Dino Cup prepares Dinos for the upcoming volleyball season

By Lexus Rae, October 29 2025—

The Dinos’ men’s volleyball team hosted their annual Dino Cup on Sept. 25 to 27, welcoming teams from across Canada and the United States for a preseason tournament.

The Dinos opened the tournament with strong performances, securing a 3-0 sweep over the York University Lions, followed by a 3-2 victory against the University of Sherbrooke Vert and Or. The Dinos’ third match was a tight and contested battle against The Masters University Mustangs, where they fell short in a 3-2 loss. 

“We fought back, but we just have to start off stronger for sure,” said outside hitter Cole Czepuryk. “But I was happy with the way we fought at the end of the day.” 

The Dinos then closed out the tournament on a high note, earning bronze with a 3-1 win over crosstown rivals Mount Royal University Cougars.

This tournament was a great opportunity for the team to practice against unfamiliar opponents with a variety of playing styles, preparing them for the upcoming season. 

“It’s good for us to play teams we don’t know and to work on certain things to see how we can adapt in the matches,” said head coach Graham Vigrass.

Facing teams from outside their regular conference helped the Dinos identify areas for improvement while building chemistry with the new additions to the roster, heading into the regular season.

“I am happy with how [the team] has shown up and how they’re trying to do things that we’re talking about,” said Vigrass

As the regular season approaches, the Dinos will aim to build on the lessons learned from their Dino Cup performance to make a strong start in the 2025-2026 season.