Mounties Volleyball wins the ACAA championships once again
For the first time since 1974, Mounties Volleyball have won the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Championships two years in a row! The ACAA Championships took place from Feb. 27-March 1, 2026 at St. Thomas University, in Fredericton. The tournament began with Mt.A having a bye into the second day of the competition. After two hard fought games, the women finished first overall in the league. The final game on March 1, 2026, secured their spot in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championships, meaning the Mounties will be headed to Manitoba to finish off their season, on top of their back-to-back ACAA league win.
The week before the ACAAs, Mt.A was ranked third overall in the league. After having lost eight players since last season, many considered this a rebuilding year for the team. Their 2024-2025 season was a tough act to follow, having previously brought home the banner at the 2025 ACAAs. Now with 11 rookies added to their lineup, forming a new team identity was key to progressing through the season for this group. Third-year player and middle for the Mounties, Isabel Crouse, sat down with The Argosy to discuss the team’s victory and the season leading up to their historic win.
“Everybody just assumed it would be rebuilding. And then it just kind of took off, and we started winning more, which I’m not surprised [about], we’re a great team.” The team’s new focus was on gaining momentum. “When you have a whole fresh lineup coming in, proving that we can still go back to back, and that is what Mounties volleyball does, I think was super exciting,” said Crouse.
They began the competition by playing the semi-final against Holland College, in a nail-biting 3-2 reverse sweep win for the Mounties. “We played Holland Saturday, and they had already played Friday and gotten their footing. So, I think they came in super confident and took us in the first two sets again, and then we realized that, like, we didn’t want this to be the end, and this isn’t the way that Mounties volleyball plays,” said Crouse. “We came back and took them in three, and just, like, the faces of the fans and the faces of Holland, realizing that we had just reverse swept them, I think was amazing.”
The final game of the weekend was played by Mt A against the University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ), where the Mounties won 3-2 again. “Everybody who was on the court or on the bench put everything into that game. And then winning, it was surreal. Like, we were down 8-2 in the final fifth set, and if you know anything about volleyball, it only goes to 15. So really, like, stepping up and saying, “okay, like, this is our moment. We need to leave it all out here.’ And I think that’s exactly what we did.” said Crouse, of their gold-medal moment.
Defeating UNBSJ meant that the trophy was returned back to Mt.A, after 42 days of being held by the league. This moment was made even sweeter through the unity of the team. As their hard work paid off, Crouse emphasized the importance of being a close-knit team. “I think you’re doing it for yourself, and you’re doing it for everybody else. And everybody wants to be there. … So, you spend so much time with people who have the same goals as you. And then to complete that goal is just super exciting.”
Crouse also said that a huge part of the team’s success stems from their supportive fan community. “People come out on a Sunday or Saturday when we have big games, and they come and they’re cheering, or they come on the fan bus, and they’re rooting for us when no one else is. So I think that means more than people know.” She shouted out their super supportive alumni community, as well as parents who consistently show up for their players.
The team left for Manitoba on Monday, March 9 to compete at Nationals. The Argosy wishes them the best of luck with their games!