(Image Credit: Alessandro Boggio/Thymos Capture via TRU WolfPack)

By Victor Kaisar

Canada West Volleyball

WolfPack eliminate reigning U SPORTS champion Bisons to earn first-ever berth at nationals

Mar 1, 2026 | 8:13 AM

KAMLOOPS — It was an historic Saturday (Feb. 28) night at the Tournament Capital Centre as the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack punched their ticket to their first-ever national championship tournament later this month.

The WolfPack beat the defending national champion Manitoba Bisons 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-18) in a deciding third game at the Tournament Capital Centre to also earn a berth at the Canada West Final Four next weekend in Edmonton.

Here is the @GoTRUWolfPack's winning moment over the Manitoba Bisons.#Kamloops pic.twitter.com/FdJtSKC3Ms

— Victor Kaisar (@supermario_47) March 1, 2026

“I saw them play free tonight, I saw them enjoy the moment and I don’t think the moment ever got too big for them,” WolfPack head coach Chad Grimm of his team’s play in the do-or-die game Saturday (Feb. 28).

TRU led by as many as eight points in the first set, but the Bisons rode a 6-0 run to comeback and tie the set at 20-20. The WolfPack were able to hold on for the two-point set win, and they never looked back in sets two and three.

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“Obviously we started with the big lead and then it got tight at 20-20 and Manitoba are the defending national champions so you know they have experience and I thought the turning point was us hanging in there and closing out that set,” Grimm added.

The WolfPack took game one of the best-of-three series in five sets on Thursday, while Manitoba bounced back with a four set win on Friday.

Rida Erlalelitepe, a newly-minted Canada West Second Team All-Star, led the way for the WolfPack Saturday with 13 kills on just 28 swings. The second-year outside hitter also had seven aces, which tied the Canada West record for most in a three-set playoff game.

Fifth-year middle Faith Christensen added eight blocks assists, which ties her for the second-most in a three-set playoff game in Canada West history.

“I think everyone played quite well tonight but Faith brought the energy,” Grimm said. “Last night wasn’t her best game but Faith…was on from the beginning. I thought Rida was aggressive, she used the side edges, the line and then serving she was devastating.”

Raya Surinx, the two-time reigning U SPORTS women’s volleyball player of the year, led the way for the Bisons with a game-high 15 kills. Andi Almonte and Eve Catojo added six kills each for the Bisons, who hosted – and won – nationals last season.

The WolfPack will play the top-ranked Alberta Pandas in a one-off semifinal on Friday (March 6) in Edmonton. That game is set to get underway at 4:00 p.m. B.C. time. The second-ranked UBC Thunderbirds and third-ranked Trinity Western Spartans will meet in the other semifinal.

The Canada West medal games will be played next Saturday.

The Spartans are hosting this year’s U SPORTS women’s volleyball championships March 13 to 15 in Langley. As they’re one of the four teams competing at the Canada West Final Four, the WolfPack, Thunderbirds and Pandas have also already qualified for nationals.