LANGLEY, British Columbia – This Week In Sparta is championship weekend for the men's and women's volleyball teams, and the men's and women's track and field teams, with the women's rugby 7's in their final tournament of the season. While men's rugby is on the road in Bellingham, Wash. The volleyball teams are playing in the Canada West Final Four, and the Track and Field teams are at the U SPORTS championship, with the men also at the NAIA championship.
 
AWAY
 
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CANADA WEST FINAL FOUR
Friday, March 6, vs UBC Thunderbirds, Edmonton, Alta.
8 p.m. (MT) – Saville Community Sports Centre | Semi-final |WATCH
Saturday, March 7, vs TBA, Edmonton, Alta.
5 p.m./7 p.m. (MT) – Saville Community Sports Centre | Bronze/Gold |WATCH
 
NOTABLE

• With Canada West having four berths at next week's U SPORTS championship, all teams competing in the final four (Alberta, UBC, TWU, and TRU) have already qualified. The Canada West Final Four will determine CW seeding at the U SPORTS championship.
• Earlier this year, the Spartans lost 3-1 to the Thunderbirds at home in Langley, B.C., and 3-2 on the road in Vancouver, B.C.
• TWU is currently 33-61 lifetime against the UBC Thunderbirds. TWU has lost its last six conference matches against UBC.
• In their two meetings in the first week of January, the Spartans split with the TRU WolfPack, winning 3-1 and losing 3-0 at home in Langley, B.C.
• TWU is currently 51-9 lifetime against TRU but have lost three of their last four conference matches against the WolfPack.
• On the final weekend of the opening semester, TWU split with the No. 1 Alberta Pandas, losing 3-0 and winning 3-2 on the road in Edmonton, Alta.
• The Spartans are currently 44-53 lifetime against the Pandas but have lost five of their last six conference matches against Alberta.
• In the final U SPORTS Top 10 rankings on February 17, Alberta was No. 1, UBC was No. 2, TRU was No. 6, and TWU was No. 7.
• The final CW standings had Alberta No. 1 (18-2), UBC No. 2 (17-3), TWU No. 3 (15-5), and TRU No. 4 (14-6).
• The Spartans are the host of the U SPORTS championship March 13-16.

 
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CANADA WEST FINAL FOUR
Friday, March 6, vs UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver, B.C.
7:30 p.m. (PT) – War Memorial Gym | Semi-final |WATCH
Saturday, March 7, vs TBA, Vancouver, B.C.
4 p.m./6 p.m. (PT) – War Memorial Gym | Bronze/Gold |WATCH
 
NOTABLE

• Canada West has three berths at next week's U SPORTS championship in Windsor, Ont., to qualify, the Spartans will need to win one of their final two games to qualify, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze advancing to the U SPORTS championship. Competing in the CW Final Four are: UBC, TWU, Alberta, and Manitoba. The Canada West Final Four will also determine partial seeding at the U SPORTS championship.
• This season, the Spartans are 2-2 against Alberta and UBC after splitting both matchups. TWU did not play Manitoba this season.
• In the final matches of the fall semester, the Spartans lost 3-1 and won 3-2 in their meeting with the Alberta Golden Bears on the road in Edmonton, Alta.
• Since entering Canada West in 1999-2000, the Spartans have played the Golden Bears over 100 times and are currently 38-70 lifetime against the Bears, with TWU having won three of their last four conference matches against Alberta.
• TWU is currently 64-30 lifetime against the UBC Thunderbirds. After dominating the Thunderbirds in the early to mid-2000's, winning 21 of 22 matches, TWU and UBC have been evenly matched over the last four years, going 5-5 in conference matches.  
• The Spartans and the Bisons last met on January 10-11, 2025, with Manitoba winning both matches 3-0 on the road in Winnipeg, Man. TWU is currently 31-23 lifetime against Manitoba. Prior to those two losses, the Spartans had won 12 straight conference matches against the Bisons.
• In the final U SPORTS Top 10 rankings on February 17, UBC was No.1, TWU was No. 2, Alberta was No. 5, and Manitoba was No. 8 in the nation.
• The final Canada West standings had UBC No. 1 (19-1), TWU No. 2 (17-3), Alberta No. 3 (15-5), and Manitoba No. 5 (14-6).

 
WOMEN'S RUGBY    
CANADA WEST RUGBY 7's SERIES: TOURNAMENT NO. 3.
Friday, March 6, vs Alberta Pandas, Vancouver, B.C.
10:44 a.m. (PT) – Thunderbirds Stadium | WATCH
Friday, March 6, at UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver, B.C.
12:42 p.m. (PT) – Thunderbirds Stadium | WATCH
Friday, March 6, vs Victoria Vikes, Vancouver, B.C.
3:24 p.m. (PT) – Thunderbirds Stadium | WATCH
Saturday, March 7, vs Calgary Dinos, Vancouver, B.C.
10 a.m. (PT) – Thunderbirds Stadium | WATCH
Saturday, March 7, vs Lethbridge Pronghorns, Vancouver, B.C.
12:20 p.m. (PT) – Thunderbirds Stadium | WATCH

NOTABLE

• The Spartans currently sit in third place in Canada West with 12 points (5-4-1). The UBC Thunderbirds are undefeated at 10-0 and have 20 points. Victoria is second with 16 points (8-2-0). Alberta is fourth with six points (3-6-1), Calgary is fifth (2-8-0), and Lethbridge is sixth with 3 points (1-9-0).
• In their history of 7's play, TWU is currently: 0-12 against UBC, 1-11 against Victoria,7-4-1 against Alberta, 6-5 against Calgary, and 6-5-2 against Lethbridge.

 
WOMEN'S AND MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Thursday, March 5, at U SPORTS Championships, Winnipeg, Man.
1 p.m. (CT) – James Daly Fieldhouse | WATCH
Friday, March 6, at U SPORTS Championships, Winnipeg, Man.
1 p.m. (CT) – James Daly Fieldhouse | WATCH
Saturday, March 7, at U SPORTS Championships, Winnipeg, Man.
12:30 p.m. (CT) – James Daly Fieldhouse | WATCH
 
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Friday, March 6, at NAIA Championships, Gainesville, Fla.
12 p.m. (ET) – Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe | WATCH
Saturday, March 7, at NAIA Championships, Gainesville, Fla.
12:30 p.m. (ET) – Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe | WATCH

NOTABLE

• The Spartans' men's and women's track and field teams will be at the U SPORTS Championship in Winnipeg, Man., with all the events streamed live on Canada West TV.
• The Spartans Justin Kiplagat and Yemane Mulugeta will also be competing at the NAIA Championship in Gainesville, Fla.
• TWU's fifth-year students compete in Canada West and U SPORTS championships.

 
MEN'S RUGBY            
Saturday, March 7, at Western Washington Vikings, Bellingham, Wash.
12 p.m. (PT) – Harrington Field

NOTABLE

• The Spartans played the Vikings early this season, winning 36-19 on the road in Bellingham, Wash.
• TWU has two remaining home matches in their spring season. They will host Arizona on Saturday, March 21, and UC Santa Cruz on Saturday, March 28. Both games are at 2:30 p.m. (PT) kick-off and are at Willoughby Stadium at the Langley Events Centre.

 
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 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.
 
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