Canadian University varsity programs often have ties with other programs within Canada or even the United States, training and competing together in preparation for their respective seasons. However, no connection may have had more impact on a team's success as the one the Pandas Volleyball program has with various Universities in Japan.

Starting this week, the Pandas will host NIFS Kanoya in Edmonton, highlighted by a Saturday night match at Saville Community Sports Centre. Kanoya was one of three universities the Pandas visited during their trip to Japan in August, which also saw them visit the University of Tsukuba and Aoyama University. 

NIFS will be in Edmonton for two weeks, training with the Pandas following the conclusion of the New Years Classic this weekend. They will also play the Laval Rouge et Or on Friday night at Saville (5:00 PM), before their match against the Pandas on Saturday (7:00 PM). 

Including this August, the Pandas have traveled to Japan six times (1994, 2002, 2012, 2016 and 2019, 2024), while also hosting various Japanese Universities numerous times in Edmonton, the most recent being in December 2018 for their New Year's Classic tournament. The Pandas use the experience, either here or in Japan, as time for pre-season team bonding, combined with intense training with some of the most talented university teams in the world.

The skills and lessons learned by the Pandas have helped them become perennial title contenders themselves. Over the past 30 years, the Pandas have won seven national championships, 10 conference titles, and 18 medals at U SPORTS Championships.

"It's kind of like volleyball heaven - they play the sport the way it is meant to be played," said former Pandas head coach Laurie Eisler. "We get to see players play the game technically perfect, with strong tactical intelligence and an incredible passion for the game. You can't help but be inspired by being in the gym with them. Whether we are training with them or competing against them, we learn more in a very short time than we could training for weeks."