From the ‘Hardwood’ to ‘The O-Show’

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This article was published 05/02/2026 (206 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A few walks were all Jordon Heppner needed to understand what the Manitoba Bisons had in Owen Weekes.

The two first met as teammates in the summer of 2024 as Heppner prepared for his third year of university men’s volleyball and Weekes, a highly anticipated recruit out of Vincent Massey Collegiate, got set for his first season at the next level.

As fate would have it, Heppner and Weekes parked near each other every day — often the only two teammates to park in this particular parking lot — and would make the lengthy walk to their cars together after each practice.

Aided by their similar interests and humour, it was inevitable that they would grow close.

Weekes quickly earned Heppner’s respect on the court, too.

“I heard a lot about him in club before he committed to the Bisons,” said Heppner, who Weekes now calls the older brother that he never had. “My first impression was, ‘this guy’s aggressive.’ He’s going to be a key piece to our team because we need somebody who can put the ball away, and right from the start, I knew that this was going to be our guy. And that’s exactly who he has been to this team.”

Weekes was viewed as a tantalizing talent the moment he stepped on the court for the Bisons, but he’s quickly grown into so much more.

The 6-8 left side has been the engine of the hottest team in the country since the calendar flipped.

Weekes leads the Bisons with 3.29 kills per set, the sixth most in the Canada West conference. Heppner says his play has reached a different level in his second year.

“Owen is the kind of player that doesn’t care about mistakes, which I think is very important in volleyball,” said Bisons head coach Lupo Ludwig. “Some players, they hit the ball out of bounds, and then they get a little bit hesitant in the next action. Owen doesn’t care; he just goes for the next one.

“Most of the time, he’s doing really well, so that gives him confidence, that gives the team confidence in trusting his athletic abilities. Our setters, they have a bailout.”

The 19-year-old has rocketed up the volleyball ranks locally and nationally in the last two years.

He played the last two summers on Canada’s under-21 team and was selected to the U Sports All-Rookie team last year, despite undergoing a significant position change.

Recruited as a career right side, Weekes was moved to the left side during his rookie year — a challenging change that Ludwig felt was necessary to maximize his talents and the team’s attack.

Weekes didn’t get much playing time immediately as he developed his receiving and passing skills, but by the second half of the year, Ludwig couldn’t cage his prized young attacker any longer. While Weekes was still settling into his new position, it was clear that the sky was the limit.

“I’ve definitely improved my game a lot,” said Weekes, who was nicknamed “Hardwood” at the start of last season due to the time he spent on the bench but has since taken on the moniker of “The O-Show.”

“I think reception is one of the hardest things to do in volleyball, especially consistently. I think in that aspect of volleyball, in that position, there’s so much to learn and develop. One thing I’m not satisfied with yet, but super happy about, is how much I’ve improved in that aspect. My passing has gotten a lot better, and I’m more comfortable at the position. So I think that jump from year one to year two has been a lot better.”

Weekes is a luxury the Bisons will enjoy while they have him. He may have already played his last university match on his home court.

Weekes is committed to transferring to Long Beach State (Long Beach, Calif.), the reigning NCAA Division 1 champions, this fall. The 49ers’ track record — three national championships and five championship final appearances in the last seven seasons — was certainly a draw for him, but so was the chance to sharpen his skills against some of the best North American and import talents from across the world.

“Going to world championships this summer and playing (against) France and Poland and Iran and all these teams that are good, I think that was the first time I was playing in a game, and I was like, ‘Okay, wow, these countries are a lot better than us right now.’ I don’t necessarily feel like I’m behind… but if I want to be an Olympian, want to play pro in the best leagues in the world, I want to upgrade my game, I need to find ways to get as good as I can be,” said Weekes, who was also courted by Loyola-Chicago, Hawaii and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Weekes is a big get for Long Beach State head coach Nick MacRae’s inaugural recruiting class. MacRae is in his first season as the program’s head coach, a role he was appointed following the retirement of long-time bench boss Alan Knipe.

“When the reigning national champions reach out to you and offer you an opportunity to play for them, that’s kind of all I needed. I feel like I got to bet on myself here and not be picky,” Weekes said.

It will be an equally big loss for the Bisons, but not one that caught Ludwig by surprise.

“When we were recruiting Owen, I already said he’s that kind of player. His goal is to be an elite volleyball player, so for me, Year 3 or Year 4 , he probably has to leave to play somewhere professionally,” said Ludwig.

“I was hoping for one more year out of him. That he left after two years is unfortunate, but it’s not that unexpected.”

Weekes will have two years of eligibility remaining. Next year, he anticipates, will be a major year of development, after which he may choose to turn pro.

For now, Weekes is looking to maximize his time with his hometown team, which will attempt to make a run for the ages. The Bisons (12-6) have yet to lose since the calendar flipped and, while they are still likely to head on the road for the entirety of the playoffs, have proven to be as dangerous as any team in the conference.

“I’ve played club volleyball in that gym since I was 16, so that whole surrounding has shaped me into the player I am,” Weekes said. “So many hours in that gym and so many laughs and so many angry moments and great coaching moments — just different people helping me in that space.”

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