The 2024 U Sports Volleyball National Championship tournament wrapped up on Sunday, March 17 in Hamilton (Women's) and Kingston (Men's).  While no Ontario teams were able to capture the titles this year, there were some Ontario athletes competing on teams out-of-province who did and there were many who were tabbed for their performances in the tournament.

The men's national title was won by the University of Alberta who defeated Sherbrooke in five-sets.  Of the Alberta Golden Bears' roster, two Ontarians, and former Team Ontario athletes, added National Champions to their list of accomplishments; Trent Cherewaty (Mulmur, ON) from the Barrie Elites Volleyball Club and Isaac Heslinga (Orangeville, ON), a graduate of the Storm Volleyball Club. The tournament was one for the books for Heslinga who was named the Tournament MVP. In the final match, he dominated Alberta's scoresheet with 32.5 points, 28 kills, 10 digs and 2 aces. Days prior to the tournament, Heslinga was also tabbed as the U Sports Most Outstanding Player of the Year. His 2024 campaign placed him near the top of the U Sports stat board and etched his spot as a Golden Bears all-time great by climbing their record books.

Heslinga and Queen's Gaels' Erik Siksna were the only Ontario athletes selected as Tournament All-Stars.

The hosting Queen's University was the top-placing Ontario institution with a fourth place finish, losing to the UBC Thunderbirds in the bronze medal match. Siksna, the Gaels standout and 2019 Ken Davies Memorial Award winner, was nodded as the Mikasa Player of the Game, tallying 23 points in the effort.

McMaster University, the top team from Ontario who defeated Queen's at the OUA Forsyth Cup just before the U Sports tournament were bested by the Thunderbirds and knocked them out of semifinal contention. The Marauders' Maxime Gratton (Maverick Volleyball alumnus and 2020 Ken Davies Memorial Award recipient), earned the Mikasa Player of the Game in their tournament-exiting match, chalking up 22 points on the board.

In similar fashion to the men's tournament, an Ontario team wasn't able to claim the title of National Champion, but a lone Ontarian on the winning women's UBC Thunderbirds team, was: Victoria, D'Acre. The Thunderbirds defeated the University of Alberta Pandas to win their 14th national title. The bronze medal match was won by the Manitoba Bisons who felled the Acadia Axewomen in a decisive three-set sweep. This matchup boasted nine Ontarians competing across the two teams. 

Manitoba
Kameryn Vanwallegham (Northern Chill Volleyball Club), Chelsea Siebenga (Mountain Volleyball Club)

Acadia
Olivia Haley (Maverick VC),  Rebecca Dorsey (Pakmen Volleyball Club), Charlotte Dean (Defensa Volleyball Club), Alexia Lemay-Evans (Northern Chill), Allison Van Zeumeren (Halton Region Volleyball Club), Daragh McIntosh (Maverick VC), Wesley Ann-Bailey (Maverick VC)

Sophomre Alexia May-Evans led the Axewomen and was awarded as the Mikasa Player of the Game.

The Quigley Cup winning Brock Badgers were upset by McMaster who moved on to the consolation semifinals, winning against the Saint Mary's Huskies to take a fifth place finish in the tournament.

Congratulations to all of the Ontarians who competed in the U Sports National Volleyball Championships and those who were honoured with awards and recognized by the U Sports with All-Canadian accolades.

Men

Tournament MVP
Isaac Helsinga, Alberta

Tournament All-Stars
Isaac Heslinga, Alberta
Erik Siksna, Queen's

Women

Tournament All-Stars
Alexia Lemay-Evans, Acadia

Men

Player of the Year
Isaac Heslinga, Alberta

First Team All-Canadians
Isaac Heslinga, Alberta
Erik Siksna, Queen's
Maxime Gratton, McMaster

Second Team All-Canadians
Jonathan Pickett, Guelph
Brendan Mills, McMaster

All-Rookie Team
Brady Paterson, McMaster
Jack Svendsen, Nipissing
Quintin Greenidge, Windsor

Women

First Team All-Canadians
Hannah Duchesneau, Queen's
Sara Rohr, Brock

Second Team All-Canadians
Jenna Woock, McMaster
Charlotte Dean, Acadia
Julia Murmann, University of Toronto

All-Rookie Team
Olivia Julien, McMaster
Delaney Watson, University of Toronto

Recaps, stats and highlights of the 2024 U Sports Volleyball National Championships can be found at usports.ca.