2009 Canada West championship: Clan men, Dino women claim titles

EDMONTON - For the sixth straight year the Simon Fraser Clan are Canada West men's wrestling champions; while the Calgary Dino women picked up their third consecutive conference championship during the final day of competition at the Canada West wrestling championship in Edmonton.

Men's Team Totals
1. Simon Fraser 54 points
2. Saskatchewan 33
3. Regina 30
4. Alberta 25
5. Calgary 14

Women's Team Totals
1. Calgary 44
2. Saskatchewan 29
3. Simon Fraser 29
4. Regina 24
5. Alberta 9

Wrestling under the cover of the U of A's Pavilion, the Clan men waltzed away with the men's title, picking up 54 points, while Saskatchewan finished in second with 33 points. Regina claimed the third spot with 30 points, the host Alberta Golden Bears finished with 25 and the Calgary Dinos, host of the 2009 CIS championship February 27-28, rounded out the group with 14 points.

The Dino women, however, more than made up for their male counterparts, winning their third straight conference banner with 44 points. Last season Calgary lost out on the national championship by just two points and they will look to rectify that, serving as hosts of the national championship once again.

Saskatchewan and Simon Fraser finished tied for second place in the women's standings, each with 29 points, while Regina was a close third with 24 points. The Alberta Pandas, decimated by injuries and a lack of experience, finished last with just nine points.

Women's Recap
The Dinos had six competitors finish at the top of the table as Gen Hailey (51kg), Justine Bouchard (63kg), Vanessa Wilson (67kg), Erica Wiebe (72kg), Leah Callahan (82kg) and Stephanie Buchan (90kg) all won their respective weight classes and qualified for the CIS championship. Wilson, a fifth year competitor, won a CIS silver last season. Jill Gallays and Amy Dyck, 55kg and 59kg respectively, finished on top for the Huskies, while Regina's Hajar Ashtiani was the best in the 48kg class.

Six SFU wrestlers finished in second place, including Ashley McKilligan, the defending CIS champion in the 48kg weight class, who lost to Regina's Ashtiani.

Alberta's Katherine Martin was the lone Panda to qualify for the upcoming CIS championship, finishing third in the 72kg weight class.

Men's Recap
Seven of the 10 first-place finishes belonged to the SFU men as Arjan Bhuller and Raj Virdi picked up expected top placements. Virdi, a former CIS Rookie of the Year (57kg) went undefeated in the 61kg weight class, as did Bhuller who went undefeated in the heavyweight class at 130kg.

Simon Fraser also had three second place finishes, including Pat McDonald, who lost to Saskatchewan's Daniel Olver in the 76kg weight class.

Olver and team mate Ryan Myrfield (68kg), who beat Clan wrestler Max Arcand for first place, were the top finishers for the Huskies, while Regina's outstanding rookie Connor Malloy finished first in the 72kg category. Malloy defeated SFU wrestler Arminder Virk for first.

The host Alberta Golden Bears qualified six wrestlers for the upcoming CIS championship, including a second team all-star performance from Michael Hulbert in the 90kg class. Rookie Jason Wass also qualified, finishing third in the 54kg category; while Brett Wells, Coleman Brinker and Curtis Horsbaugh also booked their ticket to Calgary for the CIS national championship.

Championship Award Winners

Men's Awards
Athlete of the Year: Daniel Olver, Saskatchewan (76 kg)
Rookie of the Year: Connor Malloy, Regina (72 kg)
Student-Athlete Award: Daniel Olver, Saskatchewan
Coach of the Year: Justin Abdou, Simon Fraser

Women's Awards
Athlete of the Year: Hajar Ashtiani, Regina (48 kg)
Rookie of the Year: Danielle Lappage, Simon Fraser (63 kg)
Student-Athlete Award: Amy Dyck, Saskatchewan
Coach of the Year: Andrew Hutchinson, Calgary

After the meet the athletes and coaches took in the annual championship banquet where the individual award winners were announced.

Saskatchewan schools were well represented as the University of Saskatchewan had three individual major award winners, while the University of Regina had two.

Huskie Daniel Olver, first place in the 76kg weight class, was honoured as the male Wrestler of the Year; while Hajar Ashtiani, Regina's first place 48kg competitor, was named the female Wrestler of the Year.

Rookie of the Year honours went to Regina's Connor Malloy, who finished first in the 72kg weight class, for the men and Simon Fraser's Danielle Lappage, was named the female Rookie of the Year after finishing in second place in the 63kg category.

Clan head coach Justin Abdou, who guided the SFU men to their sixth consecutive conference banner, was chosen as the men's Coach of the Year.

Calgary women's head coach, Andrew Hutchinson, was chosen as the women's Coach of the Year, as the Dinos claimed their second straight Canada West banner. Last season, Calgary served notice by winning the conference title and then losing out on the CIS championship by just two points. Hutchinson and the Dinos are serving as hosts of the CIS championship, February 27-28.

Olver was also named the recipient of the Student Athlete/Community Service award as was Amy Dyck, also of Saskatchewan.

Simon Fraser won the men's title, while Saskatchewan finished second. Regina, Alberta and Calgary rounded out the men's table.

Calgary walked away with the women's title, earning 44 points, while Saskatchewan and SFU finished tied for second with 29 points each. Regina held down third place and the host Pandas finished last.

Canada West is one of four conferences governed by the CIS national body for university athletics in Canada and is the nation's most successful university-level athletic conference. Comprised of 14 schools spread over four western provinces competing for 19 titles in 11 different varsity sports, it has combined to win at least 10 CIS national titles every year since 1997-98 and no fewer than half of all national titles up for grabs every year since 1994-95. Canada West also produces the most individual major award winners and an average of 40 Academic All-Canadian student-athletes per institution, a number that grows annually. Many of our student-athletes go on to world class success in events such as the Olympics and Universiade Games, and with pro sports teams around the globe.

Canada West First Team All-Stars

Men
Rafiq Charania, SFU
Alec Tuura, SFU
Raj Virdi, SFU
Isaac Wing, SFU
Ryan Mryfield, Sask
Connor Malloy, Reg
Daniel Olver, Sask
Clete Hanson, SFU
Ali Al-Rekabi, SFU
Arjan Bhullar, SFU

Women
Hajar Ashtiani, Reg
Gen Hailey, Cal
Jill Gallays, Sask
Amy Dyck, Sask
Justine Bouchard, Cal
Vanessa Wilson, Cal
Erica Wiebe, Cal
Leah Callahan, Cal
Stephanie Buchan, Cal

Canada West Second Team All-Stars

Men
Gilbert Musonza, Reg
Troy Lange, Sask
Chad Bates, Reg
Kyle Bershatsky, Reg
Max Arcand, SFU
Arminder Virk, SFU
Pat McDonald, SFU
Chris Hobman, Sask
Michael Hulbert, AB
Craig Albert, SK

Women
Ashley McKilligan, SFU
Jade Parsons, Reg
Rita Pare, SFU
Heidi Erdle, Cal
Danielle Lappage, SFU
Stacie Anaka, SFU
Erin Church, SFU
Hillary Greening, SFU
Amy Buetner, Sask