Brent Mutis
CapU Blues sports info
While Blues soccer heads to the postseason and basketball has its campaign underway, the Capilano volleyball teams have been working seemingly behind the scenes but are prepped and ready to go in their PACWEST season openers Friday at Douglas College.
The women's team is a veteran group, with a roster full of proven players including two-time PACWEST All-Star Nnya Mbaoma who begins her fifth and final season with a chance finish her Blues career among the all-time leaders in Capilano history in both kills (she needs 56 more to overtake Michelle Torresan for third all-time) and aces, where she currently sits eighth in Blues history and 15 more will put her over the 100-mark.
Mbaoma is supported by a host of experienced and talented fifth-year players including Sibby Bos (fifth all-time in aces), Stephanie Sung and Annika Kuznik (PACWEST 2nd Team All-Star last season). Returning to Capilano for a fifth year after two seasons at USports St. Mary's University is middle blocker Anna Liniewski, who went to back-to-back USports national championship tournaments with the Huskies.
Bolstering them will be fourth-year middle blocker Natalie Rourke and fourth-year outside hitter Abby Betker who came to CapU a year ago from College of the Rockies and was a PACWEST 2nd Team All-Star.
CapU's women's team will be a motivated side as they've been provincial medalists the last two seasons with a silver in 2024 and a bronze last season. If they are going to grab the big prize, this may well be the year. Coaches Sue Soolsma and Austyn Soolsma, the mother-daughter combo, have a good feel for the group because of the players' track records and their time spent as assistants last season. They can turn their team loose in games that count for real starting Friday at Douglas.
On the men's side of the net, Capilano has a remade roster as new head coach Irvan Brar, along with assistant coaches and Blues alums TheAnh Pham and Simon Friesen, attempt to take the team to new heights.
They may just have the pieces to do so. Returning All-Star Xavier Masztak will again be a go-to option at outside hitter but Blues setters will also have options in the form of transfers Luke Tiegen and Shub Wander, who each have USports and overseas pro experience. Cameron Douglas, one of two New Zealand natives on the roster, will get a chance to take some big swings this season too.
Running the offence at setter will be the job of a few different players, at least to start. Veteran Brayden Labossiere has experience as the set-up man as does second-year Liam Martin. Incoming international Kameo Wagner, the team's other Kiwi, will have chance to grab the job as well.
In the middle, the Blues are young but have returners Quentin Middleton and Simon Russo to lead newcomers Jasper Platt and Dylan Buehler.
With the new parts and pieces, there are probably a few different formulas that will work for the Blues men this year. The coaches will start mixing the ingredients on Friday night at Douglas.
