Canada West wrestling championship final: Regina men, Calgary women win titles

Photo credit Josh Schaefer

SASKATOON – For the first time since 2000-01, the University of Regina Cougars are Canada West men's wrestling champions, while the University of Calgary women are the women's conference championship for the fourth time in five years during the final day of competition at the Canada West Wrestling Championship in Saskatoon.

Final Point Standings

Women
1. U of Calgary 28
2. U of Alberta 24
3. U of Saskatchewan 21
4. U of Regina 13

Men
1. U of Regina 38
2. U of Saskatchewan 26
3. U of Calgary 22
4. U of Alberta 17

Wrestling in the Education Gym on the University of Saskatchewan campus, the Cougar men waltzed away with the men's title, picking up 38 points, while Saskatchewan finished in second with 26 points. Calgary claimed the third spot with 22 points and the Alberta Golden Bears finished with 17.

The Dino women narrowly earned the team title with just four more points than the second place Alberta at 24. The Huskies finished third with 21 points and the Cougars finished fourth with 13 points.

All wrestlers who win a medal at the Canada West Championship move on to the CIS Championship hosted by Lakehead University February 25-26 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Women's Recap
Four Dinos won gold medals to help secure the conference banner including Gen Haley (55kg), Jessy Seida (63kg), Erica Wiebe (72kg) and Leah Callahan (82kg). The Dinos added another three medals – one silver and two bronze. Alberta had just one gold medalist in Sabrina Kelly (67kg) but earned the bulk of their points from the five silver medals and two bronze medals won at the championship.

Saskatchewan took two gold medals from the championship including Natasha Kramble (51kg) and Kathleen Kent (59kg). Koren Pitkethly (55kg) and Melanie Haanen (82kg) added silver for the Huskies and captain Lindsay Olver (48kg) won a bronze medal. Trisha Elliott (48kg), Savannah Toth (63kg) and Shelby Moran (72kg) were the only medal winners for the Cougars. Elliott brought home gold, while Toth and Moran added bronze.

Men's Recap
Regina had five competitors finish with a gold medal – sweeping the first four weight classes. Gilbert Musonza (54kg), Steve Schneider (57kg), Kirk Ackerman (61kg), Cory Hosburgh (65kg) and Connor Malloy (76kg) all won gold for the Cougars. The Cougars added five more medals at the championship – three silver and two bronze.

The Huskies finished with three gold medals including 2009 CIS Rookie of the Year Ryan Myrfield (72kg), Landon Squires (90kg) and Daniel Olver (82kg). The gold medal was the Olver's fifth straight. Saskatchewan finished with five more medals – three silver and two bronze. Five of the Huskie medal winners were rookies.

Calgary's Brian Hutton (68kg) and Dan Nwaerondu (130kg) rounded out the gold medalists, while Vaughn Gandy (54kg) and Spenser Burk (65kg) rounded out the Dino medalist each winning silver. Alberta had six bronze medalists on the weekend. The Golden Bears best results came from Coleman Brinker (72kg), who won a silver medal.

Award Winners

WOMEN

Coach of Year – Owen Dawkins, Alberta
Outstanding Wrestler – Gen Haley (55kg), Calgary
Rookie of Year - Trisha Elliott (48kg), Regina
Student-Athlete – Lindsay Olver (48kg), Saskatchewan

MEN

Coach of Year – Leo McGee, Regina
Outstanding Wrestler – Brian Hutton (68kg), Calgary
Rookie of Year - Spenser Burk (65kg), Calgary
Student-Athlete – Daniel Olver (82kg), Saskatchewan

The Canada West Wrestling Major Award winners were announced at a banquet at the Radisson Hotel in Saskatoon.

Calgary was well represented as the Dinos won three individual major awards including both Most Outstanding Wrestler Awards. Gen Haley was honoured as the women's Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning gold in the 55-kg weight class. Teammate Brian Hutton was given the men's Most Outstanding Wrestler award with his gold medal in the 68-kg weight class. Haley allowed just one point to be scored against her in the tournament.

The Dinos added their third award with Spenser Burk winning the male Rookie of the Year. Burk finished with a silver medal only losing to the gold medalist. Trisha Elliott won the women's Rookie of the Year award. Elliott flew threw competition pinning all three of her opponents at the meet.

Saskatchewan's married wrestlers Lindsay and Daniel Olver won the Student-Athlete Community Awards. It is the second time in his career that Olver has won the award. Lindsay, the captain of the Huskie women's team, has competed in five straight Canada West championships, qualifying for the CIS Championship in 2008 and 2011. She won a Junior National gold medal in 2007. She has been an Academic All-Canadian throughout her career while studying in Psychology. Lindsay has represented wrestling on the Huskie Athletic Council throughout her career and this year helped organize Huskie Reading Tales, an elementary school reading program, as well as Christmas hampers for families in need. Her husband Daniel has won five straight conference gold medals, as well as represented Canada on the Junior National Team and at the FISU World Championships. Daniel volunteers in the Safe Walk program at the UofS and he represents his sport on the Huskie Athletic Council. He helped organize Huskie Reading Tales and Christmas hampers. He has raised funds for Camp Easter Seals, as well as worked with autistic children.

Regina men's head coach, Leo McGee, was chosen as the men's Coach of the Year, while Alberta's Owen Dawkins won the women's Coach of the Year award. McGee led Regina to their first title since the 2000-01 season. Dawkins led the Pandas to win a meet-high eight medals on the weekend.

Final Results

WOMEN

48KG
1. Trisha Elliott, Regina
2. Haley Thomas, Alberta
3. Lindsay Olver, Saskatchewan
4. Kacy Nishimura, Calgary

51KG
1. Natasha Kramble, Saskatchewan
2. Lyndsay Almeida, Alberta
3. Tessa Gallinger, Calgary

55KG
1. Gen Haley, Calgary
2. Koren Pitkethly, Saskatchewan
3. Bethany Fuzzan, Alberta
4. Lauren Holhoyi, Regina

59KG
1. Kathleen Kent, Saskatchewan
2. Marlen Figueroa, Alberta
3. Ella Burk, Calgary
4. Danielle Anderson, Regina

63KG
1. Jessy Seida, Calgary
2. Alison Sokalski, Alberta
3. Savannah Toth, Regina
4. Brittany Holland, Saskatchewan

67KG
1. Sabrina Kelly, Alberta
2. Ruth Laing, Calgary
3. Emily Brentnell, Regina
4. Drew Kuhn, Saskatchewan

72KG
1. Erica Wiebe, Calgary
2. Molly Bouchard, Alberta
3. Shelby Moran, Regina
4. Amy Dunn, Saskatchewan

82KG
1. Leah Callahan, Calgary
2. Melanie Haanen, Saskatchewan
3. Annerieka Walmarianis, Alberta

MEN

54KG
1. Gilbert Musonza, Regina
2. Vaughn Gandy, Calgary
3. Shane Johnson, Saskatchewan

57KG
1. Steve Schneider, Regina
2. Dylan Bray, Saskatchewan
3. Jason Wass, Alberta
4. Tona Pitt, Calgary

61KG
1. Kirk Ackerman, Regina
2. Theo Dow, Saskatchewan
3. Stephen Ohene, Alberta
4. Jory Wutzke, Caglary

65KG
1. Cory Horsburgh, Regina
2. Spenser Burk, Calgary
3. Connor Hoy, Alberta

68KG
1. Brian Hutton, Calgary
2. Alex Kelly, Saskatchewan
3. Mark Ballon, Regina
4. Pawel Romanowski, Alberta

72KG
1. Ryan Myrfield, Saskatchewan
2. Coleman Brinker, Alberta
3. Gaelan Malloy, Regina
4. Mike Rines, Calgary

76KG
1. Connor Malloy, Regina
2. Spencer Edwards, Saskatchewan
3. James Yurick, Alberta
4. Adam Gordon, Calgary

82KG
1. Daniel Olver, Saskatchewan
2. John Lendvoy, Regina
3. Jason Margo, Alberta
4. Kaleb Smith, Calgary

90KG
1. Landon Squires, Saskatchewan
2. Benji Martin, Regina
3. Clayton Brinker, Alberta
4. Adam Powell, Calgary

130KG
1. Dan Nwaerondu, Calgary
2. Jimmy Levesque, Regina
3. James Hoffman, Alberta
4. Samson Swan, Saskatchewan

Note: All gold medalists are named Canada West First Team All-Stars, all silver medalists are named Canada West Second Team All-Stars.

Source:

Saskatchewan Sports Info