The University of Saskatchewan began playing varsity men's volleyball in 1976-77 under the leadership of Murray Hill. Within three seasons, the team had been crowned Canada West and CIAU Champions.
The 1978-79 season was the start of a strong tradition of winning in the men's volleyball program, one of the most decorated Huskie team. Since that year, the team has made 17 appearances at the CIAU/CIS Championship winning four gold medals, five silver, two bronze medals and came in fourth three times. They have also won 10 Canada West Championships.
The team has also been recognized at awards season winning 10 Canada West Coach of the Year awards — Hill 1978-79; Larry Plenart 1979-80; Frank Enns 1984-85, 1985-86; Tom Graham 1986-87, 1987-88, 1989-90; and Brian Gavlas 1995-96, 1997-98, 2000-01. All five have won the CIS Coach of the Year award.
The Huskies have also sported six Canada West MVP titles and four at the CIAU/CIS level. Darcy Busse (twice at both Canada West and CIS level); Scott Schutz, Adam Ens and Mark Dodds. Ens and Dodds were the other winners at the CIS level. Ens also went on to win the prestigious BLG Award for CIS Athlete of the Year.
Plenart took over the team in 1979-80 and led them right back to the championship, winning the Canada West title once again. They finished with a silver at the national level. In the early years of the team, the Huskies were led by Darcy Busse, current head coach Gavlas and Jerome Linnell. The three were all named all-stars and All-Canadians. The late-Busse was handed the Canada West and CIAU MVP awards in the 1983-84 and 1985-86 seasons.
From 1984-90 under Tom Graham and Frank Enns, the Huskies visited the national championship five out of the six seasons. In the span, the Huskies brought home the championship in 1987-88. They also won two silvers, a bronze and four Canada West championships in those years.
Gavlas took over the team in 1992-93. He has led the Huskies to nine CIS Championship appearances winning two. From 1996-2001, the team visited the championship every year and did so again from 2002-2006.
Since 1980, the Huskies have only had 10 seasons that the team had a losing record, with the most difficult season coming in 1993- 94 when the team went 2-14. But the very next season, the men were back at the national championship.
Only four times the Huskies have been bounced from the playoffs in the first round — 2001-02, 2006-07, 2012-13 and 2013-14.
In the 2014-15 season, the Huskies hosted the CIS Men's Volleyball Championship at the PAC. It was the first time the Huskies hosted the national event since 1979-80. The Huskies finished fifth. A year later, the Huskies qualified for the CIS Championship as the Canada West silver-medalists. The Huskies finished fourth.
**Huskie Athletics is still in the process of searching for men's and women’s volleyball history. We are looking for information from the following years: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-93, 1994-95 and 1996-97. If you have any information, please contact Nicole Betker at nicole.betker@usask.ca or 306-966-1024**
Men's Volleyball Statistical History
Records (vs U SPORTS Opponents)