Sault College Cougars Set Sights on 2027 Playoff Push as Third OCAA Season Begins

Posted On: October 22, 2026
Posted By: Saultsports
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The Sault College Cougars women’s volleyball team is ready to take the next step as it prepares to open its 2026-2027 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) season with a two-match road series against the Niagara Knights on October 24th and 25t.

Both contests are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Niagara College as the Cougars begin their third season competing in the OCAA, looking to build on last year’s 3-13 campaign and put themselves in contention for a playoff spot.

Under head coach Becky Grisdale, Sault College enters the new campaign with a combination of returning experience, promising newcomers and an increased emphasis on consistency across all areas of the game.

The expectations are clear: improve on last season, develop a more balanced offensive attack and compete for a postseason berth.

“Our expectation is to take another step forward this season,” Grisdale said. “Last year was about establishing our return to OCAA competition, and this year we want to build on that foundation with greater consistency, confidence and accountability.”

Grisdale believes a successful season would involve competing for a playoff spot while seeing meaningful growth throughout the roster, both on and off the court.

“The results matter, but so does how we earn them,” she added, emphasizing the importance of developing athletes as students, leaders and people.

Encouraging Preseason Results Provide Momentum
The Cougars head into their opening weekend encouraged by their performance at a recent tournament hosted by Cambrian College.

Sault College finished first in its pool, defeated Cambrian during round-robin play and advanced to the tournament final. Cambrian ultimately claimed the championship, handing the Cougars their only loss of the weekend.

The tournament provided valuable opportunities for the team to showcase its offensive potential while identifying areas requiring further development before the regular season gets underway.

“It was an encouraging weekend for us,” Grisdale said. “There were stretches where we played with confidence and showed the offensive potential of this group.”

However, maintaining that level of execution throughout an entire match remains a priority. The Cougars want to improve their decision-making in transition, create more opportunities for their middle attackers and become more effective at turning defensive plays into scoring chances.

“We need to sustain our execution when opponents adjust, make better decisions in transition and create more opportunities for our middles,” Grisdale explained. “We want to do more with the balls we defend so that we can put pressure back on the other team.”

Returning Experience Meets New Offensive Talent
One of the Cougars’ biggest strengths heading into the season is the combination of experienced returning players and incoming offensive talent.

Captain Darby Sewell will be an important figure in establishing the team’s identity, providing leadership and helping younger athletes adjust to the demands of college volleyball.

Returning setter Payton Baker will also play a significant role in directing the offence. After earning rookie all-star recognition last season, Baker returns with valuable experience and the responsibility of distributing the ball effectively while helping the Cougars establish a more balanced attack.

Alara Sheehan is another key returning player, with Grisdale identifying her as one of the OCAA’s most talented liberos.

“Our returning players are very important because they understand the demands of the college season and the expectations within our program,” Grisdale said.

She added that Sewell’s experience as captain and Baker’s ability to direct the offence will be important as the team works to establish its identity.

The Cougars have also recruited powerful outside hitters who are expected to provide additional attacking options and increase competition during practices.

“We have a strong combination of returning experience like Darby Sewell and new offensive talent,” Grisdale said. “We have recruited some powerful outside hitters who can bring our attacking game to another level, and returning setter Payton Baker gives us an important foundation for running our offence.”

The objective is to make opponents defend the entire net rather than focus on one or two primary offensive threats. Developing the middle position will be especially important, both offensively and defensively.

“The more threats we can establish, the more opportunities we create for everyone,” Grisdale said.

Leadership and Chemistry Key to Progress
As the Cougars work toward their playoff aspirations, leadership and team chemistry will be important factors in determining how quickly the group develops.

Sewell’s role as captain will be central to setting the standard, while returning players are expected to help establish daily expectations surrounding preparation, accountability and teamwork.

Grisdale believes leadership extends beyond performance during matches. It also involves responding to feedback, handling adversity and supporting teammates when challenges arise.

“Leadership shows up in how athletes prepare, respond to feedback, handle adversity and support a teammate who is struggling,” she said.

Preseason travel and tournament competition have given the players opportunities to build relationships and learn more about one another away from the court.

That process will continue throughout the season as the team works to establish trust and accountability during practices and competition.

Grisdale also emphasized the importance of developing athletes who can contribute positively beyond volleyball.

“We are building good athletes and good humans, and that takes consistent work from all of us,” she said.

Improving First Contact, Blocking and Transition Play
Several areas of the game have received particular attention throughout training camp and early-season practices.

Developing the middle attackers and improving their blocking responsibilities have been major priorities. The Cougars are working on the timing and connection between their setters and middles, their availability during transition and their ability to read opposing attacks.

Serve receive and blocking coordination are also important areas of emphasis.

Against experienced OCAA opponents, the ability to control the first contact can determine whether a team establishes its offence or spends the match reacting defensively.

Sault College is also focused on converting defensive opportunities into purposeful attacks rather than simply returning the ball over the net.

Early preseason trips to Lake Superior State University and Michigan State University provided valuable perspective on the areas requiring improvement and the level of execution needed to compete consistently.

As the regular season begins, Grisdale wants to see those lessons translate into stronger decision-making and execution, particularly under pressure.

Preparing for a Demanding OCAA Schedule
The Cougars know that competing in the OCAA requires consistency, adaptability and the ability to respond when opponents find weaknesses.

Grisdale expects a demanding season in which teams will quickly expose mistakes, requiring Sault College to make adjustments throughout matches.

Competing with the league’s top programs will require effective serving and passing, disciplined blocking and the ability to generate points even when the offence is out of system.

The team must also maintain its composure when momentum shifts, particularly during a schedule that includes back-to-back competition days.

Sault College has shown promising stretches during preseason competition, but the challenge will be sustaining that level over a full match and across consecutive days of competition.

Playoff Spot the Goal for Sault College
While individual improvements and team development remain important, the Cougars have a clear competitive objective for the 2026-2027 campaign: earn a playoff spot and give themselves an opportunity to compete in the postseason.

“Our goal is to earn a playoff spot and put ourselves in a position to compete once we get there,” Grisdale said.

Achieving that goal will require the team to turn promising performances into consistent results.

That means taking care of first contact, developing a balanced offence and making adjustments as matches unfold. Grisdale also stressed the importance of academics, recovery and the responsibilities players have to one another away from competition.

“We believe this group has the potential to take that next step, and now we have to earn it through our daily habits and our play,” she said.

The foundation is in place, and the next step is demonstrating that progress when the regular season begins.

Sault College will get its first opportunity to measure its development against OCAA competition when it visits the Niagara Knights on October 24 and 25. Both matches are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Niagara College.

For the Cougars, the opening weekend represents more than the start of another season. It is an opportunity to demonstrate how far the program has progressed and begin working toward its goal of becoming a playoff contender in the OCAA.

With returning experience, new offensive talent and a renewed focus on consistency, Grisdale and the Cougars will look to make their third season in the conference a significant step forward.

2026-2027 OCAA COUGARS SCHEDULE
Oct 24 (Sat) 1:00 p.m
Sault College Cougars @ Niagara Knights

Oct 25 (Sun) 1:00 p.m
Sault College Cougars @ Niagara Knights

Oct 31 (Sat) 6:00 p.m
Les Vipères Boreal Les Vipères @ Sault College Cougars

Nov 01 (Sun) 1:00 p.m
Les Vipères Boreal Les Vipères @ Sault College Cougars

Nov 14 (Sat) 6:00 p.m
Sault College Cougars @ St. Clair Saints

Nov 15 (Sun) 1:00 p.m
Sault College Cougars @ St. Clair Saints

Nov 28 (Sat) 6:00 p.m
Cambrian Golden Shield @ Sault College Cougars

Nov 29 (Sun) 1:00 p.m
Cambrian Golden Shield @ Sault College Cougars

Jan 09 (Sat) 6:00 p.m
Sault College Cougars @ Sheridan Bruins

Jan 10 (Sun) 1:00 p.m
Sault College Cougars @ Sheridan Bruins

Jan 16 (Sat) 6:00 p.m
Fanshawe Falcons @ Sault College Cougars

Jan 17 (Sun) 1:00 p.m
Fanshawe Falcons @ Sault College Cougars