CW Announces Players of the Week

Feb. 27, 2024 – It was one of the wildest weeks in Canada West history, with no shortage of playoff and championship drama and the crowning of two conference basketball champions.

The 2024 Canada West basketball championships took centre stage in Abbotsford and Winnipeg, with Saskatchewan re-claiming the women's title and Victoria completing their three-peat on the men's side. The tournaments each featured incredible Cindarella stories, with No. 12 seeded UNBC knocking off three nationally ranked sides to claim bronze at the men's event, while the No. 10 ranked Victoria Vikes ultimately made it to the bronze medal game at the women's tournament.

Elsewhere, fans of CW hockey enjoyed an entertaining semifinal round while volleyball playoffs got underway with quarterfinal action. All eyes were on Edmonton for the 2024 CW Track and Field championships, with a number of incredible performances and records broken. Trinity Western also hosted the final stop of the CW Rugby 7s tour where the UBC Thunderbirds won another banner, with Rugby 7s all-stars to be announced later tomorrow.

Here are your Canada West Players of the Week.

Women's Basketball - Carly Ahlstrom (Saskatchewan)

Ahlstrom was simply dominant all week as she led Saskatchewan back to Canada West glory. The fifth year forward averaged 19 points-per-game over three postseason contests, including a stellar 27 point outing in the semifinal against championship host UFV in which she went 9-of-12 from the field. Her 16 points and eight rebounds in the CW final on Sunday helped Saskatchewan reclaim the conference throne back from Alberta with a commanding 73-42 victory.

Ahlstrom and the Huskies will now prepare for U SPORTS nationals, to be hosted in Edmonton by the University of Alberta starting March 7.

Men's Basketball - Justin Sunga (UNBC)

While the Victoria Vikes claimed their third straight Canada West banner last weekend, few could argue the feel good story of the men's championship tournament was the stunning Cinderella run put on by the bronze medallist UNBC Timberwolves.

The No. 12 seeded Timberwolves did something completely unprecedented in facing four top-seven nationally ranked opponents in the span of five days - and defeating three of them en route to the first Canada West medal in program history. Sunga played a key part in the magical run as the heartbeat of the Twolves on both ends of the floor.

The second year guard from Burnaby, B.C. averaged 13 points-per-game and displayed terrific playmaking ability while averaging nine assists over the four contests, including ten assists in a double-double against host Manitoba on Thursday night. He committed just six turnovers throughout the championship while playing an average of 35.5 minutes per game. ​

Women's Hockey - Chanreet Bassi (UBC)

Top seeded UBC survived a semifinal scare from a scrappy Calgary Dinos club, emerging victorious in a game three victory with Bassi leading the way offensively.

The fourth year from Lake Country, B.C. opened the series with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 game one victory, being named the contest's first star. With the season on the line in game three, she delivered once again with an assist on a Cassidy Rhodes tally to open the game, before hitting an empty netter in the third period to seal the deal.

The T-Birds will now host Alberta in the CW Final, beginning Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. PT.

Men's Hockey - Sam Huo (UBC)

For the first time in program history, the UBC Thunderbirds will host the Canada West Final - and Sam Huo is a big reason why.

Huo's five-point weekend helped the T-Birds recover from a game one defeat to Alberta, eventually rebounding with two straight wins to claim a spot in the CW final against defending conference champion Calgary.

The second year Richmond, B.C. product potted a hat trick in a crucial 4-2 game two win on Saturday, then added an assist in a 4-0 victory in game three the following day. He is now tied with teammate Sasha Mutala for the CW playoff lead in points per game, with four goals and an assist in three outings.

The CW Final will be a best-of-three series between UBC and Calgary, opening Friday night at 7 p.m. PT in Vancouver.

Women's Volleyball - Justine Kolody (Alberta)

Kolody's smart decision making was key to her team putting an end to the Trinity Western Spartans four year reign of Canada West dominance, as the Alberta Pandas swept TWU in the quarterfinals.

The third year setter from Winnipeg, Man. had 81 assists over the two game sweep, averaging 11.6 assists-per-set. She added 16 digs and three service aces in key contributions to what was an incredible overall team effort.

Kolody and the Pandas will now travel back to the west coast to face top seeded UBC in the best-of-three semis, beginning with game one on Friday at 6 p.m. PT.

Men's Volleyball - Henry Rempel (TWU)

Rempel made history as he led the Spartans to a quarterfinal sweep of the visiting Brandon Bobcats.

The fourth year outside hitter from Swift Current, Sask. opened game one with 11 kills at .412, six digs, and two blocks, but took it to another level in game two the following day. He finished with a career and Spartan best 27 kills in a 3-1 victory, breaking his personal best of 26 kills while also breaking the TWU record of 24 kills in a four set play-off match. He also tied the conference record for kills in a four set Canada West playoff match, which Alberta's Taylor Hunt set on Feb. 25, 2012 against Calgary.

The Spartans will retain home court advantage in the semifinals as they welcome in a scrappy Winnipeg Wesmen side that knocked off No. 2 seeded MRU in the quarterfinals.

Game one is set for Friday at 8 p.m. PT from the Langley Events Centre.

Track and Field - Performers of the Meet at 2024 CW Championships

Sienna MacDonald - Calgary

MacDonald was named a Track Athlete of the Year after an incredible performance at the 2024 CW Track and Field Championships, winning gold in three events including a record breaking 60m hurdles win, as well as claiming top spot in the women's pentathlon and long jump. MacDonald blazed through the 60m hurdles field with a time of 8.19 seconds on Friday, narrowly breaking the record of 8.21 seconds set by Saskatchewan's Michelle Harrison in 2020. The third-year Dino also bested teammate Aly Edwards by 271 points in the pentathlon, before capping off the night with a win in the long jump at 6.03m.

Noel Vanderzee - Calgary

Vanderzee electrified the crowd on Saturday with a CW record in the men’s high jump. He finished with a jump of 2.22 metres, shattering the previous record of 2.17m. The jump not only broke Dinos program and Canada West records, but also broke a 34-year old Alberta indoor record, and Vanderzee now sits 31^st in the world this season.

Justin Rose - Alberta

Golden Bear Justin Rose was named the men’s Track Athlete of the Year, headlined by a record-setting performance in the 60m hurdles on Friday, followed by additional gold medals in the 4x200m and 4x400m relays. He set the Canada West men’s 60m hurdles record with a time of 7.92 seconds, besting the previous record of 7.94 set by Calum Innes in 2014. Rose, the 2023 Canadian 400m hurdles champion, set two new personal bests in the event on the same day, placing first in the preliminaries with a time of 8.04 seconds.