Pandas and Bears aim to win Canada West titles
As the No.2 ranked teams in both men’s and women’s wrestling, the University of Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas head to this weekend’s Canada West championships with the goal of winning the titles.
Third-year head coach Owen Dawkins will bring two very strong squads to Regina for the championship meet, including the defending national champion Pandas. However, despite the recent success, the Pandas have never won the conference crown, while the Golden Bears were last Canada West champions in 1985.
Alberta, ranked No.2 in CIS and No.1 in Canada West, has finished fourth at the last three conference championships, but has finished on the podium 19 times in their history. Alberta’s men’s team will be led by returning vets Coleman Brinker and Jason Wass, as well as by sophomores Jason Margo, and Graeme Forsyth. The Golden Bears will also expect big results from rookies Dylan Williams, Daniel Oloumi, Drew Belanger and Curtis Luu.
Although Dawkins coaches the Pandas as well, Alberta’s women’s team has a great assistant coach in former Regina Cougar and Panda, Ali Bernard. She is one of two female wrestler in CIS history to have won five CIS gold medals, a feat she accomplished in her only year with Albertas as a competitor (2010), and she is a US Olympian.
The Pandas finished second at last year’s conference meet, losing the gold medal to Calgary by four team points. Led by returning CIS medalists Sabrina Kelly, Marlen Figueroa, Molly Bouchard and Hayley Thomas, Alberta will be a strong contender to win their first ever Canada West women’s championship. Natalie Brady, rookie Shelby Irwin, veteran Lyndsey Almeida, and Bethany Fuzzen provide the Pandas with plenty of depth, experience and the ability to medal at the conference level.
The Canada West wrestling championship runs from February 10-11th at the University of Regina. Saskatchewan women (ranked No.5 in CIS), along with Calgary (No.7) and Regina (No.8) provide the toughest tests on the women's side, while the host Cougars (No.3), as well as Saskatchewan and Calgary (tied for No.10) round out the top competition on the men's side.
Full Canada West preview:
EDMONTON – The 2012 Canada West wrestling championships take place at the University of Regina’s Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport, February 10-11.
Aside from individual competition, the Rawson Trophy goes to the top overall men’s team, while women compete for the Christine Nordhagen Trophy. Individual awards, to be announced at the event’s conclusion, include Outstanding Wrestler of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Top Student-Athlete (CIS nominee), Coach of the Year and the Fair Play Trophy.
The top three in each event qualify for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships, February 23-25 at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont.: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wrest/index
SCHEDULE
Women
Friday, Feb. 10
2:00 pm (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Saskatchewan
2:00 pm (Mat 2) - Calgary vs. Winnipeg
4:30 pm (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Alberta
4:30 pm (Mat 2) - Calgary vs. Saskatchewan
7:00 pm (Mat 1) - Winnipeg vs. Saskatchewan
7:00 pm (Mat 2) - Calgary vs. Alberta
Saturday, Feb. 11
11:00 am (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Winnipeg
11:00 am (Mat 2) - Saskatchewan vs. Alberta
1:30 pm (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Calgary
1:30 pm (Mat 2) - Winnipeg vs. Alberta
Men
Friday, Feb. 10
3:00 pm (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Saskatchewan
3:00 pm (Mat 2) - Calgary vs. Alberta
8:00 pm (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Calgary
8:00 pm (Mat 2) - Saskatchewan vs. Winnipeg
Saturday, Feb. 11
9:30 am (Mat 1) - Calgary vs. Saskatchewan
9:30 am (Mat 2) - Winnipeg vs. Alberta
12:00 pm (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Winnipeg
12:00 pm (Mat 2) - Saskatchewan vs. Alberta
2:30 pm (Mat 1) - Regina vs. Alberta
2:30 pm (Mat 2) - Calgary vs. Winnipeg
CIS RANKINGS (February 6th)
Women
1. Brock (1)
2. Alberta (2)
3. Lakehead (3)
4. Guelph (4)
5. Saskatchewan (5)
6. Western (6)
7. Calgary (7)
T8. Concordia (T8)
T8. Regina (T8)
10. UNB (10)
Men
1. Concordia (1)
2. Alberta (2)
3. Regina (3)
4. McMaster (7)
5. Western (4)
6. Brock (5)
7. UNB (6
8. Guelph (8)
9. Lakehead (9)
T10. Saskatchewan (T10)
T10. Calgary (T10)
ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS & PANDAS
Men
2010-11 Canada West: 4th
2010-11 CIS:
Last CW title: 1985
Last CIS title: 1972
Women
2010-11 CW: 2nd
2010-11 CIS: 1st
Last CW title: 2011
Last CIS title: none
Key additions: Shelby Irwin, Curtis Luu, Drew Belanger
Key returnees: Sabrina Kelly, Marlen Figueroa, Jason Wass, Coleman Brinker, Molly Bouchard, Lyndsey Almeida, Hayley Thomas
CALGARY DINOS
Men
2010-11 Canada West: 3rd
2010-11 CIS: 11th
Last CW title: 2003
Last CIS title: none
Women
2010-11 CW: 1st
2010-11 CIS: 2nd
Last CW title: 2011
Last CIS title: 2009
CALGARY – The Calgary Dinos head to the Canada West championships in Regina with one of the most youthful teams in recent memory at the dual competition.
Since winning the women’s conference title one year ago, the Dinos have a new look after bidding farewell to five-time CIS champion Gen Haley (55 kg) and Olympics-bound Leah Callahan, 2011 champion in the 82 kg weight class. The loss of top athletes, however, does not make a dent in 16-year head coach Mitch Ostberg’s plan.
On the women’s side, leading the charge onto the mat is fifth-year Erica Wiebe (72 kg), who claimed Canada West gold last season. She is joined by teammate Holly Ellsworth-Clark (82 kg) and Shani Frugtniet (51 kg), both second-year student-athletes making their initial appearance on the conference stage.
On the floor for the men, third-year Brian Hutton (68 kg) is eager to repeat his 2011 Canada West Outstanding Wrestler role with the team. Ostberg also has high expectations for sophomore Spenser Burk (65 kg) at this, his second conference meet.
Another athlete to keep an eye on is second-year wrestler Sudeepta Aurka (62 kg). Along with Ellsworth-Clark and Frugtniet, Aurka is also new to the conference-level event.
http://www.godinos.com/
REGINA COUGARS
Men
2010-11 Canada West: 1st
2010-11 CIS: 3rd
Last CW title: 2011
Last CIS title: 1998
Women
2010-11 CW: 4th
2010-11 CIS: 11th
Last CW title: none
Last CIS title: none
REGINA – The host Regina Cougars men’s and women’s teams are both nationally ranked entering the championships. The defending conference champion men’s team is #3 in CIS and the women’s squad is tied for #8.
The men’s team’s top-ranked wrestler heading in is Gilbert Musonza, who is #1 in CIS at 54 kg. The Cougars have a trio of grapplers entering the conference tournament ranked #2 in the country, including Steven Schneider (57 kg), Kirk Ackerman (61 kg), and Connor Malloy (76 kg).
Jasmine Slinn is the highest-ranked Cougars wrestler on the women’s side, as she’s currently #2 in the CIS at 48 kg. Lisa McKibben is ranked #4 at 72 kg, while Danielle Anderson is #5 at 55 kg.
http://www.reginacougars.com/
SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES
Men
2010-11 Canada West: 2nd
2010-11 CIS: 4th
Last CW title: 1986
Last CIS title: none
Women
2010-11 CW: 3rd
2010-11 CIS: 5th
Last CW title: none
Last CIS title: none
SASKATOON – Leading the way for the Saskatchewan Huskies on the men’s side will be reigning champion in the 72 kg Ryan Myrfield, who won his second Canada West gold medal in 2011 and added another gold at the CIS championships. In 2009, he was named the CIS Male Rookie of the Year after upsetting a veteran athlete for the gold medal.
To help Myrfield in CIS experience is Landon Squires (90 kg), Dylan Bray (57 kg) and Theo Dow (61 kg). Squires captured a Canada West gold medal in his second season last year, improving on his silver from his rookie season. Bray and Dow each made an impression on the conference in their rookie year capturing silver medals.
Just three three Huskie women’s team members have experience at the Canada West Championship level. Both Natasha Kramble (51 kg) and Kathleen Kent (59 kg) finished with gold medals in the conference in 2011, while Koren Pitkethly (55 kg) earned a silver last year. The three each had success on the CIS stage in 2011 with Pitkethly finishing with a silver and Kramble and Kent with bronze medals.
http://huskies.usask.ca/
WINNIPEG WESMEN (1st Year)
Men
2010-11 Canada West: N/A
2010-11 CIS: N/A
Last CW title: N/A
Last CIS title: N/A
Women
2010-11 CW: N/A
2010-11 CIS: N/A
Last CW title: N/A
Last CIS title: N/A
WINNIPEG – The newly formed Winnipeg Wesmen varsity program is coached by Adrian Bruce will be participating in their first ever Canada West championships.
Jessica Brenton (Casper, Wyoming) comes into the Canada West championships with a pair of successful results. Brenton finished in first place (59 kg) at the Wesmen Open and was named the Most Outstanding Female Wrestler of the meet. She also placed third in the (59 kg) class at the Saskatchewan Huskies Open. Joining Brenton on the women’s side is Caroline Tess (63 kg, Winnipeg). Tess took part in the Huskies, Cougar and Wesmen Opens this past season.
On the men’s side Mat Tripple (Winnipeg) will take part in the 76 kg weight class. Tripple finished in second place at the Wesmen Open in January. Nathan Sullivan (Winnipeg) will compete in the (72 kg) weight class. Sullivan finished fourth at the Wesmen Open.
http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/wesmen-ni