The squad that's set to represent Prince Albert Collegiate Institute (PACI) at the 4A Boys Provincial Volleyball Championship this weekend in North Battleford. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW)

By Logan Lehmann

High School Volleyball

PACI celebrates boys volleyball team as they head to 4A provincials

Nov 21, 2025 | 6:00 AM

Prince Albert Collegiate Institute (PACI) gave their boys volleyball team a warm send-off on Thursday during a pep rally, wishing the group well as they head to the 4A Boys Provincial Volleyball Championship in North Battleford this weekend.

Students and staff packed into the gymnasium, where the players were welcomed with a loud cheer and applause from the entire school, which also included some spirited words from Principal David Lokinger.

“There was a time not too long ago, six years ago, when [the school was] talking about having teams that would compete at provincials, and you know what? We got laughed at… because people thought that PACI wasn’t good enough. But every single day, we proved that we were the best. Every single day, we are proving that we are the best. There is no better school than this school right here.”

The provincial berth is the Golden Bears’ first since 2023, when PACI lost out of the 4A championships in Meadow Lake after failing to qualify for the playoffs. Before that, the team had never competed in a modern-day Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) provincial championship, making this appearance just their second ever since the revamp of competitive high school sports in the province.

“We’re more or less seen as an art school but in recent years, we’ve been really trying to develop this athletic program, and these boys are a testament to how far we’ve come,” said co-head coach Khris Kalika.

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The team managed a berth in this year’s championships after finishing third at the 4A Regional tournament in Melfort last weekend, ending with a 2-2 record.

PACI kicked things off with a commanding 2-0 (25-16, 25-10) win over Nipawin, which was then followed by a 2-0 (25-21, 25-11) loss to Melfort. After narrowly toppling Tisdale in their third game 2-0 (25-21, 26-24), PACI dropped their fourth and final game of the day to Sacred Heart High School from Yorkton, 2-0 (25-21, 25-16).

At the provincial tournament in North Battleford, the Golden Bears will be joined by nine of the best schools in the province, including Melfort and Sacred Heart, along with Melville, Kindersley, Meadow Lake, Humboldt, Moose Jaw’s Central and Vanier collegiates, and the host, John Paul II Collegiate.

“They’re super excited,” said other co-head coach Ashley Kosolowsky.

“I think that’s probably the biggest thing is they have a level of excitement that is infectious. They want to be there to compete at a high level and not just play to play, they are ready to compete in a way that’s both positive and strategic. This is probably the most mentally strong team we’ve had, and they are proving it to us every single time.”

PACI’s boys volleyball captain Zander Ryder is the only player on this year’s team who also played for the Golden Bears during their provincial run in 2023. Now a senior and entering the final weekend of his high school playing career, he said that he’s looking to give the school a much different ending to the season than in their last run.

“I’m excited, I want to make it to the playoffs because every year PACI has gone to Provincials, they never won – they always went defeated,” Ryder joked.

“This time though, it’s going to be a different outcome, for sure.”

PACI will embark on their 2025 4A provincial run in North Battleford on Friday afternoon against Meadow Lake at 2 p.m.

A full schedule of the tournament can be found by clicking here.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com