PREVIEW: Nationals Berth at Stake as Huskies Head to Winnipeg for Canada West Final Four

SASKATOON, Sask. – It is all on the line this weekend in Winnipeg for the University of Saskatchewan (Usask) Huskie men’s volleyball team. The Dogs face off with the Winnipeg Wesmen Friday night in the Canada West Final Four with a Canada West Championship and U SPORTS Championships berth on the line.
 

HUSKIE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Friday, March 7, 2025 | 5:00 PM
Duckworth Centre | Winnipeg, Man.

CANADAWEST.TV | LIVESTATS | CW PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
 

After falling in the Canada West Quarter-Finals last season, the Huskies wasted no time in putting together another deep playoff run. And this weekend, they head to Winnipeg for the conference Final Four.

There is a lot on the line for the Dogs at the Duckworth Centre, as Saskatchewan needs at least one win to extend their season beyond the weekend and advance earn a berth into the U SPORTS Championships in two weeks’ time. With this year’s hosts, the Brandin Bobcats, falling to UBC in the quarter-finals, only three teams left in the Canada West playoffs will advance. The Huskies’ best chance to qualify comes in their semifinal matchup against the No. 1-seed Winnipeg Wesmen. 

While the Wesmen boast the top seed in the conference playoffs, the Huskies have the luxury of having already faced off with their semifinal opponent this season. The Dogs and Wesmen met earlier this season in Winnipeg or a two-game weekend series in January. Ranked as the No. 3 team in the country at the time, the Huskies dropped their first match against Winnipeg 1-3 before bouncing back to take game two by an identical score. In the total weekend series, just two sets were decided by four points or more, and they both came in Saskatchewan’s victory. Twice, the Huskies held the Wesmen to 18 or fewer points, while all four of their set losses came by just nine points combined. 

If their regular season series is not an indication, the Huskies and Wesmen match up very closely. Both squads rank in the top five in the conference in points per set (16.1 to 15.8), kills per set (12.71 to 12.14), digs per set (9.81 to 9.50), and hitting percentage (.298. to .280). The only major stat they don’t rank among the conference’s top teams is blocks per set, where they average 1.99 (SSK) and 1.93 (WPG) per game, ranking 8th and 9th in Canada West. 

Each team features plenty of talent, with four All-Stars set to take the court this weekend. For the Huskies, Emmett Graham (First Team All-Star) and Jacob Baird (Second Team All-Star) lead the way, while Isaiah Olfert (First Team All-Star) and Easton Dick (All-Rookie, Rookie of the Year) headline the Wesmen lineup.

The winner of Friday’s semifinal will advance to the Canada West Championship and take on the winner of the UBC Thunderbirds and Alberta Golden Bears semifinal. The Gold Medal Match is scheduled for 7:00 PM Saturday (Mar. 8), with the Bronze Medal Match to be played first at 5:00 PM.

For the three teams that record wins this weekend, the season continues in Brandon, Manitoba, where the 2025 U SPORTS Championships will take place from March 20 to 23, 2025. 
 

Head-to-Head vs WPG
All-Time: 17-24 Wesmen
Last 10 Meetings: 5-5
Playoff Record: 4-6 Wesmen
Last Playoff Meeting: Def. WPG 2-1 in 2016 CW Quarter-Final
2024-25 Record: 1-1
        Game 1: L 1-3 – BOX SCORE
        Game 2: W 3-1 – BOX SCORE