By Reegan MacAulay
The Holland College Hurricanes had a fantastic start to 2026, notably winning all four Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) games across the first weekend of second-half action, and performing strongly in national competition outside the Maritimes.
Here’s how five clubs fared on Friday, Jan. 9, Saturday, Jan. 10, and Sunday, Jan. 11.
Women’s Volleyball
The women’s volleyball Hurricanes remain unstoppable to begin the new year, now on a five-game winning streak following a doubleheader sweep against the Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) Mystics on Saturday and Sunday at the McMillan Centre for Community Engagement in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Holland took Saturday’s game 3-1 and Sunday’s match 3-0. Both victories now have the team at six consecutive home victories – an overall 6-1 home record at the McMillan Centre – and Sunday’s result was Holland’s sixth straight-set sweep this season and their fourth at home.
While Saturday’s battle had inconsistent set scores, Sunday’s final overall score was not a good indicator of how close each set was. Two sets were forced past 25 points, and neither Holland nor MSVU recorded fewer than 23 points in any set.
Across both games, Jenna O’Neill recorded the most kills with 24 and added 22 digs. Maria Moores had her best weekend of the season, notching 21 kills, two assists, three aces, 14 digs, and three blocks. Moores, Abby Macdonald, and Mason Babey all contributed greatly on defense.
The Hurricanes are now 8-4 and two points behind the Mount Allison Mounties for the conference lead. It remains a tight race between first and seventh, with seven teams separated by eight points.
Holland will take the next weekend off and prepare for a road trip to Fredericton, N.B., on the following weekend – Jan. 24-25 – to invade the STU Tommies. Their next home games are on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
Connect with the women’s volleyball Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/caneswvball.
Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball Hurricanes extended their win streak to three games after a dominant 85-48 victory over the Crandall University Chargers on Saturday in Moncton, N.B.
Holland controlled the pace right out of the gate and exploded offensively in the first half, outscoring Crandall 44-11 through two quarters while playing a fantastic defensive game.
The Chargers responded in the second half with a much better offensive effort, and even outscored the Hurricanes in the fourth quarter 19-17. Ultimately, they couldn’t cut the deficit enough to warrant a comeback rally against Holland’s strong control of the match.
Sophomore Nevaeh O’Connell led the Hurricanes with 22 points, scoring nine of her 13 field-goal attempts and four times from the three-point line, on top of making five steals. Rookie Nadia Barrington also performed strongly with 13 points, five field goals on eight tries, three successful free throws on four attempts, six rebounds, and four blocks.
The regular-season series between Holland and Crandall has concluded, with the Hurricanes taking all three games.
Now with a 6-2 record, still third in the conference, Holland has reeled MSVU and STU closer to them in the standings. They trail the two teams tied for first – 14 points each – by two points.
They look to go four, possibly five, in a row next weekend when they play at home for the first time in 2026. The UKC Blue Devils come to town on Saturday, Jan. 17, and Sunday, Jan. 18.
Connect with the women’s basketball ‘Canes at www.instagram.com/hurricanesbball.
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball Hurricanes rallied from a tough start to steal a 74-60 win away from the Crandall University Chargers on Saturday in Moncton, N.B.
Holland was down 25-14 after the first quarter, initially struggling in their fight against Crandall’s superior offensive performance. They eventually found their rhythm in the second quarter, both offensively and defensively, outscoring the Chargers 24-10 to put themselves down by three, 35-38, at halftime.
The Hurricanes continued their surge into the third quarter and stayed in a double-digit lead for most of it, which forced Crandall to call a timeout just before the halfway point. Ahead 60-51 going into the fourth and final quarter, Holland’s focus shifted to defense, which helped seal the deal for the team’s first win since November and their first against Crandall this season.
A mix of veterans and rookies led the way for the Hurricanes, with Zachary Dawkins in charge with 15 points, a 7-for-20 field-goal record, and eight rebounds. Spencer Rossiter, Quinton Martin, and Vashon Ford each scored 13 points, combining for 39 while each playing over 25 minutes on the court. Ford was also spectacular at the basket with a team-leading 17 rebounds.
With Saturday’s win, the Hurricanes are now tied with Crandall for fourth in the conference, each carrying 3-5 records and six points. Both teams are six points behind a tie for second between UNBSJ and MSVU.
Holland looks to keep the momentum going next weekend with their first home-court games of the second half scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 17, and Sunday, Jan. 18. Like the women, the men will also face the UKC Blue Devils.
Connect with the men’s basketball Hurricanes at www.instagram.co/hurricanesbball.
Women’s Hockey
The women’s hockey Hurricanes participated in the National Women’s Hockey Division II Tournament in Sainte-Marie, Quebec, this past weekend, taking advantage of bonding time and world exploration in their first trip to Quebec while simultaneously showcasing the talent that comes out of Atlantic Canada.
Although the squad went winless across three round-robin games and a placement match, each performance was characterized by grit, hard work, and determination in the group’s efforts to prove that Maritime programs can compete against and challenge teams nationally.
The Hurricanes played twice on Friday, beginning round-robin action with a close 1-0 loss to the Rimouski Pionnieres. Veteran goaltender Emma Arsenault was named the Hurricanes’ player of the game after facing many shots.
Later, they lost a heartbreaker 3-2 in overtime against the Heritage Hurricanes. Bri Hughes put Holland on the board in the first period, with Rachel McFadyen later helping Holland regain the lead, 2-1, in the second period. Heritage tied the game 2-2 in the third period, forcing overtime, and ultimately captured the win. Rookie netminder Olivia Lowe denied 38 shots, earning her the Hurricanes’ player of the game.
On Saturday, Holland lost 6-0 to the Trois-Rivieres Diablos, a familiar opponent from the 2024 Island Cup. Rookie forward Meghan Kelly was awarded the Hurricanes’ player of the game.
With a 0-3 round-robin record, the Hurricanes were placed in Sunday’s 9th versus 10th-place seed game, where they faced the Olds College Broncos. Sophomore forward, and Hurricanes player of the game, Emma Carey scored Holland’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss, resulting in the team finishing 10th overall out of 10 teams.
The focus now shifts back to chasing a fourth consecutive Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) championship. The Hurricanes return to Maritime ice on the weekend of Jan. 24-25 with a visit to Wolfville, N.S., to face the Acadia University Axewomen.
Connect with the women’s hockey Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/caneswhockey, www.facebook.com/caneswhky, and www.x.com/caneswhockey.
Track & Field
The track and field Hurricanes had a solid meet in the Doyle Corporate Image Moncton Open on Saturday at Université de Moncton in Moncton, N.B.
The club faced a rocky start due to technical issues that resulted in multiple delays and a shuffled schedule, leading to slower meet times. Additionally, one runner sprained an ankle during a warmup.
However, there were several highlights, including personal and season bests for numerous runners.
Women's 60m
Women's 1500m
Women's 3000m
Men's 1000m
Men's 1500m
In the men’s 3000m, Benjamin Perrin placed third overall (second in age class) with a fast time of 10:00.72.
A men’s 4x200 relay was debuted, featuring Perrin, Linthorne, Emerson Gurney, and Nicholas Fowler. The Hurricanes finished third overall with a strong time of 1:48.77.
Connect with the Holland Hurricanes at www.hollandhurricanes.com, www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes,www.x.com/hc_hurricanes and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.
140 Weymouth Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4Z1
Tel: 1-800-446-5265 | Fax: 902-629-4239
