NAIT welcomes CCAA nationals as Ooks chase redemption on home court
By Mattias Kidd on March 9, 2026
NAIT is preparing to host the CCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship from March 11–14, giving the Ooks a rare second life at a title run after being eliminated from the ACAC playoffs.
Head coach Phil Dixon says bringing the tournament to NAIT is something the program has been working toward for years. “It’s quite the honor,” he said. Dixon added that the bid to host was two years in the making. “We won the provincial championship in 2024 and then went on to the nationals and won, and we thought we had a pretty good chance to host in the host region in ’26 and put a bid in and won,” he said.
The Ooks will also be leaning on experience, with 11 players graduating after this season, making this tournament the final dance for more than half the roster.
Team captain Ben Kieser says playing at home gives NAIT a major advantage. “It’s going to be awesome. Our fans are pretty crazy. It gets pretty loud in here,” he said. “They’re going to be heckling the other team, so it’s nice to be here,” Kieser added that the team’s home record speaks for itself. “I don’t need to say it, but we’re undefeated at home.”
The four‑day event brings eight of Canada’s top collegiate teams to the NAIT campus, with the championship final set for March 14.