TWU – Spartans Set to Host Winnipeg in Home Opener

LANGLEY, B.C. – The defending national champion Trinity Western men’s volleyball team returns for its home-opening weekend, taking on Winnipeg on Friday and Saturday at the Langley Events Centre. 
 
WEEKEND PREVIEW 
Friday, Oct. 25 vs. Winnipeg – 8 p.m. (PT)
Saturday, Oct. 26 vs. Winnipeg – 7 p.m. (PT)
 
THE WEEKEND STORY

  • The Spartans will be playing in their first Canada West regular season home game since winning the U SPORTS national championship in March. Prior to the game, TWU will raise its U SPORTS championship banner.
  • TWU is coming off splitting games at Alberta last weekend, winning 3-0 in the season opener before dropping their second game of the weekend in a five setter against the Golden Bears on Saturday (Oct. 19).
  • Winnipeg picked up a 3-1 win over UBC in their season opener (Oct. 19) before falling 3-1 to the Thunderbirds Sunday.
  • TWU’s Eric Loeppky (Steinbach, Man.) enters the weekend leading Canada West in hitting percentage (.587), while teammate Jesse Elser (Calgary) sits third (.429).
  • Spartan third year setter Derek Epp (Saskatoon, Sask.), who recently represented Canada at the FIVB World Cup in Japan, leads the conference in assists per set, averaging 11.63.
  • The Spartans defeated Winnipeg 3-0 and 3-1 last season (Nov. 9, 10), and have won their previous seven matches against the Wesmen dating back to 2017.
  • TWU finished second in Canada West with an 18-4 record last season, while Winnipeg finished 10th with a record of 7-15.

 
TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (1-1)
Canada West Standings: T-2nd
Last Weekend: @ Alberta (W 3-0, L 3-2)
Streak: 1L
Regular Season Form: W-L
 
WINNIPEG WESMEN (1-1)
Canada West Standings: T-2nd
Last Weekend: vs. UBC (W 3-1, L 3-1)
Streak: 1L
Regular Season Form: W-L
 
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, cross country and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men’s hockey and as an independent team in men’s rugby. The men’s and women’s hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.

[SOURCE: Trinity Western University]