CW Announces Players of the Week
Seven student-athletes recognized across the conference
Oct. 10, 2023 – Following an exciting Canada West Golf Championship and a Thanksgiving weekend filled with rugby, hockey and soccer action, the Canada West Universities Athletic Association is proud to announce its Players of the Week.
Women’s Rugby – Kate Manning (Alberta)
The fourth-year fly half has been key to a resurgent Alberta Pandas side this season. The hometown Edmonton product helped her team officially clinch a Canada West playoff spot last weekend after a dominant 43-7 win over Calgary. Manning had three successful converts on the first three Pandas tries, helping Alberta pull away from a scrappy Dinos side. The Pandas have one more regular season game on Oct. 13 against Lethbridge and will then prepare for the CW playoffs the following weekend.
Women’s Soccer – Katalin Tolnai (UBC)
A pair of Tolnai hat tricks helped the UBC Thunderbirds clinch first place in the Canada West Pacific Division standings. Her trio of goals powered the T-Birds to a 6-0 win over UNBC on Friday. She then delivered another three tallies in Saturday’s rematch against the Timberwolves, helping UBC win by an identical 6-0 score. Tolnai is now tied for the conference lead in goals (13) and is the leader in overall points with 19.
Men’s Soccer – Ryan Lewis (TRU)
Lewis was simply electric for the WolfPack this past weekend, scoring four goals in a pair of important wins over rival UBCO. The third-year forward from Nelson, B.C. scored once in Friday’s 4-0 win, then powered the ‘Pack with a hat-trick in Saturday’s identical 4-0 victory. The tallies brought his WolfPack career goal total to 12, moving him to fifth in program history.
Women’s Hockey – Madison Willan (Alberta)
Willan’s offensive touch powered the Pandas to a pair of impressive victories over defending national champion Mount Royal University. The fourth year Edmonton product scored a goal and added two helpers in Friday’s 3-0 road win, then added another goal and an assist in Saturday’s 2-1 home victory. Willan is now tied for the conference lead in points (6). Alberta is 3-1 and will now prepare for a home-and-home series with MacEwan next weekend.
Men’s Hockey – Liam Kindree (UBC)
Kindree was crucial to a pair of UBC victories over Regina this weekend, lifting the T-Birds to a 4-0 start to their season. The third-year North Vancouver product had four assists in Friday’s 8-1 blowout victory, then provided some late game heroics in guiding his team to an impressive 5-4 comeback shootout win the following night. Kindree got UBC on the board with a powerplay tally late in the first period on Saturday, cutting a 2-0 Regina lead in half. He then pulled the T-Birds out of another two-goal deficit late in the game, assisting on a Sam Huo marker with just under five minutes remaining before scoring a goal to tie the game with 90 seconds left. After overtime solved nothing, Kindree capped off the impressive comeback win by scoring the only goal in the shootout.
Women’s Golf – Jessica Ng (UBC)
Ng put on a masterful performance at the CW Golf Championships in Abbotsford last week. The second year Vancouver product fired an impressive 70 (-2) in the final round to finish with a total score of 142 (-2), narrowly fending off teammate Una Chou by one stroke for the individual title. Her performance also helped UBC comfortably win the team title for the fourth consecutive time.
Men’s Golf – Justin Towill (UBCO)
Towill’s epic playoff victory helped him claim his second consecutive individual title at the Canada West Golf Championships last weekend. Playing the prestigious Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford, the lefty used rounds of one-under par 69 and one-over par 71, highlighted by a clutch birdie on the par-5 18th hole, to jump into the sudden-death playoff in the final round. It then took three playoff holes against Victoria’s Zach Ryujin, but a terrific second shot helped Towill claim the title, as he chipped his second shot within two feet of the hole. His performance also helped his UBCO Heat teammates claim a second overall finish in the team standings.
