2010 Canada West women's rugby preview

ALBERTA PANDAS
2010 CIS rank: #6

2009 CW Record: 3-1, 2nd
2009 CW Tournament: 1-1, 2nd
2009 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CW Title: 2005
Last CIS Title: 2003

Key Returnees: Carmen Hobbs, Miranda Monty, Britt Repchuk, Alison Fairbairn, Karlee Carbert
Key Additions: Chelsea Guthrie, Jenn Davies
Key Departures: Annika Eriksson, Allison Lamoureux, Janine Martin, Nicole Tyminski

EDMONTON - Coming into 2010, head coach Matt Parrish says that worrying about four-time defending champion Lethbridge won’t do any good and that the Pandas have to motivate themselves. With 19 returning players, including what Parrish calls the “spine of the team” in #2, Hooker, Carmen Hobbs (Alberta U23 team), #8, Miranda Monty, #9, Scrum Half, and captain, Britt Repchuk, #10, Fly Half, Alison Fairbairn, #15, Full Back and Canada West All-Star, Karlee Carbert.

The Pandas will also look to Erika Strande (Centre), Marlene Nedved another fifth-year player; Chelsey Waldie (Fly half/Full back), who was injured last season, but played for Alberta Senior women this summer, as well as Stacie Becker (Prop) and Teanna Chase (Flanker) who were both selected to play for Canada U20’s this past summer.

Joining the Pandas this season is Chelsea Guthrie, who played for the provincial U23 team, while Jenn Davies, the team’s rookie of the year in 2007, is back from studying abroad in Europe, and ready to resume competition in Evergreen and Gold.
Alberta’s opening game of the 2010 season is Friday, September 24 at 5:00 pm against the Calgary Dinos at the Strathcona Druids rugby park, just outside of Edmonton.

Visit bears.ualberta.ca

UBC THUNDERBIRDS
CIS Rank: #9

2009 CW record: 2-2, 3rd
2009 CW Tournament: 1-1, 3rd
2009 CIS Tournament: 1-2, 5th
Last CW Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A

Key Returnees: Radha Jain, Darcy Patterson, Danielle Willhoeft
Key Additions: Tanya Bennet, Megan Hamm
Key Departures: Caitlin Ebbehoj, Michele Helmeczi

VANCOUVER - A fifth place finish at the 2009 CIS Championships was a solid result for the UBC Thunderbirds and head coach Lesley McKenzie but if anything it was just a first step for a program on the rise.

Disappointment aside, McKenzie knows the 2009 squad set the bar for expectations heading into this season.

Returning to lead the 2010 T-Birds are two-time All-Canadian Radha Jain, scrumhalf Darcy Patterson, and lock Danielle Willhoeft. Key additions include Tanya Bennet and Megan Hamm.

Full story at gothunderbirds.ca

CALGARY DINOS
CIS Rank: N/A

2009 CW Record: 0-4, 5th
2009 CW Tournament: N/A
2009 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CW Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A

Key Returnees: Ellen McGregor, Kim Gould
Key Additions: Head coach Simon Chi, Brynna Walker, Samantha Crandell
Key Departures: Head coach Jenny Vincent, Leah Conforti

CALGARY - As the 2010-11 season approaches there are a lot of new faces around a Dinos women's rugby squad ready for its sophomore season in CIS competition.

For starters, head coach Simon Chi is replacing late head coach Jenny Vincent, who passed away in January after a battle with cancer. Adding to his extensive coaching experience are John Long and Dave Lee, with all members of the trio bringing extensive international and high-level local experience to the table.

The Dinos have added some significant talents in their crop of rookies including Brynna Walker, a Manitoba U19 player who is entering the Faculty of Kinesiology and Samantha Crandell, an Alberta U19 player from Calgary entering the Faculty of Arts.

Their biggest loss comes in the form of scrum-half Leah Conforti, who is recovering from an injured ACL.

Complete story at godinos.com

LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS
CIS Rank: #1

2009 CW Record: 4-0, 1st
2009 CW Tournament: 2-0, 1st
2009 CIS Tournament: 4-0, 1st
Last CW Title: 2009
Last CIS Title: 2009

Key Returnees: Shannon Court, Brittany Orr, Kelsey Willoughby, Brandi Van Euewen, Alex Hendricks
Key Additions: Juhee Thompson, Tiffany Wideen, Logan Kennedy, Larissa Brown
Key Departures: Ashley Patzer, Ashley MacDonald, Amanda Richardson, Ashley Zaremba

LETHBRIDGE - Despite winning their fourth consecutive conference title and third consecutive CIS title, the Lethbridge Pronghorns face a year of transition. With the graduation of the most successful senior class in school history, there are some big holes to fill.

The Horns have lost eight players from its championship team, headlined by CIS Player of the Year Ashley Patzer, All-Canadian Ashley MacDonald and perennial Canada West All-Star Amanda Richardson, but the cupboard isn’t bare.

CIS Tournament All-Stars Brittany Orr, Brandi Van Euewen and reigning Canada West Rookie of the Year Kelsey Willoughby, along with others have been passed the torch and will now be counted on to lead the next generation filled with high expectations. After leading the conference in converts last year, Laura Murphy-Burke will take over kicking duties from Patzer full time.

A quartet of newcomers are expected to have an immediate impact and join the Horns with a wealth of experience. Southern Alberta High School MVP and Canada U18 member Juhee Thompson headlines the group and will step in at flanker. Lock Logan Kennedy also brings national team and provincial team experience to the fold and Tiffany Wideen joins the Horns after playing with the BC U17 and U19 programs.

Go to... uleth.ca/horns

VICTORIA VIKES
CIS Rank: N/A

2009 CW Record: 1-3, 4th
2009 CW Tournament: 0-2, 4th
2009 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CW Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A

Key Returnees: Jesse Olynyk, Sarah Logan, Randi Hunter
Key Additions: Casandra Stevens, Monica Dunlop, Christina Borring-Olsen
Key Departures: none

VICTORIA – Building on their most successful Canada West campaign in nine seasons, the UVic Vikes women’s rugby team kicks off their pursuit of a 2010 postseason appearance this Friday against the reigning national champs Lethbridge Pronghorns.

With a core of veterans and a fresh batch of nationally tested recruits, head coach Brad Skene returns to the Wallace Field sidelines for his third year with the women’s rugby program eyeing nothing short of a postseason appearance.

Captaining the squad, and steering the forwards from the No. 8 position, will be former Canada under-20 player and 2008 conference All-Star Jesse Olynyk. Alongside Olynyk is two-time Canada West All-Star scrum half Sarah Logan, who returns for her senior year of eligibility. At the point of engagement, kicking prop Randi Hunter returns fresh off of capturing the North American Caribbean Association title with the Junior National team.

Headlining a dozen of talented recruits is B.C. U-19 player Casandra Stevens of Cowichan, B.C. The Vikes have added depth to their back line with another Cowichan recruit in speedster Monica Dunlop. Re-enforcing the second row is Christina Borring-Olsen, a 5-8 lock out of Kelowna.

Full Vikes coverage at govikesgo.com

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 since 1997-98. Comprised of 14 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, the CWUAA 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. For more information, visit www.canadawest.org; follow “cwuaa” on Twitter.

Source:

Canada West