The OUA and CIS defending champion University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's volleyball team opens their 2016-17 regular season campaign this Friday, October 28 as they host the Ryerson Rams in a rematch of last year's OUA final at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.
The Blues will be honouring the 2015-16 OUA and CIS champions in a special pre-game ceremony at 5:30 p.m. OUA CEO Gord Grace, as well as Professor Ira Jacobs, Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education and Beth Ali, Acting Assistant Dean and Director of Athletics at U of T will be on hand for the presentation.
Friday night's match-up also marks the first Friday Fan Zone at Goldring Centre. There will be a licensed fan zone at the north end of the Kimmel Family Field House at every Friday night basketball and volleyball doubleheader this season.
Advance tickets are on sale
here. U of T students are free with a valid T-Card. The match will also be streamed live on OUA.tv.
"Each year will be different," said Varsity Blues head coach Kristine Drakich. "Each year we try to play our best at the very end. That's what every team and every season is about and that's what we're going to try to do this year."
The Blues return 2015-16 CIS all-Canadian and OUA East player and rookie of the year Alina Dormann. The second-year right side hitter from Ottawa ranked fourth in the OUA with 4.1 points per set last season, while sitting third in the conference with 33 serving aces. She, along with third-year left side hitter Anna Feore, will be called upon to lead the Blues attack this season.
Controlling the offence once again will be fifth-year setter Madelyn Mandryk. The Lockport, Man., native is a two-time OUA East all-star and led the province with 9.80 assists per set last season.
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