York to host 31st annual Excalibur Volleyball Classic

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team will ring in the new year by welcoming six other Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) squads and a team from the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) to the Tait McKenzie Centre for the 31st annual Excalibur Volleyball Classic from Jan. 8-10, 2010.

The eight teams, coming from Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Canada West, the Quebec Student Sports Federation (QSSF) and the OVA’s men’s open division have been split into two pools of four. In Pool A, the host Lions (2-8) will face off against conference rivals the Laurier Golden Hawks (5-5), the QSSF-leading Laval Rouge et Or (9-0) and the OVA’s Toronto Ruffriders, while Pool B will feature the OUA-leading Western Mustangs (9-1), the OUA’s Ryerson Rams (2-8), the Sherbrooke Vert et Or (2-7) of the QSSF and the Brandon Bobcats (5-3) from Canada West. For a complete tournament schedule, please see below.

The two-time defending champion Dalhousie Tigers will not be back to compete for a third straight championship, leaving the door open for a new gold medallist. Four of the participating teams have emerged victorious at the event in the past. Laval and Ryerson have both captured the trophy multiple times – the Rouge et Or were champions three times in 1994, 1996 and 2003 and the Rams won back-to-back golds in 2004 and 2005 – while York won its home tournament in 1989 and Sherbrooke captured gold in 1997.

The top-ranked team at the tournament is undefeated Laval, a squad that climbed into the top spot in the national rankings on Dec. 1 after posting a perfect record through nine games, the only team yet to lose a game this season. Brandon and Western are also currently among the nation’s top 10; the Bobcats sit in eighth spot and the Mustangs are 10th.

To follow the results of all the matches, please go to http://www.sport.yorku.ca/interuniversity_sport/teams/volleyball_m/schedule.asp  for updated scores throughout the weekend.

Tournament play begins on Friday, Jan. 8 at 1pm and concludes with the championship match on Sunday, Jan. 10 at 3pm. Tickets are available at the door for $10/day for adults and $7/day for students, while children 12 and under are free. Tournament passes can be purchased on Friday for $25 (adults) and $15 (students).

PAST CHAMPIONS

2009 Dalhousie
2008 Dalhousie
2007 Manitoba
2006 Manitoba
2005 Ryerson
2004 Ryerson
2003 Laval
2002 Queen’s
2001 Toronto
2000 Trinity Western
1999 Queen’s
1998 Tskuba (Japan)
1997 Sherbrooke
1996 Laval
1995 Manitoba
1994 Laval
1993 Montreal
1992 McMaster
1991 Calgary
1990 Manitoba
1989 York
1988 Penn State
1987 Winnipeg
1986 Penn State
1985 Manitoba
1984 Ball State
1983 Manitoba
1982 Alberta
1981 Penn State
1980 Penn State

Source:

Alyson Fisher
Sport & Recreation Information Officer
York University Lions