Acadia hosts SMU to open 2024-25 AUS volleyball season

HALIFAX, N.S. (Oct. 25, 2024) – The 2024-25 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) volleyball regular season kicks off tonight with a rematch of last year’s championship final highlighting the first night of play.

The Acadia Axewomen made school history last season when raised the AUS banner for the first time in the conference’s volleyball history, which dates all the way back to the 1960-61 season. For the first half of the season they will be led by interim head coach, Vanessa Chorkawy.

When asked about the team’s mood going into the season, she said they will treat it like any other – defending champs or not.

“We’re in a reset mode. We’re incredibly proud of last season’s success and the historic win but our focus is on the fundamentals that got us there,” said Chorkawy, who is filling for the 2023-24 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year, Michelle Wood, while she is on maternity leave until the new year. “We’re committed to building on those strengths and staying grounded in what brought us success.”

Watching the celebration from the other side of the net that night back in March were the Saint Mary’s Huskies, who pushed the best-of-three championship series to a third and deciding game but could not do enough to win their first title since the 2011-12 season.

The teams will get a chance to run it back tonight as they are set to meet in Wolfville with the first serve set for 7 p.m. ADT.

Despite their heartbreak last season, the Huskies sit atop the annual pre-season coaches poll – pulling three of the six first-place votes up for grabs for a combined 15 points. Acadia and Dalhousie each earned one first-place vote to sit tied for second at 13 points. UNB also received a first-place vote to fall in right behind with 12 points.

“I don't put a whole lot of stock into earning top spot, as most coaches and players know that with the AUS getting strong every year, any team can beat any team any given night,” said Huskies head coach, Darren Russell. “Every year there seems to be a number of teams that end up competing for top spot in the league and the parity gets greater each time. It's what makes AUS women's volleyball exciting to watch.”

The Huskies will look a little different this season as 2023-24 MVP, Olivia Bell, along with Second Team All-Star, Megan Bruhm, have moved on. Bell finished first in the league with 282.5 points, while Bruhm clocked in at No. 4 with 240.

Russell said that regardless of the losses, his team will compete night in and night out.

“Each year is always a new make up or new team. Losing the 2024 AUS MVP along with our starting right side (Bruhm) and some support players is never easy, however I think we had a really good recruiting class and I can't wait to see them on the court competing,” he said. “Right now, we are pretty banged up from playing a few weeks ago, so I think once everyone is back and able to go, its going to be exciting and competitive. I do think that this year's team could be even better than last year, and I know the girls are up for the challenge.”

Like SMU, the Axewomen said goodbye to integral pieces to last year’s success – including AUS All-Stars Charlie Dean, Becky Dorsey and Erica Fisher. And like her counterpart Russell, Chorkawy focuses on what she has and not what she has lost.

“With different athletes, a fresh blueprint, and changing competitors, we’re not looking to replace anyone directly. While we’ll feel the impact of those leaders, we’re focused on developing all our players, both returnees and newcomers,” she stated. “Our aim is to use the depth of our roster and the unique strengths of each athlete to pursue another championship.”

Two more games will take place tonight, as the UNB REDS head to Halifax for a date with the Dalhousie Tigers in a 6 p.m. start.

Last year, both the REDS and Tigers reached the semifinals – UNB losing to Acadia and Dalhousie falling to SMU.

Moncton travels to Memorial in Friday’s final contest at 7 p.m. Both teams failed to make the playoffs last season.