After nearly a month between games, the University of Winnipeg Wesmen are ready to get back on the court.
Following an extended Christmas break, the Wesmen returned to action with a series of exhibition matches in Sherbrooke, Que., ahead of the new year.
Few players were more eager for the restart than sophomore middle Liam Allen.
The 24-year-old St. Andrews native was sidelined early in the season after suffering a knee injury that required surgery, forcing him to miss significant time. Allen returned briefly before the break and is now looking forward to a busy stretch of games through January and February.
During that span, the reigning Canada West champions will look to improve on their 4-6 record heading into the break.
“We are definitely eager to start the second half better than we did the first,” said Allen. “We’ve got a similar tough lineup going into the second half, a lot of good teams. Having a good little break in the middle of the two halves is definitely what we’ve been working toward.”
The Wesmen will play five two-game series over January and February, including a highly anticipated rematch with the University of Alberta Golden Bears — the team Winnipeg defeated in last season’s Canada West final at a packed and raucous Duckworth Centre.
Allen hopes for another opportunity to play in a similar atmosphere.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a gym that loud,” he said. “That was super, super fun. We’re just all trying to chase the best level of play we can right now and let that decide where it falls. Whether that leads to being in a Canada West final again, it’ll be what it is at the end of the season.”
Veteran leadership will be key if the Wesmen are to climb the standings in the second half.
Allen said the team has felt the loss of players such as Isaiah Olfert and Ben Traa, who logged heavy minutes during last season’s championship run. Their departures have created opportunities for others to step into larger roles.
Now once again the oldest player on the roster, Allen continues to contribute on the court while embracing a leadership role off it as well.
“We’ve got a great group of guys who are all pretty close in age,” he said. “I know a lot of them from coaching against them, playing with them, or seeing them when they were younger. Being older gives me a bit more perspective. I’ve played longer and even played a different sport, and you see the similarities across high-level university sports all the time.”
Allen has two seasons of eligibility remaining following the 2025-26 campaign. He would have had three if not for a previous stint playing college baseball in the United States.
Since returning to volleyball, he said he has enjoyed it even more than baseball.
A graduate of Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School, Allen is now back in the Lord Selkirk School Division working as a substitute educational assistant. He hopes to one day secure a full-time position as a science teacher in the division.
At the University of Winnipeg, Allen is currently pursuing a degree in chemistry and plans to complete his education degree afterward.
