This weekend, the Jack Simpson Gymnasium plays host to a volleyball tournament of prestige and honour. The Husky Dino Cup returns to the University of Calgary for its’ 18th year. The men’s line-up this year includes the Dinos, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, the York University Lions and the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins. Women’s teams include the Dinos and the University of Winnipeg Wesmen.
The Dino Cup began in 1987, featuring eight Canadian teams. The following year brought UCLA and marked the first year that the action was televised on TSN. The tournament has now grown to be one of the largest sporting events that takes place on campus. Stands fill up, the crowd roars and the Dinos never disappoint. Over the last 17 Dino Cups, the Dinos have made the finals in all but three tournaments.
The action begins Thu., Oct. 28 with a match between our ladies and the Wesmen at 6 p.m. Following the game, the national championship banner that the Dinos women’s team fought and clawed to win last year will be unveiled. The ceremony will be brief but meaningful, with former team member Jill Friend speaking on behalf of the team.
Our men begin their quest for the gold at 8 p.m. with a game against UCLA to be televised for the masses to view on TSN.
Games will begin again at 10 a.m. on Fri., Oct. 29 and run all day. The Dinos men play at noon and 8 p.m. with the women playing at 6 p.m.
Sat,. Oct. 30 has been set in stone as the date that yet another champion will be crowned. The bronze and gold medal matches take place at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively.
For our ladies, the two games are part of their regular season. The Wesmen should prove challenging as they were runner up at Nationals in 2003 and will be returning three girls who were named to the Canada West All-Star team.
The men’s team will certainly have their hands full as well. The Huskies are defending national champions and have made the semi-final round of Nationals in 2000, 2001 and 2003. The Lions are Ontario’s top team and were 14-4 during last year’s season. The Bruins bring tough NCAA skills to the tournament. Of the nine times UCLA has competed in the Dino Cup, they have been finalists nine times!
In any case, the tournament will prove to be intense, interesting and incredible. Tickets can be purchased by U of C staff and students for $5 per game or $25 for the whole tournament, featuring ten games. Think about the savings! Tickets are available for purchase on game days in the Olympic Oval. So join what could be a sold-out crowd and support the Dinos. Check the www.godinos.com website for a full schedule and in depth information.