Varsity Blues seeded third, Gee-Gees seventh at heading into CIS women’s volleyball championship

OTTAWA (CIS) – For the first time in program history, the Trinity Western University Spartans are tournament favourites heading into the CIS women's volleyball championship, presented by Canuck Stuff.

The seeding was announced Monday for the four-day competition, which runs from Thursday to Sunday at the University of Toronto. All 11 matches from the eight-team tourney will be webcast live on www.CIS-SIC.tv, including the gold-medal final Sunday at 5 p.m. 

Rounding out the seeding behind Canada West champ TWU are the No. 2 Alberta Pandas (Canada West finalists), No. 3 Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA champs), No. 4 Montreal Carabins (RSEQ champs), No. 5 UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West bronze medallists), No. 6 Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champs), No. 7 Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA finalists) and No. 8 Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ finalists).

Thursday's quarter-finals include UBC vs. Montreal in the 1 p.m. opener, followed by Laval vs. Trinity Western at 3 p.m., Dalhousie vs. host Toronto at 6 p.m., as well as Ottawa vs. Alberta at 8 p.m.

New champions will be crowned on Sunday as the Manitoba Bisons, who put an end to UBC's remarkable six-year supremacy last winter, were eliminated in the first round of the Canada West playoffs a week ago.

Looking for their first national title, the Spartans earned No. 1 status thanks to a pair of five-set wins at the conference Final Four, including a spectacular come-from-behind victory over Alberta in the title match, in which they were trailing two sets to none. Canada West teams have now been seeded No. 1 for six straight years and 13 of the past 14 CIS championships.

UBC holds the all-time record of 10 CIS banners. Alberta is tied for second place with seven, Dalhousie and Laval have one apiece, while Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa are also looking for their first crown.

NOTES: The U of T has hosted the CIS championship only once in the past, in 1996... Montreal, in 2009, is the only non-Canada West program to be seeded No. 1 since 2001... A complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday... The CIS all-Canadians and major award winners will be announced Wednesday evening.

SEEDING

1. Trinity Western Spartans (CWUAA champions: 19-5 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)
2. Alberta Pandas (CWUAA finalists: 19-5 regular season / 1-1 playoffs)
3. Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA champions: 18-1 regular season / 3-0 playoffs)
4. Montreal Carabins (RSEQ champions: 15-4 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
5. UBC Thunderbirds (CWUAA bronze medallists: 13-11 regular season / 3-1 playoffs)
6. Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champions: 10-6 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
7. Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA finalists: 16-3 regular season / 2-1 playoffs)
8. Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ finalists: 13-6 regular season / 2-2 playoffs)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Wednesday, February 25
19:00 CIS Awards Gala (Marriott Bloor Yorkville Hotel – Forest Hill Ballroom)

Thursday, February 26
13:00 Quarter-final #1: No. 5 UBC vs. No. 4 Montreal (www.CIS-SIC.tv)  
15:00 Quarter-final #2: No. 8 Laval vs. No. 1 Trinity Western (www.CIS-SIC.tv)  
18:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 6 Dalhousie vs. No. 3 Toronto (www.CIS-SIC.tv)  
20:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 7 Ottawa vs. No. 2 Alberta (www.CIS-SIC.tv)  

Friday, February 27
11:30 Consolation #1: Loser QF #1 vs. Loser QF #2 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)   
13:30 Consolation #2: Loser QF #3 vs. Loser QF #4 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)   

Saturday, February 28
14:00 Semifinal #1: Winner QF #1 vs. Winner QF #2 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)   
16:00 Semifinal #2: Winner QF #3 vs. Winner QF #4 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)   

Sunday, March 1
11:30 5th place (www.CIS-SIC.tv)   
14:00 Bronze medal (www.CIS-SIC.tv)   
17:00 Championship final (www.CIS-SIC.tv)