CW Announces Players of the Week

Feb. 6, 2024 – With the end of the regular season just around the corner, intense playoff races continue to heat up across the conference. Hockey's penultimate regular season weekend saw MacEwan's men’s team earn their first playoff berth in program history, while the UBC women’s team secured the top-seed for a second straight season. The race for the basketball postseason also continued, with highlights including a big upset as Regina’s women’s team handed top ranked Saskatchewan their first loss of the season, and Winnipeg's men's team sweeping a big weekend series against rival Manitoba.

Here are your Canada West Players of the Week.

Women's Hockey - Elise Hugens (UBC)

Hugens came up huge in the UBC net during a sweep of the Alberta Pandas, picking up two wins while helping the T-Birds secure the top-seed in Canada West for a second consecutive season.

With her team looking to cement home ice throughout the CW playoffs, Hugens put up a wall while making 41 saves over the two games. She made 26 stops in a 2-1 shootout win on Friday, including turning aside all three shots in the shootout and being named the game’s second star. She then made 22 saves the following night in a 3-1 UBC win, being named third star.

Men's Hockey - Kole Gable (MacEwan)

It was a four-goal weekend for Gable, as the former Swift Current Bronco helped MacEwan make program history.

He scored a hat trick in a big 7-2 victory on Friday, including a powerplay marker, being named the game’s first star. The win clinched a playoff spot for MacEwan, their first in program history.

The fourth year from Fort McMurray, Alta. then added a shorthanded marker the following night in a 4-3 setback.

Gable has 19 points in 24 games, helping lead the Griffins to their best record in program history.

Women's Basketball - Jade Belmore (Regina)

Belmore’s big weekend helped the Cougars turn heads across CW, as they handed the rival Saskatchewan Huskies their first loss of the season.

She had the hot hand on Friday night as her 31-point performance lifted Regina to a 69-62 win over the top ranked team in the nation. Belmore had the answer every time the Huskies tried to claw back into the game, connecting for three triples and going an impressive 10-for-14 shooting. She also added seven rebounds and two assists.

The third-year hometown Regina product also had eight points the following night in a 90-57 defeat.

Belmore has been an offensive force all season, currently sitting second in the conference with 18.2 points-per-game.

Men's Basketball - Donald Stewart (Winnipeg)

The cross-city rivalry against Manitoba brought out the best in Stewart as he delivered one of the best weekends of his career. The third-year hometown product from Vincent Massey High School poured in 50 points in two victories, helping the Wesmen to an impressive home-and-home sweep.

He opened with a game high 22 points and seven rebounds in an 86-79 win in Thursday's Duckworth Challenge contest, also adding two steals and two blocks. He was even better on Saturday, once again leading all scorers with a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds in an 88-78 triumph. He shot 16-25 (64%) from the field in that contest, including 8-for-13 (62%) from three. In addition to the double-double, Stewart also added three assists in the victory.

Women's Volleyball - Lauryn Tremblay (Alberta)

Tremblay had a fabulous weekend while helping the Pandas secure a pair of straight set road victories against cross-city rival MacEwan.

The fifth year outside hitter from St. Albert, Alta. was highly efficient, striking for 27 kills on 50 swings and making just three errors over the two games while hitting for a combined .480 hitting percentage. She also added 16 digs, three solo blocks, and a service ace.

Tremblay is sixth in the conference in kills per set (3.32) and third in hitting percentage (.286%).

Men's Volleyball - Henry Rempel (Trinity Western)

The fourth year outside hitter from Swift Current, Sask. had another huge weekend, leading the Spartans to a hard-fought split with UBC.

Rempel opened with 21 kills and two aces in a highly entertaining five-set home win on Thursday. He then had a career-best 26 kills the following night, along with five digs and two aces, although it wasn’t enough as the T-Birds flipped the script with a five-set win of their own.

Rempel remains atop the CW leaderboards in many offensive categories, sitting third in kills (314), kills-per-set (4.13) and hitting percentage (.307).

Women's Swimming - Emily De Jager (Calgary)

De Jager had the hometown crowd roaring as she claimed a pair of first place finishes at the Colleges Cup – Mountain, claiming first in the 200m (2:03.97) and 400m (4:20.99) freestyle.

The second year from Abbotsford, B.C. successfully helped the third-ranked Dinos take down Lethbridge and Manitoba in the final time in the pool this season before turning their attention to nationals.

Men's Swimming - Tristan Bennett (Lethbridge)

Bennett had a great showing at the Colleges Cup – Mountain event in Calgary last weekend, finishing first in the 50 m breaststroke, while also helping the Horns grab a team win in the 200m medley relay and a second place finish in the 200m freestyle relay.

Women's Track and Field - Jinaye Shomachuk (Lethbridge)

The third-year from Airdrie, Alta. had another strong showing at the Jim Daly Classic in Winnipeg last weekend, claiming first in the weight throw (17.31m) and also placing third in shot put (11.35m).

Men's Track and Field - Jordan Soufi (Manitoba)

Soufi thrilled the hometown supporters at the Jim Daly Classic last weekend, posting the fastest 60m time in the country at 6.75 seconds, which also qualified him for U SPORTS nationals. ​