With a new season on the horizon, the York Lions men's volleyball team is preparing themselves with another year of change. The change not coming necessarily on the player roster, but with their coaching leadership. Welcoming in a new a new head coach, Jordan Taylor, as well as a new assistant coach, Tyler Latu'ila, the Lions are looking forward to topping their performance from last season.

After a positive rebuild year for 2022-23, the Lions hosted a playoff game for the first time since 2018, and had an 11-win improvement from the season before. Falling short in the OUA bronze medal game last year, the Lions focused in on pre-season to showcase what they will bring to the OUA this season.

"The biggest change (this season) being our head coach, and him bringing in new assistant coaching... Obviously we lost a few key players from last year, mainly our right side and our left side and so this year we have had to shuffle around some pieces, but I think that we've done a really good and we looked really good in the pre-season adjusting to those new pieces," said second-year setter, and team captain, William Deschamps.

Taylor joins the Lions coaching staff after a successful tenure with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). The Ooks topped the ACAC's north division in 2019-20 and 2021-22, Taylor's last season as an assistant coach and first as a head coach. 

With a strong leadership group at the hands of Taylor, led by two returning players who spent the team training with the national program, Jasraj Nijjar and Dennis Cota, the team is excited to get on the court.

"Our leadership team... Will Deschamps, as our captain, Martin Prinsloo, Alex Dorling and Jasraj Nijjar, as well as Luke De Greef who is in a player-coaching sort of role... all of us are looking to try and take more of a leadership role this season to help our team achieve what we want to achieve," said second-year middle blocker Dennis Cota.

A strong returning group of 17 players allows them to incorporate the three new recruits, Alexandru Ignat, Robert Kemp and Max Kosciuch, right into their style of play.

Robert Kemp, a transfer student from Queen's University participated on the Queen's beach volleyball team, winning the first-ever University/College beach nationals on Sept. 7, 2022.

"Robert Kemp... he's an older player but coming in as a rookie and I think that not only his age but his volleyball IQ, coming from the sand, is going to be really important for us," said Deschamps. "He's already made a huge impact on and off the court in pre-season."

Alexandru Ignat was also noted by his teammates as a key player for their upcoming season. Ignat, a member of Team Ontario beach volleyball in both 2020 and 2021, comes from the U18 MAC volleyball club in Hamilton, ON. An already established player with Ontario volleyball will bring his experience and outside hitting to the red and white.

As the beginning of the season is upon the team, the players are also focused on the bigger picture outside of winning losing. Trying to best last year's momentum, Deschamps and Cota are determined to push this team to U-SPORTS Nationals and make their successful OUA playoff run with a tope three finish.

"In the past we as a team have discussed our personal goals and our team goals so I think in order for us to have a successful season we want guys to hit their personal and team goals... We want to build off last year and try to finish on a high note as well," said Nijjar.

The Lions open their season with a home game at Tait McKenzie Centre on Saturday, Nov. 4. The game is set for 3:00 pm against the Brock Badgers.