WINNIPEG – Manitoba Bisons men’s and women’s volleyball schedules were released for the upcoming season. The men and women will start their season on the road, playing the Mount Royal Cougars on October 19th and 20th..

Manitoba will play their home openers versus the MacEwan Griffins at Investors Group Athletic Centre on October 27th. They then round out the first half of the season with home series against Alberta (Nov. 16-17) and Brandon (Nov. 30 – Dec. 1).

A schedule highlight will be the 28th annual Duckworth Challenge on February 1, 2019. In 2018-19, Manitoba will be hosting the volleyball portion of the Duckworth Challenge, which pits the cross-town rival Winnipeg Wesmen against the Bisons in women’s soccer, volleyball, and basketball. February 1st will also be Alumni Night and Senior’s Night for both volleyball teams.

The University of Winnipeg will host the basketball portion of the Challenge on February 2, 2019 (Duckworth Centre), while women’s soccer will be played at Investors Group Field on October 6, 2018.

In the second half of the season, the Bison men and women split up their matchups with the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack. The Bison women will play Thompson Rivers on the road January 4-5, while the Bison men will host the Wolfpack at IGAC on January 25-26.

The Canada West volleyball playoffs begin February 21-24, with the top eight teams qualifying. The 2019 U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship will take place at Université Laval from March 14-17, 2019. The U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Championship is the same weekend at the University of Alberta.