The University of Manitoba Bisons have won the Canadian University women’s volleyball title. On Sunday at the Investors Group Athletic Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Bisons defeated the University of Montreal Carabins 25-20, 25-19, 24-26, 25-16 in the gold medal match.
The Bisons were led in the final by left side hitter Raya Surinx of Winnipeg. She had a game-high 23 kills, and was second on the team with 10 digs. Surinx was only behind libero Julia Arnold of Winnipeg, who led the team with 15 digs.
It has been quite the stretch for Surinx, who is emerging as an elite Canadian women’s volleyball player. She has now won the Mary Lyons Award, presented to the best Canadian university women’s volleyball player of the year, for a second straight season. In 2023-24, Surinx had 423 kills, and in 2024-25, she had 444 kills. Only one other Bisons player has won two consecutive Mary Lyons Award trophies. That was Michelle Sawatzky of Steinbach, Manitoba who was honoured in 1990-91 and 1990-92.
You could make the argument that the 2024-25 season was more special for Surinx than 2023-24. That is because in 2023-24, the Bisons only won the bronze medal at the national championship, and lost out to the University of Alberta Pandas three sets to two in the semifinals.
In addition to beating the Ravens in the final, the Bisons beat the McMaster Marauders three sets to two on the first round, and the Alberta Pandas three sets to none in the semifinals. This is the Bisons’s eighth national title. They previously won in 1971 as the University of Manitoba Bisonettes. That was followed by titles as the Bisons in 1990, 1991, 1992, 2001, 2002 and 2014.
