Gaels focused on the road to hosting 2024 U SPORTS Championship

Mark your calendars because some of the top men’s volleyball teams in Canada will be coming to Kingston, Ontario this spring. Queen’s University will play host to the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship from March 14-17, 2024. This is the first time that the Gaels will host this event since 2012, where they finished 4^th in front of sold-out, capacity crowds at their Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC).

Gaels’ head coach Gabriel deGroot is no stranger to competing on the national stage. An assistant coach on the 2012 squad, he has led his team to three U SPORTS Championship appearances (2019, 2020, 2022) since taking over the program in 2018. The Gaels will look to build upon their past experiences as they set their sights on success this season.

Here’s what Coach deGroot had to say when asked about their pre-season preparation for the upcoming 2024 U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championships:

“Preparing for a national championship involves a lot of planning, time, and people. The excitement’s been building all around as details come together and we get closer to the event. For the team it’s no different. We know we need to plan, put in the work, and people will show up to support us.

Our goal is to win an OUA championship and put us in the best position to win nationals on home court. But our day-to-day approach is no different than it is every season. We focus on process and work to get 1% better each day. We can’t get lost in the outcome or looking ahead.

“We’ve had a positive pre-season training environment and our team culture is coming together really well. If we lay a strong foundation for who we want to be and how we want to play as a team, we’ll set ourselves up for long-term success. Establishing core values, then working together to establish the actions and behaviours that reflect them is what we’re focusing on at this time of the year.”

Gaels’ fifth-year captain Erik Siksna echoed his coach’s sentiments:

“Hosting national championships and competing at the highest level of university volleyball in front of our home crowd is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We’ve always appreciated the support we get at Queen’s so the chance to do that on the biggest stage is extremely exciting for us.

“We’ve put in the off-season work to give us a great start heading into the year. We added some strong pieces and worked on things we identified at the end of last season. The team came into camp in good shape and have already made large strides the past few weeks. But we know we have lots of work to do as we pursue our goals of winning an OUA and national championship. We’re all ambitious and eager to get to work this season.”

After opening the pre-season with a pair of wins against l’Université de Montréal, the Gaels still have plenty of time to test the top teams in the country with upcoming exhibition matches against McMaster, Sherbrooke, Alberta, Mount Royal, and Trinity Western in the month of October.

“We can’t wait to fill the ARC with our alumni, parents, student supporters and all other fans of volleyball both locally and from across the country,” says deGroot. “Nationals is going to be an electric environment and I can’t wait for this opportunity for our student-athletes.”

Be sure to check out the Queen’s Men’s Volleyball team on Instagram (@qmvball) to stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates on their journey this season to the U SPORTS Championship.