CW Announces BioSteel Players of the Week

Nov. 26, 2024 - With the holiday break soon approaching, fans were treated to many key conference matchups across Canada West this past weekend.

In women's basketball, the weekend slate was highlighted by an entertaining series between Calgary and UBC, with both teams earning a hard fought win. Six teams emerged with two-game sweeps, including Regina, Alberta, Mount Royal, Trinity Western, Winnipeg and UNBC. On the men's side, Victoria (8-0) and Winnipeg (5-0) both picked up two wins to keep their perfect seasons rolling.

On the ice, the Manitoba Bisons women's hockey team continued their hot start with two impressive wins against Calgary, improving their record to 8-3. Alberta and Mount Royal also pulled out weekend sweeps. On the men's side of the ice, Saskatchewan and Alberta split a key weekend series, while Calgary and Mount Royal both picked up sweeps.

In women's volleyball, UBC improved to 8-0 with two wins against Mount Royal, and Thompson Rivers swept a key series against Trinity Western. There were four weekend sweeps on the men's side, with UBC, UBCO, Trinity Western and Alberta all recording a perfect weekend.

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

Women's Hockey - Aimee Patrick (Manitoba Bisons)

Nov. 22 vs CGY: 1G, 1 A, 2 shots, +3 rating in 3-1 win

Nov. 23 vs CGY: 1G, 1 A, 3 shots in 4-1 win

Helping the Bisons to a strong 8-3 start, Aimee Patrick was key to a weekend sweep over the visiting Calgary Dinos.

The third year forward from Winnipeg had a goal and an assist in Friday's 3-1 win, then added another tally and helper in a 4-1 triumph the following day. She's now leads the team with five goals and five assists in 12 games played this season, placing her tied for fourth in conference scoring with 10 points.

The Herd will close out their home stand with a pair of games against UBC this upcoming weekend.

View WHKY: Standings | Schedule | Statistics

Men's Hockey - Aidan de la Gorgendiere (Alberta Golden Bears)

Nov. 22 vs SSK: 2A, 1 shot, +3 rating in 4-2 win

Nov. 23 vs SSK: 3A, 2 shots, +1 rating in 5-3 loss

Furthering his case as the best defenceman in Canada West, sophomore Aidan de la Gorgendiere recorded five assists in a weekend split against Saskatchewan.

The former Saskatoon Blades captain was the offensive catalyst for the Bears in their 4-2 win on Friday night, contributing a pair of assists, while being on the ice for three of the Bears four goals.

He assisted on all three of the Bears goals in their 5-3 loss on Saturday, adding two shots and a +1 rating.

Through 14 conference games, de la Gorgendiere sits in a tie for the Canada West lead with 20 points, leading the conference with 17 assists and a +18 rating.

View MHKY: Standings | Schedule | Statistics

Women's Volleyball - Hadley Schmidt (Thompson Rivers WolfPack)

Nov. 22 vs TWU: 35 assists, 3 aces, 9 digs, 1 block assist in 3-2 win

Nov. 23 vs TWU: 32 assists, 2 aces, 9 digs, 1 block assist in 3-1 win

Veteran setter Hadley Schmidt led the way for WolfPack women’s volleyball this past weekend, helping the team achieve something that had never been done before in program history.

Racking up nearly 70 assists and five aces over the two games, the product of Saskatoon helped TRU to victories of 3-2 and 3-1 over the TWU Spartans – the first time that the ‘Pack has ever swept TWU in Canada West play.

Schmidt put the finishing touches on the sweep Saturday night with a service ace to clinch victory for a WolfPack squad that is ranked No. 5 in Canada. TRU was 2-36 in conference play against TWU prior to the weekend.

View WVB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Volleyball - Isaiah Mamer (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Nov. 22 vs MAN: 22 kills, 1.5 blocks, 4 digs, .571 hitting %, 23.5 points in 3-2 loss

Nov. 23 vs MAN: 14 kills, 1 service ace, 1.0 block, .286 hitting %, 16 points in 3-1 win

Isaiah Mamer played a crucial role for the Huskies in two tightly-contested matches this past weekend as the Huskies split with the Manitoba Bisons.

With the Dogs' leading scorer sidelined, the left side hitter stepped up, producing two team-leading performances with 23.5 points Friday night and 16 points on Saturday.

Friday night's performance also saw the Wilkie, Sask. product convert on an incredible 57% of attacks. Mamer now leads the Huskies with 108 points on the season.

View MVB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Basketball - Sveta Boykova (UNBC Timberwolves)

Nov 22 vs. UBCO: 16 PTS, 13 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK in 64-55 win

Nov 23 vs. UBCO: 20 PTS, 13 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL in 68-67 win

In two victories over the UBC Okanagan Heat, UNBC's Sveta Boykova delivered two signature performances that fans up North have become oh so familiar with in recent years.

The fourth-year forward recorded back-to-back double-double efforts in a pair of home court victories over the Heat. Her efforts helped galvanize the young Timberwolves for what was undoubtedly an important weekend for them. Thanks to the two wins, the TWolves have put themselves back in the top five conversation in the Pacific Division and Boykova's contributions at both ends of the court were a massive reason why.

View WBB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Basketball - Nate Petrone (Calgary Dinos)

Nov. 22 at UBC: 29 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals in 96-89 win

Nov. 23 at UBC: 26 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals in 93-89 loss

In arguably the premier matchup in all of U SPORTS men's basketball this past weekend, Dinos' guard Nate Petrone continued to shine when the lights are the brightest. Going up against No. 3 UBC, the fourth-year guard combined for 55 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and four steals in a split of two of the top three programs in the country.

In Friday's opener, Petrone started strong and had 11 points at the half before erupting for 11 more in the third quarter alone, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Petrone again led all players in Saturday's rematch, nearly helping the Dinos complete the comeback in a tight road loss while racking up another 26 points to go with six assists, four boards and two steals.

View MBB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

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.