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PHOTO OF EMILY KYTE (left) AND JACQUI NG BY ANDREW DOBROWOLSKYJ)

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OTTAWA (CIS) - For the first time in 15 years, the McGill University women's volleyball team is headed to the CIS women's volleyball championship. The seeding was announced Sunday for the 2012 CIS tourney set to get under way Friday at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. The eight-team competition concludes next Sunday, March 4 with the gold-medal at 4 p.m.

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SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all 11 matches, including the main and consolation brackets.

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The University of Alberta Pandas head into the event as tournament favourites. Rounding out the seeding behind newly-crowned Canada West champion Alberta are the reigning four-time national champion UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West finalists), No. 3 Montreal Carabins (RSEQ champions), No. 4 Saint Mary's Huskies (AUS champions), No. 5 McGill Martlets (RSEQ finalists), No. 6 Trinity Western Spartans (Canada West bronze medallists), No. 7 Queen's Gaels (OUA champions) and No. 8 McMaster Marauders (championship hosts).

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The Martlets are scheduled to leave Montreal on Wednesday and will open against Saint Mary's on Friday at 6 p.m. The two teams crossed paths twice this season with SMU winning both times, 3-2 and 3-0.

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Alberta secured its No. 1 status thanks to a five-set upset win against UBC in Saturday night's Canada West final in Vancouver. The last time the Pandas were established tournament favourite for the CIS championship, in 2008, they settled for fourth place. However, the previous year, they claimed the seventh banner in program history as the top seed.

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On Friday, top-ranked Alberta will face host McMaster at 8 p.m. in the last quarter-final match-up of opening day, while UBC will open its title defence against Queen's at 3 p.m.

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The other first-round contest will see Montreal battle Trinity Western at 1 p.m..

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UBC holds the all-time mark with eight CIS women's volleyball banners, one more than Alberta and Winnipeg. The Pandas and Winnipeg share the record for most consecutive national titles, with six, two better than the T-Birds' current run.

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Championship website:

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Note: A complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday.

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SEEDING

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1. Alberta Pandas (CWUAA champions: 14-6 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)

2. UBC Thunderbirds (CWUAA finalists: 18-2 regular season / 1-1 playoffs)

3. Montreal Carabins (RSEQ champions: 12-3 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)

4. Saint Mary's Huskies (AUS champions: 16-1 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)

5. McGill Martlets (RSEQ finalists: 5-10 regular season / 2-3 playoffs)

6. Trinity Western Spartans (CWUAA bronze medallists: 13-7 regular season / 3-1 playoffs)

7. Queen's Gaels (OUA champions: 13-5 regular season / 3-0 playoffs)

8. McMaster Marauders (Championship hosts: 11-7 regular season / 0-1 playoffs)

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CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

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NOTE: Live webcast of all games on SSN Canada.

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Wednesday, February 29

18:30 All-Canadian Awards Gala (Crowne Plaza Hotel)

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Thursday, March 1

9:00 - 17:00 Team practices (55 minutes per team)

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Friday, March 2

13:00 Quarter-final #1: No. 3 Montreal vs. No. 6 Trinity Western

15:00 Quarter-final #2: No. 2 UBC vs. No. 7 Queen's

18:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 4 Saint Mary's vs. No. 5 McGill

20:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 1 Alberta vs. No. 8 McMaster

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Saturday, March 3

13:00 Consolation #1: Loser quarter-final #1 vs. Loser quarter-final #2

15:00 Consolation #2: Loser quarter-final #3 vs. Loser quarter-final #4

18:00 Semifinal #1: Winner quarter-final #1 vs. Winner quarter-final #2

20:00 Semifinal #2: Winner quarter-final #3 vs. Winner quarter-final #4

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Sunday, March 4

11:00 5th place

13:00 Bronze medal

16:00 Championship final

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For more information contact:

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Earl Zukerman, 香蕉视频, (514) 398-7012

Cam Dunlop, McMaster University, Cell: (905) 741-8767

Michel B茅langer, CIS,听 Cell: (613) 447-6334

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