OCAA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL CROSSOVERS PREVIEW

TORONTO - The Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) Round of 16 matches are set for men's volleyball, with eight elimination matches taking place on Saturday.

The top eight teams in each division advance to the post-season and will compete in an inter-divisional crossover round based on seeding (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, etc.). Winners will advance to the quarter-finals later in the month. All matches in the opening two rounds will be hosted by the higher seeded team.

The final four surviving teams will advance to the OCAA championship to be hosted by the top remaining seed. The OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship will take place over a two-day span between Feb. 27-Mar. 1.

All matches will be streamed on OCAA LIVE.

Mohawk Mountaineers, Hamilton (9-7, 5th West) at Loyalist Lancers, Belleville (10-6, 4th East)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 1 p.m.

The Loyalist Lancers open the OCAA post-season winners of four straight matches. Home court has been kind to the Lancers in 2025-26 with a 6-2 record.

First-year right side Jacob Diefenbach (Maleny, Australia) has been a welcome addition for the Lancers having averaged 4.1 per set in 15 regular season matches.

The Mohawk Mountaineers have lost two of three matches in the month of February, and as a result will open the post-season on the road.

The Mountaineers are well balanced offensively with third-year left side Dean Zicari (Burlington) averaging 2.52 kills per set to lead the team. 

The Lancers will look to reverse their fortunes after failing to make it past the opening round last season. The Mountaineers were quarter-finalists a year ago.

Fleming Phoenix, Peterborough (5-11, 8th East) at Cambrian Shield, Sudbury (13-3, 1st West)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 2 p.m.

The Cambrian Shield took the West Division title having won seven of their last eight matches.

Cambrian second-year setter Sam George (Sudbury) led all OCAA players averaging 9.45 assists per set.

The Fleming Phoenix return to the OCAA post-season after a one-year absence.

Fourth-year player Calvin Dekok (Hamilton) led the Phoenix statistically averaging 3.0 points per set playing in all 16 regular season matches.

The Shield have reached the OCAA podium in each of the past three seasons, earning the silver medal last year. Cambrian has never won the OCAA title.

George Brown Huskies, Toronto (9-7, 6th East) at Fanshawe Falcons, London (11-5, 3rd West)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 3 p.m.

The Fanshawe Falcons enter elimination play winners of three of their last four matches.

Fanshawe fifth-year outside hitter Tanner Paterson (Baden) led all players averaging 0.66 service aces per set during the regular season.

The George Brown Huskies are undefeated in February winning their last two matches.

Third-year left side Yaroslav Svidritskiy (Vaughan) ended the regular season in the OCAA Top 5 averaging 3.51 kills per set.

The Falcons have reached the OCAA podium in each of the past three seasons, taking the bronze medal last year. Fanshawe last won the OCAA championship in 2019, also winning the national title. 

The Huskies failed to advance to the quarter-finals last year.

Durham Lords, Oshawa (8-8, 7th East) at Humber Hawks, Toronto (11-5, 2nd West)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 3 p.m.

The Humber Hawks are the five-time reigning provincial champions and are one title away from becoming the all-time leader in OCAA gold medals.

Humber fifth-year outside hitter Teyven Blackmore (Ottawa) led all OCAA players averaging 3.62 kills per set during the regular season.

The Durham Lords enter the post-season on a high winning their regular season finale against Fleming.

The Lords feature a balanced offensive attack with second-year outside hitter Ryan McGilvray (Whitby) averaging 2.33 kills per set in a dozen regular season matches.

Durham failed to advance past the crossover round last year.

St. Clair Saints, Windsor (8-8, 7th West) at Georgian Grizzlies, Barrie (13-3, 2nd East)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 3 p.m.

It's like déjà vu all over again as the St. Clair Saints visit the Georgian Grizzlies.

As a No. 8 seed last year, the Saints eliminated the No. 1 Grizzlies in five sets, advancing all the way to the OCAA championship.

St. Clair fifth-year middle Zach Walls (Amherstberg) led the OCAA with a .455 hitting percentage during the regular season.

Georgian fourth-year outside hitter Josiah Grimm (Orangeville) led all OCAA players averaging 1.18 blocks per set.

Historically, the Saints and Grizzlies both have one OCAA medal each.

Niagara Knights, Welland (8-8, 8th West) at Seneca Sting, King City (15-1, 1st East)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 3:30 p.m.

The East Division champion Seneca Sting sport the best record in OCAA with only one regular season loss, winners of five straight entering the post-season. The Sting have won an OCAA high 47 sets in 2025-26, while only losing a league low 11.

Seneca first-year outside hitter Logan Vorster (Auckland, New Zealand) led all players in the East Division averaging 3.58 kills per set.

The Niagara Knights ended their regular season on a high with a five-set win over St. Clair.

Second-year outside hitter Jack Drummond (Thorold) has had a strong season for the Knights having averaged 3.5 points per set playing in all 16 regular season matches.

These teams had different results in the crossovers last year with Niagara advancing to the quarter-finals while the Sting failed in their bid.

Conestoga Condors, Kitchener (8-8, 6th West) at Canadore Panthers, North Bay (13-3, 3rd East)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 7 p.m.

The Canadore Panthers enter the OCAA crossovers with the league's longest winning streak of seven matches.

Second-year outside hitter Sean Malherbe (Cochrane) of the Panthers led all East Division players with 196 regular season kills.

The Conestoga Condors are one of OCAA's coldest teams dropping seven of their last 10 matches.

Conestoga third-year left side Tyrell Belgrove (Markham) led all OCAA players with 215 total kills and 260 points.

The Condors advanced to the quarter-finals last year, while the Panthers lost in five-sets to Mohawk in the crossovers.

Algonquin Wolves, Ottawa (10-6, 5th East) at Redeemer Royals, Ancaster (9-7, 4th West)
Saturday, Feb. 14 - 8:30 p.m.

The Redeemer Royals ended the regular season as one of the hottest teams in the West Division having won three straight.

Third-year outside hitter Simon Bourne (Ottawa) competed in all 16 regular season matches for the Royals averaging 3.4 points per set.

The Algonquin Wolves have hit a bump in the road of an otherwise successful 2025-26 campaign having lost three straight matches.

Algonquin third-year libero Naoki Nakashima (Ottawa) leads the OCAA averaging 3.53 digs per set.

The Royals advanced to the quarter-finals last year, while the Wolves failed to advance past the opening round.

- OCAA -

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