# U Sports women's volleyball championship

The U Sports Women's Volleyball Championship is a Canadian university volleyball tournament conducted by U Sports, and determines the women's national champion. The tournament involves the champions from each of Canada's four regional sports conferences. The championship trophy, first awarded in 1977, features a two-wheeled oxcart, symbolizing the pioneer era on the Red River in Manitoba. The 2025 champions are the Manitoba Bisons and the UBC Thunderbirds have won the most championships with a total of 14, including six in a row from 2008 to 2013.

## History

While intercollegiate volleyball had been played in Canada since 1947, championships had been played for conference titles only. In 1969, the Canadian Women's Interuniversity Athletic Union (CWIAU) was formed (a precursor to today's U Sports organization) to provide a regulatory body for national competition. For the 1969–1970 season, the Calgary Dinos were named the first unofficial champions. The first official champions were the Manitoba Bisonettes, who were crowned following the 1970–1971 season after they defeated the Toronto Varsity Blues in four sets. While full historical championship results are not readily available, the championship was initially a round-robin tournament where the teams with the best records would then play for the championship. This was changed for the 1983 championship when the tournament changed to single-elimination. The 2020 and 2021 championship tournaments were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Format

The championship currently consists of an eight-team tournament, with champions from each of the four conferences, one host, an additional OUA team, and two additional Canada West teams. While the berths for the conference champions and host remain consistent year-to-year, the other three invitees can change based on the host's conference and the competitive landscape in U Sports. The championship takes place over three days and features 11 games, with teams seeded 1–8. Teams are ranked by a committee as well as by the ELO ranking used to determine weekly Top 10 rankings nationally. Conference champions can be ranked no lower than 6th place. The team ranked 1st plays the 8th ranked team, 2nd plays 7th, 3rd plays 6th, and 4th plays 5th in the quarter-finals. To ensure common rest times, teams are not re-seeded after the first round, so the winner of 1v8 plays the winner of 4v5 and the winner of 2v7 plays the winner of 3v6. There is also a consolation bracket to determine the third-place winner (bronze medalist) and fifth-place winner. The gold medal game is the last game played in the tournament.

## Results
### Round Robin Format (1971–1982)

| Year | Host (City) | Championship final | Championship final | Championship final | Teams |
| Year | Host (City) | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Teams |
| 1971 | Calgary (Calgary, AB) | Manitoba Bisonettes | 3–1 | Toronto Varsity Blues | 4 |
| 1972 | Laurentian (Sudbury, ON) | Western Ontario Mustangs | 3–1 | Dalhousie Tigers | N/A |
| 1973 | Acadia (Wolfville, NS) | UBC Thunderettes | 3–1 | Western Ontario Mustangs | N/A |
| 1974 | British Columbia (Vancouver, BC) | UBC Thunderettes (2) | 3–2 | Western Ontario Mustangs (2) | 5 |
| 1975 | Laval (Quebec City, QC) | Western Ontario Mustangs (2) | 3–0 | Saskatchewan Huskiettes | N/A |
| 1976 | Manitoba/Winnipeg (Winnipeg, MB) | Western Ontario Mustangs (3) | 3–1 | UBC Thunderettes | 5 |
| 1977 | Waterloo (Waterloo, ON) | UBC Thunderettes (3) | 3–0 | Western Ontario Mustangs (3) | 5 |
| 1978 | Moncton (Moncton, NB) | UBC Thunderettes (4) | 3–1 | Western Ontario Mustangs (4) | 6 |
| 1979 | McMaster (Hamilton, ON) | Saskatchewan Huskiettes | 3–1 | York Yeowomen | N/A |
| 1980 | Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, SK) | Saskatchewan Huskiettes (2) | 3–1 | Ottawa Gee-Gees | 6 |
| 1981 | Victoria (Victoria, BC) | Saskatchewan Huskiettes (3) | 3–1 | Manitoba Bisons | 6 |
| 1982 | Dalhousie (Halifax, NS) | Dalhousie Tigers | 3–2 | Calgary Dinosaurs | 6 |

### Single Elimination Format (1983–present)

| Year | Host (City) | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Teams |
| Year | Host (City) | Gold medalists | Score | Silver medalists | Bronze medalists | Score | 4th place | Teams |
| 1983 | British Columbia (Vancouver, BC) | Winnipeg Wesmen | 3–0 | Calgary Dinosaurs (2) | UBC Thunderbirds | 3–2 | Laval Rouge et Or | 8 |
| 1984 | Laval (Quebec City, QC) | Winnipeg Wesmen (2) | 3–2 | Dalhousie Tigers (2) | York Yeowomen | 3–2 | Laval Rouge et Or | 8 |
| 1985 | York (North York, ON) | Winnipeg Wesmen (3) | 3–1 | Calgary Dinosaurs (3) | York Yeowomen (2) | 3–2 | Saskatchewan Huskiettes | 8 |
| 1986 | Moncton (Moncton, NB) | Winnipeg Wesmen (4) | 3–2 | Manitoba Bisons (2) | Sherbrooke Vert et Or | 3–0 | Laval Rouge et Or | 8 |
| 1987 | Winnipeg (Winnipeg, MB) | Winnipeg Wesmen (5) | 3–0 | Manitoba Bisons (3) | Laval Rouge et Or | 3–1 | Victoria Vikettes | 8 |
| 1988 | Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC) | Winnipeg Wesmen (6) | 3–0 | Sherbrooke Vert et Or | Laval Rouge et Or (2) | 3–1 | Calgary Dinosaurs | 8 |
| 1989 | Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, SK) | Calgary Dinosaurs | 3–0 | Victoria Vikettes | Laval Rouge et Or (3) | 3–2 | Winnipeg Wesmen | 8 |
| 1990 | Windsor (Windsor, ON) | Manitoba Bisons (2) | 3–2 | Victoria Vikettes (2) | York Yeowomen (3) | 3–2 | Regina Cougars | 8 |
| 1991 | Calgary (Calgary, AB) | Manitoba Bisons (3) | 3–1 | Saskatchewan Huskies (2) | York Yeowomen (4) | 3–2 | Winnipeg Wesmen (2) | 8 |
| 1992 | York (North York, ON) | Manitoba Bisons (4) | 3–1 | Winnipeg Wesmen | Calgary Dinosaurs | 3–1 | York Yeowomen | 8 |
| 1993 | Laval (Quebec City, QC) | Winnipeg Wesmen (7) | 3–0 | Alberta Pandas | Manitoba Bisons | 3–1 | Calgary Dinosaurs (2) | 8 |
| 1994 | Winnipeg (Winnipeg, MB) | Calgary Dinosaurs (2) | 3–0 | Winnipeg Wesmen (2) | Manitoba Bisons (2) | 3–1 | Montréal Carabins | 8 |
| 1995 | Alberta (Edmonton, AB) | Alberta Pandas | 3–1 | Laval Rouge et Or | Manitoba Bisons (3) | 3–1 | Winnipeg Wesmen | 8 |
| 1996 | Toronto (Toronto, ON) | Alberta Pandas (2) | 3–1 | Laval Rouge et Or (2) | UBC Thunderbirds (2) | 3–1 | Winnipeg Wesmen | 8 |
| 1997 | Alberta (Edmonton, AB) | Alberta Pandas (3) | 3–2 | UBC Thunderbirds (2) | Laval Rouge et Or (4) | 3–0 | Manitoba Bisons | 8 |
| 1998 | Alberta (Edmonton, AB) | Alberta Pandas (4) | 3–1 | Manitoba Bisons (4) | Laval Rouge et Or (5) | 3–2 | UBC Thunderbirds | 8 |
| 1999 | Alberta (Edmonton, AB) | Alberta Pandas (5) | 3–1 | UBC Thunderbirds (3) | Manitoba Bisons (4) | 3–0 | Laval Rouge et Or | 8 |
| 2000 | Winnipeg (Winnipeg, MB) | Alberta Pandas (6) | 3–2 | Manitoba Bisons (5) | UBC Thunderbirds (3) | 3–1 | Montréal Carabins | 8 |
| 2001 | Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB) | Manitoba Bisons (5) | 3–1 | Sherbrooke Vert et Or (2) | Laval Rouge et Or (6) | 3–0 | Toronto Varsity Blues | 8 |
| 2002 | Laval (Quebec City, QC) | Manitoba Bisons (6) | 3–1 | Calgary Dinos (4) | UBC Thunderbirds (4) | 3–0 | Sherbrooke Vert et Or | 8 |
| 2003 | Laval (Quebec City, QC) | Sherbrooke Vert et Or | 3–1 | Winnipeg Wesmen (3) | Alberta Pandas | 3–1 | Calgary Dinos | 8 |
| 2004 | Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, SK) | Calgary Dinos (3) | 3–1 | Alberta Pandas (2) | Laval Rouge et Or (7) | 3–0 | UBC Thunderbirds | 8 |
| 2005 | Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, SK) | Sherbrooke Vert et Or (2) | 3–0 | UBC Thunderbirds (4) | Calgary Dinos (2) | 3–1 | Alberta Pandas | 8 |
| 2006 Details | Calgary (Calgary, AB) | Laval Rouge et Or | 3–1 | UBC Thunderbirds (5) | Calgary Dinos (3) | 3–2 | Montréal Carabins | 8 |
| 2007 Details | Calgary (Calgary, AB) | Alberta Pandas (7) | 3–1 | Laval Rouge et Or (3) | Calgary Dinos (4) | 3–0 | Trinity Western Spartans | 8 |
| 2008 Details | New Brunswick (Fredericton, NB) | UBC Thunderbirds (5) | 3–2 | Montreal Carabins | Calgary Dinos (5) | 3–2 | Alberta Pandas | 8 |
| 2009 Details | New Brunswick (Fredericton, NB) | UBC Thunderbirds (6) | 3–2 | Calgary Dinos (5) | Montréal Carabins | 3–2 | Laval Rouge et Or | 8 |
| 2010 Details | Alberta (Edmonton, AB) | UBC Thunderbirds (7) | 3–1 | Manitoba Bisons (6) | Laval Rouge et Or (8) | 3–1 | Alberta Pandas | 8 |
| 2011 Details | Laval (Quebec City, QC) | UBC Thunderbirds (8) | 3–0 | Laval Rouge et Or (4) | Trinity Western Spartans | 3–1 | Alberta Pandas | 8 |
| 2012 Details | McMaster (Hamilton, ON) | UBC Thunderbirds (9) | 3–2 | Alberta Pandas (3) | McGill Martlets | 3–1 | Montréal Carabins | 8 |
| 2013 Details | Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC) | UBC Thunderbirds (10) | 3–0 | Alberta Pandas (4) | Trinity Western Spartans (2) | 3–0 | Ottawa Gee-Gees | 8 |
| 2014 Details | Regina (Regina, SK) | Manitoba Bisons (7) | 3–0 | UBC Thunderbirds (6) | Laval Rouge et Or (9) | 3–1 | Dalhousie Tigers | 8 |
| 2015 Details | Toronto (Toronto, ON) | Trinity Western Spartans | 3–2 | Alberta Pandas (5) | Montréal Carabins (2) | 3–2 | Toronto Varsity Blues | 8 |
| 2016 Details | Brandon (Brandon, MB) | Toronto Varsity Blues | 3–0 | Trinity Western Spartans | UBC Okanagan Heat | 3–0 | UBC Thunderbirds | 8 |
| 2017 Details | Ryerson (Toronto, ON) | UBC Thunderbirds (11) | 3–1 | Alberta Pandas (6) | Trinity Western Spartans (3) | 3–2 | Montréal Carabins | 8 |
| 2018 Details | Laval (Quebec City, QC) | Ryerson Rams | 3–1 | Alberta Pandas (7) | UBC Thunderbirds (5) | 3–1 | Calgary Dinos | 8 |
| 2019 Details | Alberta (Edmonton, AB) | UBC Thunderbirds (12) | 3–2 | Ryerson Rams | Alberta Pandas (2) | 3–2 | Dalhousie Tigers | 8 |
| 2020 Details | Calgary (Calgary, AB) | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | 8 |
| 2021 Details | British Columbia (Vancouver, BC) | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | 8 |
| 2022 Details | Calgary (Calgary, AB) | Trinity Western Spartans (2) | 3–1 | Mount Royal Cougars | Alberta Pandas (3) | 3–0 | McGill Martlets | 8 |
| 2023 Details | British Columbia (Vancouver, BC) | UBC Thunderbirds (13) | 3–2 | Trinity Western Spartans (2) | Dalhousie Tigers | 3–2 | Manitoba Bisons | 8 |
| 2024 Details | McMaster (Hamilton, ON) | UBC Thunderbirds (14) | 3–1 | Alberta Pandas (8) | Manitoba Bisons (5) | 3–0 | Acadia Axewomen | 8 |
| 2025 Details | Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB) | Manitoba Bisons (8) | 3–1 | Montréal Carabins (2) | Alberta Pandas (4) | 3–1 | UBC Thunderbirds | 8 |
| 2026 Details | Trinity Western (Langley, BC) | | | | | | | 8 |
| 2027 Details | Toronto (Toronto, ON) | | | | | | | 8 |
| 2028 Details | Mount Royal (Calgary, AB) | | | | | | | 8 |

## Results by schools

The following table includes all known first, second, and third-place finishes, as indicated above. Prior to 1983, there were no third-place finishes, and the second-place finish was the loser of the championship game.
| Team | Conference | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Last |
| UBC Thunderbirds | Canada West | 14 | 6 | 5 | 2024 |
| Manitoba Bisons | Canada West | 8 | 6 | 5 | 2025 |
| Alberta Pandas | Canada West | 7 | 8 | 4 | 2007 |
| Winnipeg Wesmen | Canada West | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1993 |
| Calgary Dinos | Canada West | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2004 |
| Western Ontario Mustangs | OUA | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1976 |
| Saskatchewan Huskies | Canada West | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1981 |
| Sherbrooke Vert et Or | RSEQ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2005 |
| Trinity Western Spartans | Canada West | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2022 |
| Laval Rouge et Or | RSEQ | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2006 |
| Dalhousie Tigers | AUS | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1982 |
| Toronto Varsity Blues | OUA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2016 |
| Ryerson Rams | OUA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2018 |
| Victoria Vikes/Vikettes | Canada West | 0 | 2 | 0 | None |
| York Lions/Yeowomen | OUA | 0 | 1 | 4 | None |
| Montreal Carabins | RSEQ | 0 | 2 | 2 | None |
| Ottawa Gee-Gees | RSEQ | 0 | 1 | 0 | None |
| Mount Royal Cougars | OUA | 0 | 1 | 0 | None |
| McGill Martlets | RSEQ | 0 | 0 | 1 | None |
| UBC Okanagan Heat | Canada West | 0 | 0 | 1 | None |