WVB Final Four Preview
Host Alberta battles upstart TRU, while UBC takes on rival Trinity Western
Article by Brian Swane, special to CW
For the second consecutive year, the Canada West Women’s Volleyball Final Four is taking place in Edmonton at the Saville Centre, home of the top-seeded and defending champion Alberta Pandas.
The Pandas are joined by the UBC Thunderbirds, Trinity Western Spartans, and Thompson Rivers WolfPack in a stacked field that comprises the teams with the four best records during the 2025-26 regular season.
Competition begins Friday (March 6), with semifinal matches pitting Alberta against Thompson Rivers at 6 p.m. MST, and UBC versus Trinity Western at 8 p.m. MST.
On Saturday (March 7), the semi-final losers will meet for the bronze medal at 5 p.m. MST, followed by the semi-final winners squaring off in the gold medal final at 7 p.m. MST.
Home court proved advantageous in 2025, when the host Pandas captured the Canada West women’s volleyball championship for the 12th time in program history, defeating UBC 3-2 in a thrilling gold medal match.
Alberta is tough to beat at the Saville Centre, where the Pandas have a record of 10-2 in the 2025-26 regular season and playoffs combined. The rest of the field all had a winning percentage of at least .700 on the road during the regular season, with Alberta’s semi-final opponent, Thompson Rivers, going 9-1 on the opposition’s court.
The upstart WolfPack are making just their second ever appearance in the Canada West women’s volleyball semifinals. UBC and Trinity Western, on the other hand, are used to deep postseason runs: the Thunderbirds have the most championships in Canada West women’s volleyball history, with 13, while the Spartans have captured six of the last 10 conference titles.
UBC and Trinity Western met twice during the 2025-26 regular season, with the Thunderbirds winning 3-1 in Langley on Nov. 14 and 3-2 at home on Nov. 21. Alberta and Thompson Rivers are playing each other for the first time since January 2025.
It all adds up to an incredible two nights of action at the Saville Centre. Learn how to purchase tickets, and catch all matches streaming on Canada West TV – Powered by BioSteel.
Fans can also visit WinTheWest.ca after each playoff game for recaps and highlights.
Alberta Pandas
- Regular season: 18-2, first place
- Playoffs: defeated Winnipeg 2-0 in quarterfinal
- Head Coach: Carolyn O’Dwyer (3rd year)
- Player to watch: Justine Kolody (5th year, setter)
- Championships: 12 (1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2017, 2025)
Thompson Rivers WolfPack
- Regular season: 14-6, fourth place
- Playoffs: defeated Manitoba 2-1 in quarterfinal
- Head Coach: Chad Grimm (12th year)
- Player to watch: Rida Erlalelitepe (2nd year, outside hitter)
- Championships: none
Trinity Western Spartans
- Regular season: 15-5, third place
- Playoffs: defeated Saskatchewan 2-0 in quarterfinal
- Head Coach: Ryan Hofer (20th year)
- Player to watch: London Krahn (1st year, middle)
- Championships: 6 (2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023)
UBC Thunderbirds
- Regular season: 17-3, second place
- Playoffs: defeated UFV 2-0 in quarterfinal
- Head Coach: Doug Reimer (29th year)
- Player to watch: Lucy Borowski (5th year, outside hitter)
- Championships: 13 (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014)
