The Camosun Chargers volleyball teams had a historic showing at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championships, which took place from March 8 to 11. The women’s team brought home the silver medal and the men’s team brought home gold to become back-to-back champions.
The men’s team came to the CCAA national championships at Toronto’s Humber College as the defending national champions and the PACWEST provincial champions. In the quarter-finals, they faced Manitoba’s Providence Pilots. After losing the first set, the Chargers won three in a row to win the game 3-1 and head to the semifinals. Eduardo Bida, a fifth-year all-Canadian, had an incredible game with 17 kills, three aces, and six digs.
In the semifinals, the Chargers faced Ontario’s Fanshawe Falcons. The Falcons took the first set, but the Chargers were able to respond and take three consecutive sets again, winning a tight and exciting game 3-1. Kristopher La Guardia, a third-year libero, was named player of the game as he finished with nine digs.
In the championship game, the Chargers faced the hosting Humber Hawks. The men’s team made it look easy, winning in straight sets and sweeping the Hawks for a 3-0 victory. The Chargers men’s team is the first team since 2017 to become back-to-back national champions. Bida was named the most valuable player of the tournament in his final game as a Charger.
In February, the women’s volleyball team won the PACWEST provincial championships for the first time in the school’s history after they defeated the number-one-ranked team in the nation, the Vancouver Island University Mariners. After upsetting VIU, the Chargers looked to make history again in the CCAA national championships.
In the quarter-finals, the Chargers played exceptionally as they swept PEI’s Holland Hurricanes to a 3-0 win. Corriena McNeice, a fifth-year libero, was named the best player of the game for her great defence.
In the semifinals, the Chargers faced Alberta’s Augustana Vikings. The women’s team had to work harder to get this win but in the end, the Chargers won the game 3-1 with a great offence led by all-Canadian Erica Bolink, Hannah May, fourth-year outside hitter, and Gracie May, second-year middle blocker. Hannah May was named the best player in the game.
In the finals, the Chargers fell short of gold after losing against Alberta’s Lakeland Rustlers 3-0. The women’s team had an amazing year, beating all expectations, and they were very close to making history.
The Chargers fell just short of being the first to ever win gold in both men’s and women’s national championships. However, it is the first time since 2015 both men’s and women’s Chargers volleyball teams have brought home a national medal.