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Canada West wrestling championships: Dinos, host Cougars out to defend team titles
Source: Canada West Communications
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.: CIS Championships
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)
INDIVIDUAL CIS RANKINGS
Men
Women
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
EDMONTON – As the CIS #2-ranked teams in both men’s and women’s wrestling, the Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas head to the Canada West championships with the goal of winning both 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.
The Golden Bears have 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, Drew Belanger and Curtis Luu.
The Pandas have a great assistant coach in Ali Bernard, a U.S. Olympian and the only female wrestler in CIS history to have won five CIS gold medals, a feat she completed in her only year with Alberta as a competitor in 2009.
The Pandas are 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.
Golden Bears &
Pandas
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 sinning 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.
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.
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.
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 (Winnipe) will compete in the (72 kg) weight class. Sullivan finished fourth at the Wesmen Open.
www.canadawest.org / www.canadawest.tv
About Canada West Universities Athletic
Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four
conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at
least 10 CIS national titles every year, 1997 to 2010. Comprised of
16 schools from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta
and British Columbia, Canada West produces numerous major award
winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with
many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues
or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games.
“cwuaa” on Twitter.
