CW BioSteel Players of the Week: Dec. 9

Dec. 9, 2025 - It was the final weekend of Canada West action in 2025, with hockey, basketball and wrestling closing out the calendar year in style. Although it was a relatively quieter schedule, fans were treated to great rivalry matchups on the hardwood and history-making moments on the ice.

In women’s basketball, Thompson Rivers guard Sydney Vollrath caught fire while delivering one of the top performances of the semester. The third year poured in a career high 28 points while going 7-for-9 from beyond the arc to lead the WolfPack to a victory over UNBC. On the men’s side, Winnipeg’s Kato Jaro came up clutch in a showdown with Manitoba, scoring 23 points while guiding the Wesmen to a thrilling 76-71 overtime win against the cross-town rival Bisons.

A full hockey slate took centre stage, and the final weekend did not disappoint. In men’s play, MacEwan earned its first home win over Alberta in program history, before the Golden Bears responded with a shootout victory during their annual teddy bear toss night. Mount Royal, Saskatchewan and UBC also closed the semester with important weekend sweeps.

In women’s hockey, UBC star Grace Elliott cemented her place in the Thunderbirds record book, becoming the program’s all-time points leader while powering the 'Birds to two wins over Trinity Western. Saskatchewan swept Regina, while MacEwan and Alberta, along with Manitoba and Mount Royal, split their weekend sets.

MacEwan's win on Saturday against Alberta was particularly memorable for the Griffins, as they beat their cross-town rivals for the first time since joining Canada West in 2021.

With their strong finishes, both UBC men's and women's programs have already clinched playoff spots, an impressive feat before the calendar turns to January.

Wrestling also wrapped up its 2025 competition calendar as student-athletes converged in Lethbridge for the Pronghorn Invitational.

Let's get to our BioSteel Players of the Week.

Women's Hockey - Grace Elliott (UBC Thunderbirds)

Dec. 5 at TWU: 2 G, GWG, 7 shots, +1 in 3-2 win

Dec. 6 vs TWU: 1 G, 1 A, GWG, 7 shots, +2 in 3-0 win

Setting UBC's all-time program record with her 117th point Friday, Grace Elliott scored her second of the game late in the third period to seal the Thunderbirds' victory over the Spartans.

The reigning conference and U SPORTS Player of the Year put up her second straight multi-point game of the weekend with a one goal, one assist effort in Saturday's 3-0 shutout win, once again scoring the game winner, her tenth GWG in 18 games so far this season.

Elliott leads the conference with 18 goals and 25 points heading into the new year.

View Women's Hockey: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Hockey - Tyson Laventure (Alberta Golden Bears)

Dec. 5 at GMU: 2 PP goals, 5 shots in 4-3 OT loss

Dec. 6 vs GMU: 1 G, 1 A, 4 shots, shootout winner, +1 rating in 5-4 SO win

Ending the first semester on a high note, second-year Bears forward Tyson Laventure recorded four points and a shootout winner across a two-game split with the MacEwan Griffins.

Laventure scored twice on Friday night, with both goals coming 20 seconds apart on an extended Bears power play late in the first period. The former Victoria Royal, who leads the team with 63, added five shots on Friday night.

He added another goal and an assist in Saturday's comeback win, as Alberta erased a 4-1 MacEwan lead, before eventually winning in the shootout. Laventure scored the lone goal in the shootout, helping keep the Bears ahead of the Griffins in the conference standings.

Laventure ends the first semester with eight goals and 14 points in 18 games.

View Men's Hockey: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Basketball - Sydney Vollrath (Thompson Rivers WolfPack)

Dec. 5 vs UNBC: Career high 28 PTS, 7-9 3 PT, 8-11 FG, 2 steals in 74-50 win

Helping the WolfPack put the finishing touches on a strong first semester, third-year guard Sydney Vollrath had one of the best games in program history Friday night.

The product of St. Albert, Alta., was on fire from the floor, going a perfect 6-for-6 from long range in the first half en route to 21 points. Vollrath kept that up in the second half, tallying a further seven points to lead the way with 28 in the WolfPack's 24-point win.

Vollrath's 28 points tied for fourth-most in a single game in program history and helped send TRU into the winter break with five wins for the first time since 2019.

View Women's Basketball: Standings | ​ Schedule | Leaders

Men's Basketball - Kato Jaro (Winnipeg Wesmen)

Dec. 5 at MAN: 23 PTS, .500 FG%, 3-6 3PT, in 76-71 OT win

Kato Jaro’s big night led the Wesmen to a critical win on the road against their crosstown rivals from Manitoba.

Jaro scored 23 points on 7-for-14 shooting and was 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, helping the Wesmen take down the Bisons in overtime. He scored 16 of his season-high total in the first half, including 10 in the second quarter when the Wesmen outscored the Bisons 22-13.

View Men's Basketball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Wrestling - Myah Johnston (Calgary Dinos)

2025 Pronghorns Invitational - Gold (53kg)

It was a perfect 4-0 weekend for Maya Johnston at the 2025 Pronghorn Invitational in Lethbridge last weekend.

Johnston - the reigning U SPORTS bronze medallist - showed she is once again one of the top wrestlers at her weight class. The local product started off with a 10-0 tech fall win in her opening bout that only seemed to get her going. Johnston posted a 10-0 win over Saskatchewan's Lexa Barous before a 12-1 win over Anna Trieu of Alberta. In her final match of the weekend, Johnston closed things out with a pin over Lethbridge's Hailey Arsenault in just over 90 seconds of competition.

This already marks Johnston's second tournament win this season with one more outing on the calendar before the 2025 Canada West Championships on Feb. 14.

Men's Wrestling - Brantley Saar (Calgary Dinos)

2025 Pronghorns Invitational - Gold (82kg)

It was a perfect final homecoming for Dinos fifth-year senior Brantley Saar, as he claimed the gold medal at the 82kg weight class at the 2025 Pronghorn Invitational this past Saturday.

Saar - a product of Lethbridge - was a man on a mission in Calgary's latest competition, winning all three of his bouts without surrendering a single point. He opened the weekend with an 11-0 tech fall win in a tidy 1:33 before duplicating that score in a mere 47 seconds his next time out. Saar completed the sweep of the round robin with a 10-0 tech-fall win in 1:58 to close things out and bring home the gold medal.

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.