WolfPack men’s volleyball team win first game of the season, upset juggernaut Thunderbirds

VANCOUVER — The Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Wolfpack men’s volleyball team put an impressive, emphatic end on an abysmal start. 

After a straight sets loss (25-21, 25-17 and 25-18) to the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds in Vancouver Friday (Nov. 6), the WolfPack were 0-5 to start the 2026-27 Canada West season. 

Staring down the barrel of a 0-6 start, the WolfPack pulled off the improbable upset Saturday (Nov. 7) and defeated the Thunderbirds in five sets (25-21, 19-25, 22-25, 25-22 and 15-11). The Thunderbirds were No. 2 in U Sports’ men’s volleyball rankings for Nov. 2, starting the season 5-0 and having won 24 straight regular season home games. 

Alex Howard, a third-year outside hitter from Merritt and South Kamloops Secondary graduate, recorded 19 kills in Saturday’s win.