Cougars bid for nationals
May 22, 2009 - Regina Leader-Post
By Rob Vanstone
The University of Regina Cougars are looking to create a spike in volleyball interest.
With that in mind, the U of R has bid to play host to the 2012 CIS women's volleyball championship. The university has also indicated its interest in staging the 2013 nationals if another school is chosen for 2012.
"I'm pretty excited about the prospect of it,'' Cougars women's volleyball coach Melanie Sanford said Thursday. "For our program and women's volleyball in Regina and in the province, it would be very significant in terms of promoting the sport.''
Regina, Calgary, Toronto, McMaster and Western Ontario are the applicants for 2012, according to a media release issued by the CIS. Calgary, McMaster, Toronto, Western Ontario and Sherbrooke are on the list for 2013. The CIS does not include Regina among the 2013 applicants, but its interest has been noted.
Most recently, the U of R played host to the 2009 CIS women's basketball championship, held at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport.
"The tremendous success women's basketball had helps to pave the way,'' Sanford said. "We're a known entity in terms of what we can do from a hosting standpoint. In terms of facilities, I'm not sure if there's any school in Canada that can rival what we provide in terms of a student-athlete experience.''
The CIS is also entertaining bids for national championships in cross-country (2010 and 2011), women's soccer (2011, 2012), men's soccer (2011, 2012), swimming (2011), track and field (2011, 2012) and men's volleyball (2012, 2013). Women's volleyball is the only event for which Regina is bidding.
Bid presentations will be made to the selection committee via conference call on June 8. Final decisions on the championships are to be made and announced that week.