CHARLOTTETOWN - The 2015 CCAA men's volleyball national championship is scheduled for March 12-14 at Holland College in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Eight teams from around the country will come together and compete with one goal in mind - to become national champions.

After claiming a gold medal at last week's OCAA championship in Windsor, Ont., the Knights will be returning to the national championship for the second time in a three year span.

The Knights have been seeded third in the eight team field and will begin their quest for a CCAA title against the sixth-seeded St. Thomas Tommies. The Tommies have won consecutive Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championships and, led by all-Canadians Jason Cannon and Marc Blinn, will be looking to improve on their seventh place finish at nationals in 2014. The Tommies win in the 2014 national championship marked the first ACAA win against a non-conference opponent in 34 years.

The Knights toppled the Fanshawe Falcons in the OCAA gold medal semi-final match to earn a trip to Charlottetown, but refused to stop there. Niagara went on to defeat the host team St. Clair Saints in four sets to earn their first OCAA championship in 11 years.

St. Catharines, Ont., native Steve Stone was named OCAA championship MVP. The fourth-year setter led all players in assists and quarterbacked the Knights dominant offensive output from start to finish. Stone led the OCAA regular season in assists-per-set and was named a 2014-15 second-team OCAA all-star.

The time may be perfect for the Knights, both in the scope of their season, and their development as a program. Niagara is a perfect blend of seasoned veterans and young talent, perfectly constructed to handle the pressures of playing on the national stage. By overcoming opening set losses in all three matches at the provincial tournament, the Knights demonstrated their desire to win.

Niagara is also riding a hot streak in 2015, going 11-1 since the beginning of January - including a six-match win streak that carried them through the playoffs.

The Knights will begin their pursuit for the first CCAA medal in program history Thursday afternoon.  First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.

Championship Website: www.ccaa.ca/national-championship-s15090

Championship Webcast: sportscanada.tv/ccaa/index.php/volleyball/2015mvb

Source: Niagara College