MRU volleyball teams end seasons on drastically different notes
Julia Finot, Staff Writer
The MRU Cougars volleyball teams closed their 2025-26 seasons with contrasting storylines. The women’s program said goodbye to its veteran core, while the men’s team exceeded expectations with the help of its rookies.
Despite different journeys, both teams have one thing in common: with disappointing endings to the season, they want to come back stronger and fight for playoff opportunities.
A tragic end to a magical run
It is the end of an era for the Mount Royal women’s volleyball team.
The 2025-26 initially appeared a promising year for head coach Rhonda Schmuland and her team, but that narrative quickly faded throughout the season.
Last season, the Cougars finished sixth in Canada West, making it to the quarterfinals. Entering the season, the coaches’ poll ranked the team eighth. With a mighty veteran presence on this team, expectations exceeded their previous playoff appearance—the goal was nationals.
Mount Royal added some notable talent in the offseason to support their postseason pursuit. They brought in third-year setter Kennedy Williscroft from Humber College and first-year middle Aleda Bondaroff.
The Cougars opened their season with mixed results. They lost their home-opening series but went on the road and got two big wins, and then their momentum shifted. They would go on to lose 10 consecutive matches, struggling to put practice into play.
Frustration grew as the losses tallied up, and the Cougars quickly plummeted to last in the standings, becoming the first team eliminated from playoff contention.
A turning point for the team was their series against the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Ninety-one days after their last win, the Cougars broke through on Kenyon Court and finally got a win. They ended up winning both matches in that series 3-1, giving the team a much-needed spark late in the season.
The Cougars finished the season with a record of 4-16, placing second last in the standings. While the season presented a fair share of challenges, there have been some bright moments of growth.
Third-year Faith Obasi stepped into an expanded role this year. Her best game of the season came in a win against UBC-Okanagan, where she had eight digs, seven kills, seven aces, two blocks and even one assist.
Obasi grew into her own this season, and although she didn’t top every stat sheet, she is developing into one of Canada West’s premier middles. Next year, she is stepping into a big leadership role as one of the veterans on next season’s young Cougar roster.
To end the season, the MRU said farewell to five women who have defined that standard of Cougars volleyball. Mya Morgan, Bronwynn Davies-Neria, Marie Leggett, Sydney Scatcherd and Paige Davidson, all members of the team since 2021.
During their time as Cougars, the program transformed five young athletes into five accomplished graduates. Each balanced academic success with the tedious responsibility of being student-athletes.
While their presence will be missed, the program now turns its attention to the offseason with clear areas to attack after finishing far below what they consider the Cougars’ standards.
Looking ahead, they have announced two new recruits for next season: Abby Kruchten from Daysland, Alta. and Taeya Wright from Edmonton.
The end of the 2025-26 season closes a significant chapter in MRU women’s volleyball history as they honoured their leaders and prepared to welcome a new wave of talent.
Extra-Orr-dinary results
MRU men’s volleyball season was defined by growth and resilience.
After a disappointing finish in 2024, Shawn Sky and his group entered this season determined to move forward. Finishing 12th last season, the coaches’ poll projected them to slightly improve this season into 10th.
Instead, the Cougars exceeded expectations.
Mount Royal started their season at Kenyon with two series matchups against Thompson Rivers Wolfpack and the Saskatchewan Huskies. The team won all those matches and were quickly positioned as one of the top teams in U SPORTS.
While the continuation of the season included both wins and losses, MRU proved to be a challenging competitor.
Defence has been their strength. By the end of the regular season, MRU was ranked third in blocking among Canada West teams, while also having several high-producing offensive players
Mount Royal finished the regular season in eighth, earning a spot in the play-in series against their cross-town rivals, the Calgary Dinos.
Kale Orr’s rookie campaign was earmarked by Canada
West All-Rookie and All-Star selections, establishing
himself as the cornerstone of the future for Cougars
men’s volleyball. Photo courtesy of MRU Cougars
The Cougars delivered a competitive series but were unfortunately eliminated by a two-point loss in the fifth set of the final game. They showed great strength, game sense and resilience but struggled in back-to-back fifth sets to advance to the quarterfinals, and to take on volleyball’s best, the UBC Thunderbirds.
MRU’s rookies have been the storyline of the season. The Cougars brought in four new rookies, and each contributed to the team’s performance.
Kale Orr emerged as the standout of those freshmen. After making his long-awaited Cougars debut, he quickly took Canada West by storm. He finished the season in the top for kills and kills per set, making him a strong candidate for Canada West’s Rookie of the Year honours.
Fellow rookies also made significant contributions to the team. Libero Liam Brandsma started the season as the sole libero for the Cougars, and he showcased incredible backcourt skill.
Outside hitter Kai Toney provided momentum shifter offense, delivering timely kills and showcasing impressive athleticism. Luke Wright, though used sparingly, was a consistent service substitution who added depth to the roster.
The Cougars will say goodbye to two players this year, middle Maxim Turgeon and captain and libero, Matthew Clements. They both played key leadership roles on this team.
Mount Royal’s roster remains a young team, and with another offseason to develop skill and chemistry, this group is positioned to improve consistency and build towards more success.
Looking ahead, Mount Royal University will be hosting men’s volleyball national championships next season, automatically securing a spot in the final eight. With the opportunity to compete for a national title on home court, now they shift their attention to proving they belong among Canada’s best.
