CW BioSteel Players of the Week: March 3
Top playoff performers recognized across Canada West
March 3, 2026 - There's nothing like playoff time across Canada West.
Basketball champions were crowned, while hockey and volleyball delivered their share of upsets and tightly contested series that went the distance.
Here are some of the top storylines from around the conference:
- The hardwood delivered high drama as the conference crowned new champions in basketball. The Calgary Dinos women's team completed a stunning Cinderella run, capturing their first banner since 2001 after the sixth-seeded squad toppled the conference’s top three seeded teams - including previously unbeaten Saskatchewan and No. 1 UBC - to seize the title. On the men’s side, the Victoria Vikes continued their era of dominance, overpowering UBC 89-74 in the Final to secure their fourth conference championship in five seasons.
- The Alberta Pandas women's wrestling team were crowned national champions in dramatic fashion, with fifth-year Vianne Rouleau winning the final match of the championship to secure the banner by a single point. The U SPORTS Championship marks the third in team history for Pandas Wrestling, and second in the last four seasons.
- Final Four matchups are now set in volleyball after an entertaining weekend of quarter-final action, with multiple series going the distance. Alberta will host the women's bracket, with the semifinals pitting the host Pandas against Thompson Rivers and Trinity Western against UBC. On the men's side, host UBC will battle Manitoba, while rivals Alberta and Trinity Western square off in the other semi.
- Manitoba's Raya Surinx made Canada West women's volleyball history in Game 2 against TRU last Friday. The two-time reigning U SPORTS Player of the Year recorded a Canada West record 38.5 points on the night, passing Wolfpack great Iuliia Pakhomenko for the most points ever in a Canada West game (playoff or regular season) since the stat was tracked beginning in 1999. With her team needing a win to stay alive, the fourth-year outside hitter finished the night with 30 kills (tying the four set Canada West playoff record), four aces and six blocks in a 3-1 win.
- On the ice, the Manitoba Bisons were the feel good story in women's hockey, punching their ticket to the CW Final and U SPORTS nationals with a comeback series win over Mount Royal. The Bisons had started the year 1-7-4, rallied down the stretch to make the playoffs by two points, and are now nationals bound for the first time in seven years, all under the guidance of first year head coach Jordan Colliton. They'll take on UBC, who swept Trinity Western in the other semifinal, in the best-of-three Canada West Final beginning Friday in Vancouver.
- In men's hockey, MRU snuck past rival Calgary in a hard-fought Crowchild Classic semifinal that went the distance. They'll host Saskatchewan in a Canada West Final rematch after the Huskies impressively swept aside UBC, thanks in part to this incredible save from Nolan Maier that preserved a 3-2 victory in Game 1.
Let's get to our BioSteel Players of the Week.
Women's Basketball - Pollyanna Storie (Calgary Dinos)
CW Final vs. UBC: 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block in 63-57 win
Senior guard Pollyanna Storie helped lead the Calgary Dinos to its ninth Canada West title this weekend with a 63-57 win over UBC in the championship game in Vancouver.
Storie was named the game's MVP after leading the way in Saturday's conference final with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists and a block. The veteran leader who took on a new role as an every-game starter for the Dinos as a senior, Storie was once again a big part of the total team effort that has powered the Dinos to this magical run of now eight straight wins and the first Canada West championship in program history since 2001 - one year before Storie was born.
The Dinos now head to this year's U SPORTS Final 8 in Quebec City as the No. 3 seed, opening up with a quarterfinal against RSEQ champion McGill Thursday at 12:30 p.m. MT.
View Women's Basketball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders
Men's Basketball - Renoldo Robinson (Victoria Vikes)
CW Final vs UBC: 34 points, 4 assists in 89-74 win
Renoldo Robinson led the Vikes with 34 points in the Canada West championship game, claiming the gold medal and Championship MVP. Robinson timely scoring steadied the Vikes' offensive unit in clutch moments.
In front of a sold out crowd, Robinson scored from all levels, going 11-18 from the field. As UBC closed within six of the Vikes with four minutes to play, Robinson was the go-to man as Victoria looked to counter. The fourth year guard displayed his veteran presence and he sealed the game with his skillful mid-range game.
View Men's Basketball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders
Women's Hockey - Elise Hugens (UBC Thunderbirds)
CW Semifinal vs Trinity Western
Feb. 27: Win, Shutout, 18 saves in 4-0 Game 1 win
Feb. 28: Win, 21 saves in 3-1 Game 2 win
Stopping 39 of 40 combined shots for a .975 save percentage, Elise Hugens led the Thunderbirds to a semifinal sweep over the Trinity Western Spartans.
Her game one shutout was the seventh of her post-season career and seventh of the 2025-26 campaign. The second-team Canada West All-Star held the Spartans off the board until the dying minutes of the third period in game two.
The Sherwood Park, Alberta native has now racked up 16 Canada West playoff wins to lead her team into a fifth straight conference championship series which begins Friday night in Vancouver.
View Women's Hockey: Standings | Schedule | Leaders
Men's Hockey - Conner Roulette (Saskatchewan Huskies)
CW Semifinal at UBC
Feb. 27: 2 goals, 4 shots, 1 ppg, +1 in 3-2 Game 1 win
Feb. 28: 1 assist, 1 shot, +1 in 4-1 Game 2 win
Freshman Conner Roulette continued his fantastic debut campaign in the Canada West playoffs this past week.
Entering the weekend as the leading playoff scorer, Roulette once again helped Saskatchewan to a series sweep, this time of the West No. 1-seeded UBC Thunderbirds on the road. In game one the former ECHLer opened the scoring before doubling down to give the Huskies an early 2-0 lead on their way to a 3-2 win. The following night he added his eighth point of the playoffs, setting up a game-winning odd-man rush goal from Dawson Holt.
Through four games, Roulette has totalled four goals and four assists, and leads the conference in postseason scoring.
View Men's Hockey: Standings | Schedule | Leaders
Women's Volleyball - Olivia Andulajevic (Thompson Rivers WolfPack)
Quarter-final vs Manitoba
Feb. 26: 16 digs, 30 serve receptions, 0 serve reception errors in 3-2 Game 1 win
Feb. 27: 11 digs, 42 serve receptions in 3-1 Game 2 loss
Feb. 28: 8 digs, 20 serve receptions, 0 serve reception errors in 3-0 Game 3 win
Libero Olivia Andulajevic was a consistent presence all weekend long to help the TRU WolfPack women's volleyball team defeat the reigning national champion Manitoba Bisons in a CW Quarter-final series.
The fourth-year from Victoria tallied nights of 16, 11 and eight digs while playing a crucial role in serve reception - passing a mark of 2.53 on 112 receptions - as the WolfPack made program history by winning their first-ever CW playoff series on home court.
Andulajevic led the way for a WolfPack squad that will advance to a CW semifinal for just the second-time in program history and have already secured a first-ever berth to the U SPORTS National Championships.
View Women's Volleyball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders
Men's Volleyball - Luke Weddell (Alberta Golden Bears)
Quarter-final vs WPG
Feb. 26: 37 assists, 12.3 assists/set, 6 digs, 2 kills, 1 ace in 3-0 Game 1 win
Feb. 27: 54 assists, 10.8 assists/set, 8 digs, 1 kill, 1 ace in 3-2 Game 2 loss
Feb. 28: 39 assists, 13.0 assists/set, 4 digs, 1 kill, 2 aces in 3-0 Game 3 win
Dishing out 130 assists over a quarter-final series win over Winnipeg, fourth-year setter Luke Weddell helped send the Golden Bears back to the Canada West Final Four.
Weddell finished the three-game series averaging 11.8 assists per set, a number drastically above the highest standards for setters. Along with his 130 assists, Weddell added 18 digs, four aces, and four kills in 11 sets.
After a 37-assist performance in the Bears Game 1 win, Weddell put up a career-high 54 assists in the Bears' 3-2 loss in Game 2 on Friday night. His best performance however came in Game 3, as he dished out 39 assists in just three sets, leading Alberta to a series-clinching 3-0 win.
Next up for the Bears is a semifinal match against their rival Trinity Western Spartans on Friday in Vancouver.
View Men's Volleyball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders
Women's Wrestling - Annika Fines (Calgary Dinos)
Named U SPORTS Most Outstanding Women's Wrestler of the Year
2026 U SPORTS Championship - Gold Medal (62kg)
Wrestling at the 2026 U SPORTS Championships, Annika Fines once again showed she is one of the best in the sport in all of Canada right now.
The Calgary native was named the U SPORTS Most Outstanding Women's Wrestler of the Year after going a perfect 5-0 on the weekend, successfully defending her national title at the 62kg weight class.
Fines opened this year's tournament with a perfect 4-0 record on Day 1, headlined by three pins - two of which took under a combined one minute. In Saturday's championship bout, Fines had arguably her toughest challenge over the past two years and earned a 5-2 win by decision to claim her second consecutive national 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.