‘A brave new world’ for Bisons volleyball

Life is bound to look different when you’re without one of the best cores in the country.

Just ask Chelsea Siebenga, the standout fifth-year libero who, along with fifth-year middle Aviendah Plett, is all that remains from a decorated era of Manitoba Bisons women’s volleyball.

“It’s definitely different,” Siebenga said. “Those six people had been on the team the whole time I was a Bison. Those were my friends basically, the people that I would hang out with, so having them gone, it makes the team feel… like a completely different team, to me, at least.”

For the first time in five years, the Bisons will enter a season without Raya Surinx on the left side of their attack. The two-time U Sports Player of the Year opted to forgo her final year of eligibility and begin her professional career in Italy.

She left the Canadian university ranks as a three-time All-Canadian and the Bisons’ all-time leader in kills, aces and points.

Beyond one of the program’s all-time greats, the Bisons also graduated outside hitters Andi Almonte and Ella Gray, setter Elia Falcone, and middles Brenna Bedosky and Eve Catojo. Together, they delivered a national bronze medal, one gold and two bronze at the Canada West conference championships, and national gold in 2025 — along with a bevy of personal accolades.

A slew of first- and second-year talent is now left to usher in a new era. Led by Siebenga, Plett and second-year setter Julia Martens — who was named to the U Sports All-Rookie team last season and was named Canada West Rookie of the Year — there’s an intriguing element of the unknown for the Bisons in 2026-27.

“It’s a brave new world,” said head coach Ken Bentley. “Obviously it’s a huge adjustment. There’s no doubt about it. But I mean, our previous generation had to evolve also. We had to take some on the chin, and we learned through our failures along the way to become the team we did, and this group is no different.

“There’s no escaping that. The only way out is through. So we’re just starting to begin that journey.”

In many ways, it becomes a season of learning, not only for the players, but so too for Bentley, who will discover exactly what he has for the future of his program.

“We’ve been really generous with playing time (in pre-season) for all the right reasons,” said Bentley. “Whether we win or whether we lose, I think we’ve done a really good job of providing substantive opportunity for this group to play and get a feel for what that responsibility is like on the floor, and that’ll kind of be an ongoing process.”

One of those new faces is versatile Norwegian Selma Hodne.

The 19-year-old product of Oslo became the second Scandinavian to sign with the Bisons in as many years after right side Lucy Jürgensen joined as the first international recruit of Bentley’s career.

Hodne stands at an imposing 6-3 and brings the ability to play middle and right side. A multi-time all-star at both positions in the Northern European Volleyball Zonal Association, she was named the best middle blocker in each of the last three seasons in the Norwegian Women’s Volleyball League.

So, how did she make her way to the Keystone province?

“In Norway, I played in the same club for 14 years, so I felt like it was time to go somewhere else and challenge myself and develop myself as a volleyball player,” Hodne said.

She considered turning pro in Europe after last season, but decided an education was more important. She considered programs in the U.S., but was sold after a conversation with Bentley.

“After talking to (Bentley), I just got a really good impression, so I wasn’t really bothered with looking into other schools. And then also talking to Lucy about her year here, it’s also really safe to have someone you know when you’re moving that far away from home.”

Hodne and Jürgensen played together on Norway’s senior national team and have faced each other in club and beach volleyball over the years. Hodne also played with Jürgensen’s older sister at the club level.

Hodne has primarily been tested at middle, her most comfortable position, throughout the pre-season. She maintains that she’s already comfortable on the court and isn’t worried about the transition to this level of competition in the regular season.

“I feel like I’m ready for sure,” she said. “My goal out of Norwegian volleyball was to challenge myself, have better players around me, because I feel like I kind of got to the point of a skill level where I kind of maxed out how good I could be there.

“At the same time, I’m used to playing games; I’m used to having a lot of responsibilities,” she added. “It doesn’t scare me, (nor does it) make me nervous or any of that sort.”

There’s also a level of comfort for Bentley, who said Hodne and Jürgensen each bring a level of maturity to the court. He anticipates both of his international recruits will log big minutes this season.

“I watched (Hodne’s recruit) video (last winter). Like, man, first of all, she’s six-foot-three, so she’s a tall drink of water for sure. But her game was really mature, and she had really confident skills,” Bentley said.

“One of the early pre-season — it’s not a joke; it’s a compliment — every time Selma’s set the ball in a broken play… she’s got like 100 per cent assist rating because she has just done so well handling the ball. So it’s kind of a running joke, ‘Oh, Selma’s setting or bumping, we’re good.’

“I recruited Selma independently of Lucy, and the opportunity came up, and she was just too good a kid to pass up. That was really the bottom line. So we just found a way to make the space, and I’m incredibly happy that we did.”

While the youngsters get some notches on their belt, it’ll be up to the likes of Siebenga and Plett to pass the torch and instill a championship-winning culture for the next era.

“They didn’t get the chance to play with the Katreena Bentleys, the Light (Uchechukwus),” Siebenga said. “Those were the people who kind of taught the culture to me, and that’s why I am the competitor that I am, and same with Avi, too.

“They passed it down to us, and now it’s our job to pass it down to these younger players. And I do take a lot of pride in that. Every day I show up to practice, and I try to raise the compete, and I try to just show everyone what Bison volleyball is, and it’ll come with time, and I just really hope that I can make a lasting impression on them that stays well past my time.”

The Bisons begin their regular-season campaign in Langley, B.C., against Trinity Western on Oct. 23.

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