After gold- and bronze-medal wins nationally last season, the Camosun Chargers take to the volleyball floor Friday night to begin their 2015-16 seasons.
Both the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association champion men鈥檚 team and third-place women have lost key pieces to the puzzle, but coaches of both programs stress they expect to be in position to vie for Pacwest conference crowns.
鈥淚t鈥檚 tough to be better than first in the province and first in the country,鈥� men鈥檚 coach Charles Parkinson said with a smile, referencing last year鈥檚 two titles. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a brand new group of guys.
鈥淲e lost some who have gone on to graduation or university. You start over with new bodies and the trick is to put them all together and create something that will be the same.鈥�
Gone are Alex Sadowski in the middle, captain Jeremy Finn and Cam Fennema, who was the most valuable player at provincials and nationals. Finn graduated, Sadowski is in electrical engineering at UVic and Fennema moved on to play at UBC.
They will all be back Friday to celebrate the national championship as both the men and women open play against rivals Vancouver Island University at 6 and 8 p.m., respectively. The national champion men will be recognized between games.
鈥淚t will be a fun night,鈥� said Parkinson, who then wants to switch into high gear for this season. 鈥淩ealistically, we think we can win provincials and when you get to nationals, who knows?鈥�
Leading the way will be fifth-year setter Vitor Macedo of Rio de Janiero and Belmont grad Doug Waterman. Parkinson also has Elion Wong at Libero; Rian Plante and Gabriel Freund on the right side; Cole Redden in the middle; and Isaac Dellabough over from Lambrick Park.
鈥淗e鈥檚 the only real rookie this year 鈥� the others we picked up are a little bit more mature having played in college or CIS,鈥� Parkinson said referring to the likes of Savana Walkingbear of Turtleford, Sask., Haakon Ostrem of Norway, who played at Lethbridge; Curtis Westra of Calgary and Burnaby鈥檚 Jerome Cross.
Macedo will be asked to make it all work at setter.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all going to come down to chemistry,鈥� said the 26-year-old. 鈥淚f we work hard and connect as a team I think we have the potential.鈥�
The Chargers鈥� women鈥檚 team is led by last year鈥檚 CCAA coach of the year Chris Dahl, who has lost the services of Hilary Graham, Mariah Holmstrom, Morgan Marshall and Erika Sheen.
鈥淥n paper, we have an outstanding roster, with significant returnees who played significant roles, and a crop of new athletes who are exciting and talented,鈥� said Dahl. 鈥淭hey come with experience. Some are veterans and transfers and our rookie class is extremely talented and exciting.
鈥淒o we expect to step back? Not at all,鈥� added Dahl, who is in his sixth season at Camosun.
Among his leaders will be second-year outside Megan Beckett of Reynolds.
鈥淚t was a good way to start my college experience,鈥� she said of the bronze-medal finish at nationals and her Pacwest rookie-of-the-year honours. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a different team, very young. I think we can push for sure. There鈥檚 a lot of talent here.鈥�
