The 2017 Rutsindura Volleyball Memorial Tournament winners, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), will be keen to retain the crown when this year’s edition gets underway on June 23.

The two-day tournament is organised every year by Huye-based secondary school Petit Seminaire Virgo Fidelis in memory of former teacher and volleyball promoter Alphonse Rutsindura who was killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The 16th edition is scheduled for June 23-25 in Huye District.

REG (in men’s category) and Rwanda Revenue Authority (in women’s) claimed last year’s titles after downing APR (men and women teams) in the finals. 

Speaking to Times Sport on Monday, REG head coach Jean Paul Mana revealed that one of his team’s targets this season is to retain the Rutsindura Memorial Tournament.

"The target is to retain the crown. It is going to be a tough call but we are ready and determined,” A confident Mana said. 

Asked about his side’s preparedness for the upcoming playoff games finals, Mana said that 2018 has been a good season for his club so far but winning the league title would ‘absolutely’ make it a memorable year, stressing that "REG will do everything possible to overcome Gisagara” in the best-of-five finals series in the hunt for their historic first championship.  

This year’s Rutsindura memorial showpiece will attract all teams in the male and female topflight leagues as well as junior teams.

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