Varsity Athletics | 3/6/2025 10:00:00 AM
The York University Lions track & field and men’s volleyball teams have their sights set on national championships this weekend with one team looking to earn some hardware at the U SPORTS championships while the other looks to punch their ticket to compete with the best in the nation.
Here’s a look at what’s going on in the den this week:
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
It all comes down to this for the men’s volleyball team, as they host the Western Mustangs in the OUA Bronze Medal Game on Friday night. Making their second bronze medal game appearance in the last three years, the Lions will be looking to avenge a four-set loss to the Toronto Varsity Blues (22-25, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25) in the 2023 game, as they narrowly missed a U SPORTS championship berth. Hosting the game for the first time, they will welcome in the No. 6-seed Western Mustangs, the team that upset the No. 3-seed Blues in straight sets (25-20, 25-19, 25-19), opening the door for York to play this game on its home floor. The Lions will try to make it 3-for-3 against the Mustangs this season, after they swept Western in a pair of games in early November. Western’s first matches of the year, York took the first one 3-2 (25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10) and the second 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-21). The Mustangs, however, provides a tough opposition despite their 10-10 regular season record. After taking the quater against Toronto, they narrowly dropped their semi-final match to the No. 2-seed Queen’s Gaels in five sets (23-25, 25-22, 15-25, 27-25, 10-15). While the Lions certainly have the talent to win this game, the Mustangs may be peaking at just the right time. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from semi-final losses, and there can only be one winner. So, as the saying goes, something’s got to give. First serve Friday from Tait McKenzie Centre flies at 7:00 pm. You can get your tickets here, or, if you can’t join us, stream the game here.
TRACK & FIELD
24 Lions track and field athletes will head back to Windsor, where they just competed at the OUA championships, for the national championships beginning Thursday. In the individual disciplines, York will be led on the men’s side by Tamarri Lindo, defending U SPORTS 60m hurdle bronze medalist who won an OUA championship gold last month. On the women’s side, pole vaulter Ella Foster is the lone Lion individual qualifier after a bronze at the OUA championships. Other names to keep an eye on are Arwin Mathivathanan, who won gold in triple jump at the OUA championships and set a York record hurdler , Tristan Boateng, whole will compete in high jump, and throwers Zac Osborne and Jeremy Elliott. York will lean heavily on relays at this years event, fielding four teams – two each in men’s and women’s 4x200m and 4×400. Action gets underway Thursday at 1:30 pm, with Foster being the first Lion to compete in the women’s pole vault at 6:00 pm. You can watch the championships all weekend long on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports YouTube channel.