By Reegan MacAulay
The Holland College Hurricanes return to the court and the rink for their first games in 2026 this weekend.
With several teams poised to become championship contenders and others looking to get out of early-season ruts, we are in for an exciting and competitive second semester as playoff season approaches.
Here’s how three teams will begin the new year in Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) competition, and another will make history outside the Maritimes between Friday, Jan. 9, and Sunday, Jan. 11.
Women’s Volleyball
The women’s volleyball Hurricanes are riding on a high from an impressive run late in the first semester, which sees them enter 2026 on a three-game winning streak and with five wins – four of which are straight-set sweeps – in their last six games.
Sitting in a tie for fourth with Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) and Dalhousie, six wins and 12 points each, Holland will close out a stretch of five consecutive home games – dating back to late November – with a home-court doubleheader against the MSVU Mystics at the McMillan Centre for Community Engagement on Saturday, Jan. 10, and Sunday, Jan. 11.
The Mystics were hot out of the gate with six wins in their first seven games, but are now looking to snap a three-game cold streak entering a three-game road stretch. This weekend’s games will be the first between the Mystics and the Hurricanes this season.
Several players are towards the top of numerous conference statistics and will be critical for continued success, including Jenna O’Neill (seventh in kills with 108 and fourth in hitting percentage with a .315), Abby Macdonald (the top hitting percentage with a .360, and fourth in block per set with 0.76), and Marissa O’Donnell (fifth in assists per set with 6.58).
Catch the action live at www.youtube.com/@GoCanesGo on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
Connect with the women’s volleyball Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/caneswvball.
Note: Men’s volleyball kicks back off next weekend (Jan. 17-18) at home against UNBSJ.
Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball Hurricanes entered the season coming off a major offseason roster overhaul with the loss of multiple program cornerstones, but have continued to remain a conference threat, now with a younger group.
Entering 2026, they are third in the standings with a 5-2 record, having won their last two matches, three of their previous four, and four of five road trips. They head back onto the road to Moncton, N.B., this Saturday for another rematch against the Crandall University Chargers, facing them for the third and final time in regular-season competition.
The Chargers – fifth in the conference with a 2-5 record, six points behind Holland – have yet to defeat the Hurricanes, losing 77-64 on Nov. 1 in Moncton and 72-46 on Dec. 5 in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Nykeva Brown, the reigning ACAA rookie of the year, leads Holland with 95 points and is also fifth in the conference in points per game (13.6) and fourth in rebounds per game (seven). Fellow sophomores Karissa George and Nevaeh O’Connell each have 68 and 66 points, respectively.
Watch the game live at ACAA.tv on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
Connect with the women’s basketball ‘Canes at www.instagram.com/hurricanesbball.
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball Hurricanes seek a significant bounce back in 2026 after winning only two of seven games during the first semester.
Tied for fifth in the conference with Mount Allison, each team carrying two wins and four points, and 10 points behind first-place, the Hurricanes will be playing catch-up starting this Saturday in Moncton, N.B., against the Crandall University Chargers.
The men’s Chargers are two points ahead of the Hurricanes with a 3-4 record and inconsistent results thus far. Like the women, both men’s teams enter the third and final game of this regular-season series. Unlike the women, Holland has yet to conquer Crandall, but has come close across 100-99 and 77-70 losses in November and December.
Veterans Zachary Dawkins, Spencer Rossiter, and Owen Parsons have carried the fort from day one and look to spice things up in the second semester. Dawkins leads the Hurricanes with 131 points, the third-most in the conference, while Rossiter is sixth with 118, and Parsons is tied for 16th with 84. Dawkins also has the third-most points per game with 18.7, and Parsons has the fifth-best field goal percentage (56.5) and third-best three-point percentage (57.1).
Tune in to the action live at ACAA.tv on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
Connect with the men’s basketball Hurricanes at www.instagram.co/hurricanesbball.
Women’s Hockey
While the women’s hockey Hurricanes don’t return to Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) competition until Jan. 24, they will hit the ice elsewhere this weekend.
For the first time, the squad will travel to Sainte-Marie, Quebec, to partake in the National Women’s Hockey Division II Tournament sanctioned by Reseau du sport etudiant du Quebec (RSEQ) and operated under the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) banner.
Featuring 10 teams from across Canada, particularly Quebec, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island, the tournament is expected to provide strong exposure for all participating institutions and be used to consider the revival of an annual national collegiate women’s hockey championship in the future. The CCAA hasn’t hosted a national hockey tournament in about 25 years.
The Hurricanes will play three round-robin games across Friday and Saturday. Depending on their results, they could have a chance to play for a medal when sudden-death playoff action begins on Saturday evening, which’ll include quarterfinal matches for the top eight seeds.
The winners of those games will then advance to the semifinals on Sunday morning and be reseeded, with the bronze and gold medal games later that day. There will also be a game on Sunday for the ninth and 10th-seeded teams.
Holland will face Rimouski and Heritage on Friday, with scheduled puck drops for 11:45 a.m. ET (12:45 p.m. AT) and 8:00 p.m. ET (9:00 p.m. AT), and Trois-Rivieres on Saturday at 10:45 a.m. ET (11:45 a.m. AT).
To stay caught up on all the action in Quebec, including schedule updates, results, statistics, and more, use the link provided below, and also stay tuned to the Holland Hurricanes women’s hockey social media platforms.
https://collegial.rseqhockey.com/fr/stats/horaire.html?season=4555&subSeason=4809&category=6099
Connect with the women’s hockey Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/caneswhockey, www.facebook.com/caneswhky, and www.x.com/caneswhockey.
Connect with the Holland Hurricanes at www.hollandhurricanes.com, www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes,www.x.com/hc_hurricanes and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.
140 Weymouth Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4Z1
Tel: 1-800-446-5265 | Fax: 902-629-4239
