SEASON PREVIEW: Gee-Gees gear up for return to OUA, welcome exciting group of rookies
In February of the 2023-24 season, the University of Ottawa women's volleyball team concluded their 8-year run in the RSEQ conference. The team makes their return to the OUA on Nov. 1, by heading to Kingston for two games against RMC.
The Gee-Gees will re-ignite old rivalries and familiar friendships from the previous 39-year membership in the OUA. The team will look to add to it's 5 OUA championship banners as well as 9 silver and 5 bronze medals in 23 trips to the OUA Final Four.
"Our return to the OUA is exciting for everyone in our program," said Ottawa head coach, Lionel Woods. "More players will get a chance to play in or near their hometowns, families and friends while we also get to face some of the best competition in the country."
Ottawa welcomes seven new faces to the squad this season. The diverse group of Gee-Gee newcomers will add more representation on the roster from southern Ontario as well as British Columbia, Quebec, and Greece. The one hometown new addition to the team is third-year middle player, Chrstine Hachokake, who is returning to Ottawa after spending two years at McMaster.
Jessica Schmid and Keely Lloyd will add depth for the Gees at the middle position, while Lilianne Boucher-Pfliger brings a unique left-handed skill set to the right-side and Christina-Anna Louka offers a wealth of experience as she joins the team from Livanates, Greece while she completes her PhD in Physics.
2023-24 RSEQ First Team All-Star and Gee-Gees team captain, Audrey Odigie, returns fresh off her league leading 3.88 kills and 4.42 points per set last season.
This year's explosive offense will be run by a pair of veterans, hometown setters in Maxim Langevin and Harper Schaefer who are backed-up by rookie setter, Tara Gosling. Langevin finished last season ranked first in the RSEQ and fifth in U SPORTS with 9.04 assists per set.
Nicole Hildebrand, Janae McKay, Camryn Giddens, and Brynn Lewis round out the coast-to-coast veteran core who will bring a wealth of experience from their time in the RSEQ back to the OUA for a run at the championship banner.
Jessica Goodman will join Brynn Lewis to make up the team's Libero duo. Lewis accounted for 129 digs (2.48 per set) and 275 receptions during the 2023-24 season.
Ottawa will play against 10 OUA teams in their 20-game regular season. Their first home weekend will be November 15 and 16, when they host the York Lions at Montpetit Hall for a two-match series. The team will also host 3-time defending champs, Brock Badgers, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 before pausing for the winter break.
The team will start back in action again on January 10 and 11, when they are set to host Waterloo at Montpetit. Ottawa will close out the regular season with back-to-back home weekend battles against Windsor on February 8-9 and regional rival Queen's on February 14-15.