By Reegan MacAulay
The Holland Hurricanes are full sail into the winter season this weekend, with all winter sports in action at home and on the road. While volleyball and hockey are back at it after last weekend, the basketball teams hit the court for the first time.
Here’s everything you need to know for upcoming Holland Hurricanes games in Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) and Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) competition on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2.
Women’s Volleyball
The women’s volleyball Hurricanes enter a busy November, with nine upcoming games between Nov. 1 and Nov. 29 before the exam/holiday break.
Coming off a hard-fought 3-1 loss on the road against UNBSJ last Sunday to open the 2025-26 season, Holland will have a home-and-away doubleheader to begin the new month.
It starts with their home-opening game against the St. Thomas University (STU) Tommies (1-1) on Saturday, Nov. 1, and is followed by a trip to Halifax, N.S., on Sunday, Nov. 2, to do battle with the University of King’s College (UKC) Blue Devils (1-1).
STU split their two home-opening games last weekend against USTA and MSVU, and will be on the road for their next three matches. UKC did the same against Mount Allison and USTA. Before welcoming Holland to their court, the Blue Devils will challenge MSVU on Friday, Oct. 31.
While the Hurricanes were unsuccessful to begin the season, remember, their season-opening loss can’t overshadow the fact that they scored fewer than 23 points in a single set against UNBSJ, meaning their high-scoring capabilities are there. Still, all other factors must come together for success.
Game start times: Saturday - 4:00 p.m. at www.youtube.com/@GoCanesGo / Sunday - 2:00 p.m. at acaa.tv
Players To Keep An Eye On…
Maria Moores (third-year outside hitter, Conception Bay South, NL) - The most recent Hurricanes Female Athlete of the Week. In last Sunday’s game against UNBSJ, the first-year Hurricane led the team with 13 points and added 10 kills, two aces, eight digs, and two blocks.
Jenna O’Neill (fifth-year left-side, Cornwall, P.E.I.) - The veteran and reigning Hurricanes Women’s Volleyball Most Valuable Player scored 12 kills and 11 digs against UNBSJ last Sunday in a strong offensive effort.
Morgan Hoskins (fifth-year outside hitter/libero, Cornwall, P.E.I.) - Recorded six kills and five aces. A significant momentum-swinger who forced UNBSJ to make numerous adjustments throughout last Sunday’s game.
Connect with the women’s volleyball Hurricanes at www.x.com/caneswvball and www.instagram.com/caneswvball.
Men’s Volleyball
The men’s volleyball Hurricanes will be faced with quite a return to their home court this weekend.
After splitting their season-opening doubleheader on the road against UNBSJ last weekend, they now shift their attention to playing in front of their fans for the first time this season, with this weekend’s games set to add another chapter to a heated rivalry.
The upcoming doubleheader is against the STU Tommies on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2, at the McMillan Centre for Community Engagement in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Many people may be familiar with this as the rematch of last year’s ACAA Men’s Volleyball Championships semifinals, which STU won 3-1 on the same court.
The Tommies are off to a hot start this season, defeating USTA 3-0 and 3-1 in their home-opening doubleheader last weekend. Their next six games (three doubleheaders) are all on the road, and Holland is up first in their invasion hunt.
Game start times: Saturday - 2:00 p.m. / Sunday - 12:00 p.m.
Live streams at www.youtube.com/@GoCanesGo.
Players To Keep An Eye On…
Brett Macausland (third-year middle, Summerside, P.E.I.) - The most recent Hurricanes Male Athlete of the Week, earned after leading his team with 24 kills, and adding seven blocks, five assists, two aces, and eight digs across the team’s two season-opening matches last weekend.
Keiran Hamlin (rookie outside hitter, Winnipeg, Manitoba) - Impressed in his Hurricanes and ACAA debut last weekend. Notched 20 kills and 19 digs across both campaign-opening games against UNBSJ.
Connect with the men’s volleyball Hurricanes at www.x.com/canesmvball and www.instagram.com/canesmvball.
Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball Hurricanes are the next ‘Canes squad to embark on a new journey, starting their 2025-26 season on the road in New Brunswick this weekend.
They will visit the Crandall University Chargers on Saturday, Nov. 1, in Moncton, and then head to Sackville on Sunday, Nov. 2, to spoil the party against the Mount Allison Mounties.
The Hurricanes, three-time ACAA women’s basketball champions and two-time Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) nationals medalists, head into the new year seeking their first regional title since 2017.
Last season, with a roster featuring strong defense and character that defied some expectations, they finished second in the regular-season standings. In the playoffs, they earned their way into the finals for the first time since their previous championship, ultimately falling short to a more powerful MSVU Mystics team.
That loss increased the cold streak to six seasons, and this year’s group will be hungry to earn regional supremacy again. While it has experienced a significant overhaul, they will benefit from the return of veterans like third-year guards Robyne Driscoll (Portugal Cove St. Phillip’s, NL) and Mariam Elshenoufy (Cairo, Egypt), and second-year guards Karissa George (New Glasgow, N.S.) and Nykeva Brown (Halifax, N.S.). George is fresh off a Player-of-the-Year campaign with the women’s soccer Hurricanes.
Head coach Chris Connolly returns to the helm for another year. Notably, a new assistant coach will be a recent graduate and last year’s Hurricanes Women’s Basketball Leadership Award winner, Amy Plaggenhoef.
Game start times: Saturday - 6:00 p.m. / Sunday - 1:00 p.m.
Live streams at acaa.tv.
Connect with the women’s basketball ‘Canes at www.x.com/caneswbball and
www.instagram.com/hurricanesbball.
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball Hurricanes will join the women at the same courts against the same institutions, with games against Crandall and Mount Allison in Moncton, N.B., and Sackville, N.B., respectively.
Last year saw a roller coaster for the men in the regular season, beginning with an up-and-down pattern that gradually grew more consistent and gained momentum in the second half. Their late-season surge earned them a runner-up regular-season finish. Unfortunately, in the playoffs, they bowed out in a close semifinal battle against the championship-hosting UNBSJ Seawolves, who went on to win it all.
Holland, an eight-time ACAA men’s basketball champion (once winning seven titles in a row) and four-time CCAA nationals medalist, is eager to return to the finals for the first time since 2023 after back-to-back semifinal losses.
With the legendary duo of Bryce Corless and Aaron Simmons no longer with the team, it gives a grand opportunity for a passing of the torch. Potential candidates include third-year center Owen Parsons (Hebbville, N.S.), third-year point guard Jaidon Martin (East York/Toronto, Ontario), and fourth-year guards Zachary Dawkins (Edmonton, Alberta), Dorrell Bedminster (Hamilton, Ontario), and Spencer Rossiter (also a forward, Summerside, P.E.I.)
Game start times: Saturday - 8:00 p.m. / Sunday - 3:00 p.m.
Live streams at acaa.tv.
Connect with the men’s basketball Hurricanes at www.x.com/canesmbball and
www.instagram.co/hurricanesbball.
Women’s Hockey
The women’s hockey Hurricanes are another team prepping for a playoff rematch this weekend, with one big difference – they previously faced this opponent for the ACHA Championship for the fourth consecutive year back in March.
Coming off two tough losses – 4-1 and 6-2 – against the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers last weekend in Sydney, N.S., the Hurricanes will regain several missing bodies who missed the road trip due to fall sport playoff action, and bring lessons learned into their home-opening doubleheader against the Acadia University Axewomen this Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2, at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
These games will also be Holland’s final ones until the 2026 portion of the season, with their next ones not until the weekend of Jan. 17-18, 2026. As for Acadia, these games will be their first this season.
Holland and Acadia have fought for ACHA supremacy for the past four years, with the Hurricanes claiming the last three crowns. Last year’s triumph was one that nobody saw coming, with Holland going from a 4-5-1 regular-season campaign to a remarkable, undefeated Cinderella-story playoff run.
They have over half of their previous roster back, led by captain, reigning leading scorer, and the previous Hurricanes Women’s Hockey Most Valuable and Top Offensive Player, Kristyn Taylor (Travellers Rest, P.E.I.). She’ll have additional, experienced support on the offensive end from Abbey Gordon (fourth year, Murray Harbour, P.E.I.), Bri Hughes (fourth year and third as a Hurricane, Shamrock, P.E.I.), and Josee Allain (third year, Bouctouche, N.B.).
An elite and versatile sophomore group consists of forwards Cassie Gordon (Murray Harbour, P.E.I.), Gabrielle LeBlanc (Middleton, N.S.), Emma Carey (Yellowknife, NWT), and Adyson MacGillivray (Fall River, N.S.), and defensemen Tori Acorn (Cornwall, P.E.I.), Ella Marshall (Bridgetown, N.S.), and Emmy Parsons (Sackville, N.B.). Seven new skaters join this chapter of the ongoing dynasty, including elite rugby player Hannah Whalen (Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.).
Cassie Gordon, who scored all three of Holland’s goals in Sydney last weekend, is excited to be back, especially considering she wasn’t planning on playing hockey after last season.
“It’s a really good feeling (to be back),” Gordon said. “It’s good starting on a high, and it sets expectations high. Obviously, it sucked to lose, but hopefully, we can bounce back, and that’ll give us even more fuel for this weekend. Last year, we showed so much growth from the first of the season till the end. I don’t think starting on a low note is a bad thing. It shows us what we need to work on, so more communication and working as a team will help us get more wins.”
As for the goaltenders, multi-time Hurricanes Women’s Hockey Most Valuable Player Emma Arsenault (Searletown, P.E.I.) is back for a fifth consecutive campaign, and is joined by rookie and former Major U18 Eastern Stars prodigy Olivia Lowe.
Puck drop times: Saturday - 7:30 p.m. / Sunday - 11:15 a.m.
Live streams at www.youtube.com/@GoCanesGo.
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
