side, fifth-year libero
Taylor Cangemi returns to bolster a Wesmen defence that ranked No. 1 in digs in the Canada West in 2024-25. One of the top liberos in Canada, Cangemi also assumes a role as an unquestioned leader as the Wesmen look to return to the post-season for the fifth time in six seasons.
Offensively, the Wesmen will bring in a new starting setter in third-year
Naomi Unger who has bided her time behind veterans her first two seasons at Winnipeg. She will have veterans attacking from the pins with
Brooke Duncalfe,
Ella Werbiski and
Megan Kendziora providing the swings. A solid group of third-years, that also includes middle
Grace Vallis, looks to make another leap as integral pieces to the Wesmen success.
The women's team will open conference play Friday night at Regina while the men have a Week 1 bye before travelling to Fraser Valley for their season-opening weekend Oct. 24-25.
MEN'S PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL
- UBC Thunderbirds - 139 (9)
- Trinity Western Spartans - 123 (2)
- Saskatchewan Huskies - 115 (1)
- Manitoba Bisons -111
- Alberta Golden Bears - 104 (1)
- Brandon Bobcats - 88
- Winnipeg Wesmen - 86
- UBCO Heat - 61
- Calgary Dinos - 58
- Mount Royal Cougars - 56
- Thompson Rivers WolfPack - 36
- Fraser Valley Cascades - 22
- MacEwan Griffins - 15
WOMEN'S PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL
- Alberta Pandas - 166 (10)
- UBC Thunderbirds - 150 (1)
- Manitoba Bisons - 141 (2)
- Trinity Western Spartans - 132 (1)
- Fraser Valley Cascades - 124
- Thompson Rivers WolfPack - 114
- Saskatchewan Huskies - 93
- Mount Royal Cougars - 82
- Winnipeg Wesmen - 67
- Calgary Dinos - 67
- UBCO Heat - 52
- Regina Cougars - 35
- MacEwan Griffins - 33
- Brandon Bobcats - 18
