Volleyball set to host annual tournament at Canisius

By Maggie Tifft, Assistant Sports Editor

As classes begin to heat up, so does the Canisius University volleyball team’s competition. After two victories over Mercyhurst last week on Thursday and Sunday, the Griffs look ahead to this week as they host the Ellicott Hotels Western Invitational.

This Thursday, Sept. 12 and Friday, Sept. 13, Youngstown State and Bucknell University, respectively, will come to Main Street to face the Griffs at the Koessler Athletic Center. This will be the third year of the invitational, and the second time the Bucknell Bisons and Youngstown State Penguins will face the Griffs at this specific tournament. When talking with Canisius’ head coach Tom Hanna, he emphasized the importance of non-conference play in a tournament-style setting for future MAAC competition.

“You have to have that ability to move off of a match and quickly adapt and put [the previous game] in your rearview mirror in order to beat the next [opponent]. So playing multiple matches forces you to pivot and move on in a quick time period, which is something we see a lot in conference play,” says Hanna.

Not only is this tournament a good test for what the Griffs will face in MAAC play, but it’s also a benefit for the university and the athletic department. Mike Kochczynski, Canisius’ assistant athletic director for revenue generation and fan engagement, plays an integral role in working with our sponsors and athletic programs to ensure that all events run smoothly and highlight the teams’ success.

“There's a cliche that ‘athletics is the front porch to your institution.’ Anyone who is a recruit for the school, if they tune into broadcasts, see our facilities, and see what Cansius has to offer compared to other schools, it highlights our venues, facilities, and what we are as an institution,” says Kochczynski, when discussing the benefits of hosting tournaments.

The tournament is scheduled to begin Thursday, Sept. 12, with Canisus facing Youngstown State at 6 p.m. at the Koessler Athletic Center.

Photo courtesy of GoGriffs.com