After a phenomenal regular season, culminating in the Gaels securing a Forsyth Cup, the Men’s Volleyball team was unable to reach the same heights at the national level.
Travelling to Brandon, Man., for the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship, the Gaels fell 1–3 in their quarterfinal matchup against the Saskatchewan Huskies on March 21.
Although Queen’s won the opening set 25–20, they couldn’t keep up with the Huskies’ adjustments, dropping the next three sets and ending their run for the U SPORTS Championship.
Defensive dominance defined the early stages of the match for the Gaels, who out-blocked the Huskies 16 to three. However, that wouldn’t be enough to carry them through the game. In the second set, Saskatchewan made timely changes to counter Queen’s strong blocking strategy.
Despite keeping each set close—losing 19–25, 27–29, and 23–25—narrow margins don’t earn points on the scoreboard. Head Coach Gabe deGroot spoke with The Journal following the loss, emphasizing the razor-thin margins at the national level.
“To just look at the bottom line of the fact that we lost two matches doesn’t put the whole picture in perspective. The fact of the matter is, at this level, when you’re this close to doing what the team wanted to achieve in winning a national championship, the margins are super small,” deGroot said in an interview.
The Gaels were led by Reed Venning, ArtSci ’26, who recorded 14 kills and two aces. U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian Zig Licis, Sci ’25, also had a strong showing with 13 kills, seven blocks, and eight digs.
On March 22, the Gaels again found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard, falling 2–3 to the Winnipeg Wesmen in the consolation semifinal.
Similar to their previous match, Queen’s started strong—winning the first two sets 26–24 and 25–23—but couldn’t maintain momentum, dropping the final three sets 14–25, 25–27, and 19–21.
Venning delivered another standout performance, finishing with 18 kills and 10 digs. Licis followed close behind with 17 kills, two aces, seven blocks, one assist, and nine digs.
Reflecting on the tournament, deGroot shared what the experience meant for the team.
“I think we tried to take as many moments as we could as a group to be grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “We had to be grateful for the accomplishments that we’ve had throughout the year that led us to being in Brandon, and I think as a result each member of the team will cherish that.”
While players like Licis may have just had their last shot at a U SPORTS banner, deGroot is extremely excited for the future of Queen’s Men’s Volleyball. The team’s foundation is built on veteran players passing down their drive and passion for winning to the next generation. According to deGroot, that spirit is now influencing recruitment.
“The work that these guys that are graduating put in laid the foundation for the third-year guys to come and to want to be part of this program now. The foundation that those guys are laying has already done wonders regarding our recruiting. We’re very close to already committing to our 2026-27 class,” deGroot said.
After a strong provincial season and national campaign, the Men’s Volleyball team is poised to continue building for years to come.
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Gabe DeGroot, Reed Venning, Zig Licis
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