Canada West BioSteel Players of the Week: Jan. 14

Jan. 14, 2025 - Canada West basketball and volleyball have officially returned from the semester break, highlighting what was a jam packed weekend of conference action.

There were no shortage of headlines, including TRU WolfPack men's volleyball handing nationally No. 2 ranked Winnipeg their first defeat of the season, and the Lethbridge Pronghorns men's basketball team defeating Alberta with a last second buzzer beater from Karter Fry.

It was also a milestone weekend for Alberta Pandas guard Claire Signatovich, as she set a new program record with her 20th career double-double in a win over Lethbridge on Saturday.

Adding to the excitement was the return of wrestling and track and field action.

Edmonton served as the wrestling hub as the University of Alberta hosted a pair of events, including a Friday night dual with Saskatchewan, in addition to the Golden Bear Invitational on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan Huskies kicked off the conference's Track and Field calendar in Saskatoon with the annual Sanderson Classic, with the event producing a number of great performances and U SPORTS automatic qualifiers.

Here are your Canada West Players of the Week - Presented by BioSteel.

Women's Hockey - Megan Long (Regina Cougars)

Jan. 10 vs SSK: 1 goal, 1 PPG, 1 SOG, even

Jan. 11 vs SSK: 2 goals, 1 GWG, 1 PPG, 5 SOG, +1

Fourth-year defender Megan Long had a breakout offensive weekend for the University of Regina Cougars in their weekend split with provincial rival Saskatchewan. Long scored a power play goal on Friday in Saskatoon, and scored twice for the Cougars in their 4-1 home victory over the Huskies on Saturday.

Long, who now has five points in her last three games, is tied with Paige Hubbard for the team lead with nine points and trails only Hubbard on the Cougars with five goals on the season.

View WHKY: Standings | Schedule | Statistics

Men's Hockey - Chantz Petruic (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Jan. 10 vs REG: 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points, 5 shots, 2 PP points

Jan. 11 vs REG: 2 goals, 2 points, 3 shots, +2 rating

In a rivalry weekend in Saskatchewan, Chantz Petruic played a key role in the Huskies securing four points against the Regina Cougars. The fourth year Moose Jaw, Sask. product continues to establish himself as one of the conference's elite scorers, now ranking fourth in overall scoring following a five point weekend.

The veteran forward recorded two goals and an assist in a 6-3 Friday night win, before finding the back of the net twice again in Saturday's 7-2 Dogs' victory. Friday night saw both of his goals come on the man-advantage, as the Huskies continue to boast the best powerplay in the nation converting at 36.1%.

View MHKY: Standings | Schedule | Statistics

Women's Volleyball - Taryn Hannah (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Jan. 10 vs CGY: 18.5 pts, 14 kills, 4 aces, 11 digs, .393 hitting %

Jan. 11 vs CGY: 18.0 pts, 15 kills, 3 aces, 9 digs, .433 hitting %

In a weekend sweep of the Calgary Dinos, Taryn Hannah was the stand out for the Saskatchewan Huskies. The third-year outside hitter totalled 36.5 points in 3-1 and 3-0 wins for the Dogs, amassing 29 kills while also finding her rhythm serving, recording seven aces.

It was also an efficient weekend for Hannah, who converted on 39.3 and 43.3% of attacks while picking up late kills in crucial moments. The Battleford, Sask. product has been one of the most effective attackers in the conference this season, averaging 4.2 points per set and 3.56 kills per set, both top-5 in Canada West.

View WVB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Volleyball - Isaiah Mamer (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Jan. 10 vs CGY: 24.0 pts, 21 kills, 2 aces, 1.0 blk, 6 digs, .500 hitting %

Jan. 11 vs CGY: 16.5 pts, 16 kills, .5 blk, .306 hitting %

Isaiah Mamer could not be stopped against the Calgary Dinos this past weekend, leading the Huskies to a pair of victories. The third year outside hitter recorded a game-high 24.0 points Friday night thanks to a 21 kill performance where the Wilkie, SK product converted on an incredible 50% of his attacks to help the Dogs to a 3-1 win.

He then returned to the court Saturday to total 16.5 points and 16 kills in a five-set Huskie win to sweep the weekend series.

View MVB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Basketball - Gage Grassick (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Jan. 10 vs MRU: 15 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast, 5 stl, 37.5 FG%

Jan. 11 vs MRU: 21 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast, 1 blk, 5 stl, 47.1 FG%, 55.6 3PT%

There was no rust to shake off for Saskatchewan's Gage Grassick in the opening weekend of 2025. The veteran guard did it all against the MRU Cougars, recording 15 points, 6 assists, and 5 steals on Friday night before a 21 point, 5 rebound, 5 assist, 5 steal outing Saturday. That contest featured an efficient shooting performance with Grassick going 8-of-17 from the field and 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.

Grassick's strong weekend helped the Huskies capture a pair of convincing wins, extending their win streak to eight games.

View WBB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Basketball - Nate Petrone (Calgary Dinos)

Jan. 10 at WPG: 24 points, 8-10 FG, 2-3 3FG, 6 assists, 3 rebounds

Jan. 11 at WPG: 32 points, 13-22 FG, 5-12 3FG, 5 assists, 2 rebounds

Calgary's All-Canadian guard was at it again in yet another heavyweight showdown between two of the top four teams in the country.

Petrone was once again incredibly efficient in Calgary's win over No. 4 Winnipeg, scoring 24 points on 8-10 shooting. One night later, he erupted for a season-high 32 points on 13-22 shooting - including drilling five triples.

The hometown Calgary product leads the conference with 24.5 points-per-game and also ranks fourth in FG percentage (60.9%).

View MBB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Wrestling - Mackenzie Cayer (Calgary Dinos)

Jan. 11 at Golden Bears Invitational - Gold Medal (65kg weight class)

It was another big weekend for Dinos rookie Mackenzie Cayer. The Calgary native dominated her 65 kg weight division for yet another tournament win in the early going of her university career.

Cayer won all three of her matches at Saturday's Golden Bear Invitational - all three coming by pin in 90 seconds or less. She opened the tournament with wins by fall in 23 and 28 seconds, respectively, in her first two bouts before pinning Alberta's top wrestler in a tidy 1:25 in the championship match. 

Men's Wrestling - Aidan Stevenson (Alberta Golden Bears)

Jan. 10 vs Saskatchewan - Dual win vs Dilon Hammer

Jan. 11 at Golden Bears Invitational - Gold Medal (82kg weight class)

Fourth-year Golden Bear Aidan Stevenson kicked off 2025 in dominant fashion winning four total matches on his home mat. The 2023 Canada West Male Wrestler of the Year began with a convincing 12-1 win over Saskatchewan's Dilon Hammer on Friday night in their dual, leading the Golden Bears to a 49-4 team win over the UofS.

Stevenson backed it up with three more wins by technical superiority in the Golden Bears Invitational, capped off by beating teammate Eli Fines in the 82kg weight class final.

The Golden Bears will visit Guelph and Lethbridge before Saskatchewan hosts the Canada West Championship in mid February.

Women's Track and Field - Shelaine Pritchard (Regina Cougars)

Jan. 10/11 at Sanderson Classic - 60-metre hurdles: 1st (8.52), Long jump: 1st (5.91m), Shot put: 3rd (12.56m), High jump: 8th (1.59m)

Shelaine Pritchard won a pair of events and added a third-place finish over the weekend at the Sanderson Classic in Saskatoon. Pritchard won both the 60-metre hurdles (8.52) and the long jump (5.91m) at the Sanderson, jumping into fourth spot in the early U SPORTS rankings in both events.

She also placed third in the shot put with a personal-best toss of 12.56m, which puts her sixth in the nation in that event.

Men's Track and Field - Noel Vanderzee (Calgary Dinos)

Jan. 10/11 at Sanderson Classic - High Jump: 1st of 16 (2.10m)

The reigning U SPORTS men's high jump champion started his title defence on a strong note. Competing at the annual Sanderson Classic in Saskatoon, Vanderzee started with an opening height of 2.01m and cleared on his first attempt to easily win the meet. The third year continued on, finishing with a winning height of 2.10m - well above the U SPORTS automatic qualifying standard to punch his return ticket to nationals. That height also already ranks Vanderzee second in all of U SPORTS after just his first competition of the season.

About Players of the Week:

The Canada West Players of the Week, Presented by BioSteel is a weekly celebration of athletic achievements across the conference. Each week, deserving student-athletes are nominated by SIDs from each member institution. Canada West office staff review nominations and select the recipients.

About BioSteel

BioSteel is a leading sports hydration and nutrition brand, delivering clean, high-performance solutions trusted by professional athletes, top universities, and teams across North America and Europe, including major organizations like the NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS, NBA, and their affiliates. Alongside hydration, BioSteel offers premium protein and sports nutrition products, catering to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and those striving for a healthier lifestyle. Committed to excellence, BioSteel equips top athletes and active individuals with the essential tools to reach peak performance and sustain wellness every day.

About Canada West:

As the leading university athletic conference in the country, Canada West is home to student-athletes that excel in the classroom and their communities. The conference is comprised of 17 member institutions spanning from Victoria to Winnipeg, with over 3,200 student-athletes competing across 14 sports. Canada West’s mission is to train leaders and build champions by providing leadership in the delivery, regulation, and promotion of university level high performance sports programs throughout western Canada.