McMaster to host 2018 CIS men's volleyball championship as hosts announced

TORONTO (CIS) – Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Thursday the hosts for five national championships in rugby, soccer, and volleyball over the next two years. 

In 2017, the University of Lethbridge will celebrate its 50^th anniversary by hosting the 20^th CIS Women’s Rugby Championship. The Pronghorns last hosted in 2008, winning their second of three consecutive championships. 

“What a great way to celebrate that milestone by hosting the 2017 CIS Women’s Rugby Championship,” said Ken McInnes, executive director for Lethbridge Athletics. “Partnering with CIS provides the U of L an opportunity to showcase these incredible athletes to the great rugby fans of Southern Alberta as well as our fabulous facility.” 

Next year, the CIS Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships will be staged by a pair of first-time hosts. The men’s tournament is heading to Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., and the women’s event will be organized by the University of Manitoba, the first time it will be staged in the province.    

Both teams will be looking to make history: the Bisons have never won the Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy, while the WolfPack will look to capture the Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy on home field in just their fourth season of CIS competition. 

“On behalf of Thompson Rivers University, we are extremely pleased and excited to be hosting the 2017 CIS Men’s Soccer Championship,” said WolfPack director of athletics and recreation Ken Olynyk. “We look forward to working with the CIS Office on putting together a first class national championship.” 

“The University of Manitoba is both excited and honoured to host the 2017 CIS Women’s Soccer Championship,” said Bisons athletic director Coleen Dufresne. “The City of Winnipeg has demonstrated outstanding support for women's soccer through the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup events and I am confident that this will be no different.  With the support of our local and provincial partners we will do our very best to elevate the championship making it the best ever experience for our CIS student athletes and fans alike.” 

In volleyball, CIS returns in 2018 to two familiar sites, as Laval has been selected to hold the women’s tournament, while McMaster will organize the men’s. The Rouge et Or will be hosting the Women’s Volleyball Championship for a record seventh time, having previously welcomed the nation’s best most recently in 2011, as well as in 1975, 1984, 1993, 2002 and 2003. Laval won its lone title in 2006. 

“We are very happy to have the opportunity to organize another CIS championship at Laval, this time for women’s volleyball in 2018,” said Laval athletic director Christian Gagnon. “The whole Sport Department staff and the exceptional volunteers of the Rouge et Or Volleyball Corporation will make this championship a great success for all of Canada’s students-athletes who will be participating. It will be a wonderful week and a great volleyball party in beautiful Quebec City.” 

McMaster won the silver medal at the 2016 event on its home floor – the fourth time it hosted the tournament. The Marauders also previously hosted in 1979, 2006 and 2007. 

“Following the success of the event at the Burridge Gym in its 50th season, and the confirmation of Hamilton as a volleyball hotbed, McMaster is honoured to serve as host of the 2018 CIS Men's Volleyball Championship,” said Glen Grunwald, director of athletics and recreation at McMaster.

“The strong foundation built in 2016 will be expanded upon, to provide an even better student-athlete experience for the best that CIS men's volleyball has to offer. We look forward to working alongside our exemplary partners in the Hamilton volleyball community to present an event that our university, the City of Hamilton and Canadian Interuniversity Sport can be proud to call their own.”

The 2016 CIS Women’s Rugby Championship will be hosted by Victoria in early November. The soccer championships follow Nov. 10-13 at Acadia in Wolfville, N.S. (women) and Guelph (men), while the volleyball tournaments are scheduled for mid-March at Ryerson University (women) and the University of Alberta in Edmonton (men).

2017 & 2018 CIS CHAMPIONSHIP HOSTS 

20^th CIS Women’s Rugby Championship

University of Lethbridge

November 2-5, 2017 

2017 CIS Women’s Soccer Championship

University of Manitoba

November 9-12, 2017 

2017 CIS Men’s Soccer Championship

Thompson Rivers University

November 9-12, 2017 

2018 CIS Women’s Volleyball Championship

Université Laval

March 16-18, 2018 

2018 CIS Men’s Volleyball Championship

McMaster University

March 16-18, 2018