It’s set to be the busiest weekend of the year inside UFV‘s Envision Athletic Centre.
The Cascades basketball, wrestling and volleyball teams will pack the building from Friday to Sunday, with crucial games for all teams involved.
The basketball teams host the TRU Wolfpack, in a game that is critical for playoff positioning in the Canada West conference.
The men’s team earned a split in Edmonton against the University of Alberta Golden Bears to maintain their spot in the playoff hunt. The Cascades have a record of six wins and eight losses, and are tied for 11th place. The top 12 teams qualify for the playoffs, but a sweep would see the Cascades leapfrog over the 7-7 Wolfpack, and potentially other teams.
“We know they’re going to be hard-nosed, they’re going to be tough inside, and they’re going to be throwing a bunch of different defences at us to try to throw us off,” UFV head coach Adam Friesen said.
The men tip-off against TRU at 8 p.m. on Friday, and at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The women are also looking to improve their playoff spot as they host the Wolfpack on Friday and Saturday.
The Cascades sit tied for eighth in the Canada West conference and sport a record of eight wins and six losses. A good weekend would see UFV clinch a playoff berth, but head coach Al Tuchscherer said he won’t take TRU lightly despite their 12-2 record.
“With the schedule being unbalanced for every team, they’ve had a pretty tough schedule to this point of the season,” he said. “They’ve lost a number of close games, so we’re in no way taking this team lightly. They’re well-coached, and we’ve had some great games over the last four or five years. It’s always a battle playing them.”
The women play at 6 p.m. on Friday, and 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Friday also features UFV alumni night and the Shoot for the Cure fundraising event, which supports the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
Over at the north gym, the top two men’s volleyball teams in the PacWest tangle as the Cascades host the VIU Mariners on Friday and Saturday.
The Mariners handed the Cascades two of the team’s four losses this season, and head coach Kyle Donen said his club is looking for some revenge.
“We have some extra motivation coming off of a loss, and knowing we get them at home, I think we’ve had this game marked on our calendar since we played them in week three,” he said. “We’re excited for this challenge, and we want to show the nation we’re a top-10 team. It’s a weekend we’re ready for.”
The men play Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 3 p.m.
The women’s volleyball team, fresh off their first sweep of the season, looks to continue to build momentum against the top-ranked Mariners.
UFV is in fourth place in the conference, with a record of 7-11, and could move into fourth with a successful weekend.
The women play at 6 p.m. on Friday, and 1 p.m. on Saturday.
On the mats, it’s the third annual Cascades Classic wrestling tournament all day on Sunday.
About 100 competitors are set to grapple starting at 9 a.m.
For more on all the games, visit ufvcascades.ca.
