CW Announces Players of the Week

Jan. 30, 2024 – It was another exciting week of action across Canada West, highlighted by over 10,000 raucous fans packing the Scotiabank Saddledome last Wednesday as the Mount Royal University Cougars and University of Calgary Dinos wrote another chapter in their bitter rivalry at the 2024 Crowchild Classic. Wrestlers also got a final tune-up before conference championships at the Pronghorn Duals & Invitational events in Lethbridge, while crucial points were on the line as playoff races heat up across hockey, basketball and volleyball.

Here are your Canada West Players of the Week.

Women's Hockey - Emily Shippam (MAN)

Shippam was nearly unstoppable in the Bisons net this weekend, turning aside 46 of 47 shots and surrendering just a single goal during a crucial Manitoba sweep of Trinity Western.

She made 19 saves in a 2-1 win on Friday and was named third star for her performance. The second year goaltender from St. Mary's Academy in Winnipeg then earned her second shutout of the season on Saturday, making a Norah Collins goal stand up as the game winner in a tight 1-0 Bisons win. She was named the game's first star for the effort and improved her season record to 4-2-1.

The weekend sweep was big for the Bisons' playoff push, as it propelled Manitoba firmly into the sixth and final Canada West playoff spot.

Men's Hockey - Ethan Strang (MacEwan)

Strang's big weekend led the Griffins to a crucial weekend sweep of the Regina Cougars, allowing MacEwan to tighten their grip on the sixth and final Canada West playoff spot.

The second-year forward from Cochrane, Alta. continued his strong season with a goal and an assist in Friday's 6-2 win. The former Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) product then added another goal and an assist in a 7-2 victory the following night.

Strang leads MacEwan with 24 points in 26 games, including 12 goals. The Griffins now sit seven points up on the Cougars for the final playoff spot, although Regina does hold two games in hand.

Women's Basketball - Olivia Weekes (UBC)

Strong all-around play from Weekes helped the Thunderbirds come away with two tight wins over the UBCO Heat, extending the T-Birds winning streak to 12 games.

The third-year guard from Winnipeg set a season high with 25 points to lead all players In Friday's 80-77 victory, one point shy of her career high mark. She also added 13 rebounds and a trio of steals.

She added another double-double the following night as UBC held on for a 72-69 win. Weekes was integral to the victory, knocking in 15 points and collecting 10 boards, while adding a pair of steals.

With the weekend sweep, the T-Birds remain tied with Saskatchewan for first in wins in Canada West.

Men's Basketball - Diego Maffia (Victoria)

Maffia continued his dominant season, as the hometown product powered the Vikes to a commanding sweep of visiting Saskatchewan.

Returning to the Vikes' lineup for his first game since Jan. 12, Maffia tallied 25 points in just 21 minutes during Friday's 87-42 win, going 5-for-11 from beyond the arc.

The reigning U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian then added 31 points the following night in a 79-58 win, also notching a team-high seven assists.

Maffia continues to lead the conference in points-per-game by a wide margin, averaging 27.6 PPG in 11 games.

Women's Volleyball - Kaylee Plouffe (TWU)

The third-year middle from Sherwood Park, Alta. was absolutely dominant in two wins over a scrappy Thompson Rivers side, helping Trinity Western secure a weekend sweep - including an epic performance on Thursday night where the Spartans completed a reverse-sweep comeback.

She had a career-high 22 kills in Thursday's incredible 3-2 win, to go along with four blocks. She was arguably even more impressive the following night, posting an errorless 17 kills while hitting .586 to go with three aces and six blocks in a 3-1 win.

Plouffe has been one of the biggest forces in all of Canada West and U SPORTS this season. She leads the conference in hitting percentage (.437) and is first in blocks per set (1.3). She also sits fourth in kills-per-set (3.51).

Men's Volleyball - Chris Byam (Mount Royal)

Byam powered a high flying Cougars squad to another strong weekend as they swept visiting Winnipeg.

The fourth year outside hitter from Bow Island, Alta. put on a clinic of efficiency, striking for 12 kills with just one error and hitting .550% in Friday's 3-0 sweep. He also added an ace, two digs and four blocks while tallying 15 points.

He was a force again the next night while helping MRU to a five-set win. He tallied a game high 27 points on the strength of 20 kills and five service aces, also adding six digs and another four blocks.

Byam finds himself near the top of most offensive categories, currently leading the conference in kills with 318. He sits fourth in kills-per-set (4.13) and is second in hitting percentage (.343).

Women's Wrestling - Myah Phillips (Saskatchewan)

Phillips (83kg weight class) led all Huskies female wrestlers last weekend, putting forth a series of impressive performances at the Lethbridge Pronghorn Duals & Invitationals.

The second year wrestler from Saskatoon recorded the fastest technical fall for women (36 seconds) in the tournament, had 1 pin and had 30 points for and 4 points against to take home gold.

Men's Wrestling - Brantley Saar (Calgary)

Saar (82kg weight class) had a successful homecoming weekend, as the third year Lethbridge, Alta. product earned a trio of wins at the Lethbridge Pronghorn Duals & Invitationals.

He opened with a victory over Lethbridge's Hayden Devoy (Fall 0:57) at the Pronghorn Duals on Friday. He then triumphed over a pair of Saskatchewan wrestlers en route to winning his weight class the next day. It began with a tight 7-6 win by decision over Judah Arthurs, before pinning Simon Trokhymchuk in 1:04.