MVB Play-In Round Preview
Playoff Crowchild Classic pits Calgary against rival MRU, while Saskatchwan hosts Brandon
Article by Brian Swane, special to CW
Feb. 18, 2026 - The 2025-26 Canada West men’s volleyball season concluded last Saturday, with the battle for standings placement coming down to the final games.
Now it’s time for the playoffs, and while the top six squads have earned the week off with a direct bye into the quarter-final round, the teams that finished seventh through 10th are getting right back to work for the play-in round this week.
In a pair of best-of-three series taking place Thursday (Feb. 19) through Saturday (Feb. 21), the Mount Royal Cougars are hosting the Calgary Dinos and the Brandon Bobcats are visiting the Saskatchewan Huskies.
The crosstown rival Cougars and Dinos saw each other just a couple of weeks ago, when Mount Royal won the Crowchild Classic with back-to-back 3-0 sweeps on its home court. Those two straight-set losses put Calgary on the brink of missing the playoffs, but the Dinos rebounded last week with clutch 3-1 and 3-0 wins versus Thompson Rivers to secure the eighth seed and get another crack at the Cougars.
It’s been three months since the Huskies and Bobcats split a tremendously competitive two-match series at the Physical Activity Centre in Saskatoon. Brandon and Saskatchewan have struggled a bit in the New Year, posting identical 2-5 records over their last seven matches, but the play-in round provides an opportunity at a fresh start for these two storied programs with rich postseason history.
The 2026 Canada West men’s volleyball playoffs continue through the first week of March, culminating with the Final Four hosted by the highest seeded of the remaining teams. Catch all Canada West playoff action live and on demand at Canada West TV - Powered by BioSteel.
Game recaps, highlights and schedule information is available at WinTheWest.ca.
No. 8 Mount Royal Cougars vs. No. 9 Calgary Dinos
Hosted at Kenyon Court in Calgary, Alta.
Series schedule:
- Game 1 – Thursday, Feb. 19 – 7 p.m. MST
- Game 2 – Friday, Feb. 20 – 7 p.m. MST
- Game 3 (if necessary) – Saturday, Feb. 21 – 7 p.m. MST
Regular season head-to-head:
- Feb. 6: Calgary 0 at Mount Royal 3
- Feb. 7: Calgary 0 at Mount Royal 3
Mount Royal facts & stats
- Season record: 9-11, 28 points (8th in standings)
- Head Coach: Shawn Sky (24th year)
- Season leaders: middle Cody Hudson (.363 hitting percentage), middle Kale Orr (4.0 points per set)
- Canada West Championships: none
Calgary facts & stats
- Season record: 8-12, 24 points (9th in standings)
- Head Coach: Graham Vigrass (2nd year)
- Season leaders: middle Luke Knodwell (.310 hitting percentage), outside hitter Cole Czepuryk (3.1 points per set)
- Canada West Championships: 9 (1973, 1978, 1982, 1989, 1991-1994, 2011)
No. 7 Saskatchewan Huskies vs. No. 10 Brandon Bobcats
Hosted at Physical Activity Complex in Saskatoon, Sask.
Series schedule:
- Game 1 – Thursday, February 19 – 6 p.m. CST
- Game 2 – Friday, February 20 – 6 p.m. CST
- Game 3 (if necessary) – Sunday, February 21 – 2 p.m. CST
Regular season head-to-head:
- Nov. 7: Brandon 3 at Saskatchewan 2
- Nov. 8: Brandon 1 at Saskatchewan 3
Saskatchewan facts & stats
- Season record: 9-11, 28 points (7th in standings)
- Head Coach: Sean McKay (7th year)
- Season leaders: middle Mathieu Methot (.398 hitting percentage), right side Emmett Graham (4.3 points per set)
- Canada West Championships: 10 (1979, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004)
Brandon facts & stats
- Season record: 7-13, 23 points (10th in standings)
- Head Coach: Grant Wilson (14th year)
- Season leader: outside hitter Thomas Friesen (.280 hitting percentage, 4.0 points per set)
- Canada West Championships: 2 (2013, 2019)