MVB-champs-2026-banner
Alex Binaei
2
UBC UBC 30-5, 19-1
3
Winner Trinity Western TRINITY 33-5, 17-3
UBC UBC
30-5, 19-1
2
Final
3
Trinity Western TRINITY
33-5, 17-3
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
UBC UBC 22 25 24 25 8 (2)
Trinity Western TRINITY 25 15 26 11 15 (3)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

SPARTANS WIN EIGHTH NATIONAL TITLE WITH WIN OVER UBC THUNDERBIRDS

WINDSOR, Ontario – Led by tournament MVP, fifth-year setter Anselm Rein (Erfurt, Germany), the Trinity Western Spartans defeated the UBC Thunderbirds 3-2 to win the U SPORTS national championship. The 25-22, 15-25, 26-24, 11-25, 15-8 win is the Spartans' eighth championship since winning their first in 2006 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
 
Fourth-year outside and tournament All-Star Kaden Schmidt (Mississauga, Ont.) with 24 kills, six digs, and two blocks, third-year outside Piers De Greeff (Victoria, B.C.) with 21 kills and three blocks, also had exceptional games for the Spartans. TWU third-year libero Tate Calles (Anacortes, Wash.) was also named a tournament All-Star, finishing with 15 digs and seven set assists. Rein ran the Spartan offence from his setting position and had 47 set assists, eight digs, and two aces.

Reeve Gingera with 14 kills and four digs, Gavin Moes with 10 kills, and five digs led the Thunderbirds. Tournament All-Star setter Mason Greves finished the night with 37 set assists, six blocks and five digs for the Thunderbirds.
 
QUOTABLE
Adam Schriemer, TWU head coach:
"First off,

 
AS IT HAPPENED
Trinity Western struck first in the opening set, riding a powerful offensive start behind Kaden Schmidt and Piers De Greeff. The Spartans hit an impressive .625 in the set and held off a late UBC push to take a 25-22 victory.
 
The Thunderbirds responded emphatically in the second. Strong serving and balanced offence helped UBC build a comfortable lead before cruising to a 25-15 win to level the match at one set apiece.
 
The third set proved pivotal. In a tightly contested frame that featured 14 ties and several lead changes, Trinity Western edged UBC 26-24, capitalizing on key late points from Schmidt and De Greeff to regain the lead.
 
But UBC refused to go quietly. The Thunderbirds dominated the fourth set, jumping out to a commanding advantage and forcing a deciding fifth with a convincing 25-11 victory.
 
In the decisive set, however, the Spartans seized control early. Trinity Western raced out to an 8-1 lead and never looked back, eventually closing out the championship with a 15-8 win.

NOTABLE
  • The Spartans finished the night hitting at .282 (61-24-131) while the Thunderbirds finished at .269 (45-16-108).
  • UBC had the edge in blocks 14-6, and aces 11-7.
  • TWU had the better of the UBC in digs 40-37
  • The Spartans are now 65-30 lifetime against the Thunderbirds.
  • TWU defeated Windsor 3-1 to advance to the gold medal match, while UBC defeated Manitoba 3-1 in the other U SPORTS semifinal.
  • The last time the Spartans met the Thunderbirds in the U SPORTS championship was in 2018 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., where the UBC defeated TWU 3-0 in the gold medal match.
  • The Spartans have won at least one championship in the past three decades, winning in 2006, 2016, and 2026. TWU's other titles were in 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2023.
  • TWU also won the 2026 Canada West championship 3-1 over Manitoba.
  • The Spartans finish the season with an overall record of 24-3, and have only one loss, 3-2 to UBC Okanagan on January 24, since November 28 (3-1 Alberta) to go 17-1 over that time.
  • TWU is currently on an 11-match winning streak.
  • Championship MVP: Anselm Rein - TWU.
  • Tournament All-Stars: Anselm Rein – TWU, Kaden Schmidt – TWU, Tate Calles – TWU, Dawson Pratt – UBC, Mason Greves – UBC, Jordon Heppner – Manitoba, Gustavo Siqueira -Windsor.
  • R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Western Mustangs.
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as in the NAIA in track and field and cross country and as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 33 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  
 
-TW-
 
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