All six of NAIT’s team sports are heading to the Alberta Collegiate Athletic Conference (ACAC) playoffs. This marks the second consecutive year NAIT will qualify all six teams to the postseason. Here’s how each team stacks up heading into their playoffs and what’s at stake for the blue and gold.
Men’s volleyball
14 wins – 5 losses / 2nd in ACAC North
First game vs. Lethbridge Polytechnic on Feb. 26
Volleyball gets underway first with the men taking the court in Red Deer from Feb. 26 to Feb 28. Regardless of their performance at the ACAC tournament, the men’s team will have an automatic bid into the national competition as this year’s host. But, the team is on an eight game win streak and are peaking just at the right time. It should be a good one to watch.
Women’s volleyball
13 wins – 6 losses / 2nd in ACAC North
First game vs. SAIT on Feb. 27
The women’s team went into the winter break 8-1 but have since dropped to 5-5. They have a great core with two players in the top five for kills, one in the top five for assists per set and one in the top five for digs.
The question is if they can get back to the consistency they had in the fall term. They will need to if they want to win the gold medal — they need to win three-straight games to accomplish that. They have all the pieces they need for a championship run, it’s just about putting it all together and executing.
Men’s hockey
12 wins – 12 losses / 3rd in ACAC
vs. Concordia University, Feb. 27 to Mar. 1
The men’s team has completely turned around their season after ending November 3-9. The Ooks shot up the standings and went 9-3 the rest of the way to put themselves in a great spot for the playoffs. The problem? They will face the Concordia Thunder: the same team that has defeated them in each of the past two quarter-finals.
If the Ooks want to make it to the next round, they have to overcome their old rivals and knock the Thunder out of the playoffs.
Women’s hockey
14 wins – 11 losses / 3rd in ACAC
vs. Red Deer Polytechnic, Feb. 27 to Mar. 1
There is no easy way to put it. The women’s team is facing a very difficult task with their matchup against Red Deer.
The Ooks are 0-5 this season against the Queens and have failed to register a goal in their last three matchups against them. Anything can happen in a best-of-three series, but the deck is stacked against NAIT.
They will need to find a new level to their game against Red Deer, otherwise it will be an early exit for the women.
Men’s basketball
13 wins – 7 losses / 3rd in ACAC North
First game vs. Lethbridge Polytechnic on Mar. 5
The Ooks lost their only matchup against the Kodiaks this season 88-63 back in November.
Don’t count out this team, though.
NAIT started the season on a seven-game win streak and allowed the third-fewest points this season.
They may be an underdog when taking their record into account, but if they get through Lethbridge, all bets are off on how far they could go.
Women’s basketball
17 wins – 3 losses / 1st in ACAC North (currently)
The women’s team will either finish as first or second seed, depending on what happens later this week with The King’s University. Their first game, either way, will be on Mar. 5.
Regardless of where the women’s team ends up, they will be a contender for the provincial championship.
They have been working towards this point ever since they won the national championship in 2022 and started their rebuild for the next season.
This will also be the last shot at winning a championship for Payton Neilson — who is second in the conference for points per game — and Mikah Reed — the team’s second leading scorer behind Neilson. If you are searching for teams that have the most on the line to win the title this year, the women’s basketball team is one to watch.
Feature image by Abraham Arrieta / The Nugget
