Men's Volleyball | 10/22/2025 10:00:00 AM

'Unfinished business' is the mantra for the York University Lions men's volleyball team coming off the program's best season in eight years.

The Lions went 15-5 in 2024-25, tied for the second-best record in the OUA. They entered the playoffs as the No. 4 seed and swept the Nipissing Lakers in the quarter-finals, but then dropped the semi to the eventual OUA silver-medallist Windsor Lancers and then fell to the Western Mustangs in the bronze medal game.

"It was a great year for us," said head coach Jordan Taylor, who is entering his third season at the helm. "We took a big step and went to war with some of the OUA's best, but that's in the past. Last year is last year, and we're looking forward to this season."

York comes into the new season looking to remain entrenched in the OUA's creme de la creme and perhaps put themselves into an even better position going into the playoffs this time around.

"We've got unfinished business," Taylor reiterated. "We know what that means in our locker room, and that's the tone we're going into this season with."

The Lions have almost their entire group returning from last season, bringing back 17 athletes from last year's team that was a win away from a nationals berth. Among those 17, 12 of them are in their fourth or fifth years of eligibility, led by U SPORTS second team all-Canadian and OUA first team all-star Dennis Cota, who finished second in the OUA and third in the country in total blocks a season ago with 78.

Other returnees Taylor keyed in on where OUA third team all-star Alex Dorling, who forms a dynamic duo in the middle with Cota, and reigning OUA rookie of the year and U SPORTS all-rookie, outside hitter Chris Hoffman.

"We need him to take another step for us," Taylor said of Hoffman. "He had a great campaign last year and I expect a lot more out of him this year."

Also among the returning players who Taylor is expecting big things from are his opposites in veteran Nathan Luken and Bodhi Jones, who is entering his sophomore season.

"They're going to be key for us," he said. "Nathan missed about 80% of our season last year so we expect him to contribute this year as an underrated guy, and Bodhi had a great summer, so we expect those two guys to support (from the right side)."

Given that the Lions are returning essentially their entire roster from 2024-25, the recruiting class wasn't big, but also wasn't without a splash. The team brought in CCAA all-Canadian and PACWEST first team all-star Colby Soolsma, who is entering his fourth year of eligibility, from Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C.

The Lions other two recruits include rookie middle Simon Oberbuchner from Winnipeg, a member of Canada's U19 NORCECA Pan-Am Cup team that won the country's first ever bronze medal in July, and first-year libero Casey Panchuk from Sherwood Park, Alta.

"Casey has been a nice surprise and has brought some youthful energy into our gym," Taylor said. "He'll be a key piece long term for us."

Taylor says that this season is a big one for the team's veteran core that has seen a lot over their time in red and white, and that they will count on them both on the floor and off it to perform well but also to lead the next crop of young players.

"Our fourth and fifth year guys have been through the trenches," he said. "They've had plenty of trials and tribulations and come out the other end not only as phenomenal athletes but phenomenal human beings and leaders.

"They're pillars of our program, they've built it from the ground up and this year is about winning for them and passing the torch to the next generation of Lions."

After getting off to a 7-0 start last season en route to those 15 wins, the Lions will look to get out of the gates fast again this year.

"We have to set the tone," Taylor said. "We're confident that if we do things the right way, good things will happen. We have a sense of belief in our group that if we perform at the level we're capable of, we're going to be a tough out for any opponent we face."

The first opponent the Lions will face is the TMU Bold for two games starting Thursday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. Game time is 8:00 pm. You can watch it live on OUA TV.