WRES: Alberta sweeps CW banners
Golden Bears and Pandas take home men's and women's championship titles
The Canada West wrestling banners are heading back to the University of Alberta. For the third time in the past ten years, the Golden Bears and Pandas have swept both the men’s and women’s sides of the CW Championships.
Alberta’s Taylor McPherson, Aleah Nickel, Haley Heffel and Vianne Rouleau all came away with individual titles in the women's event for the Pandas as that team claimed its fifth-ever banner.
On the men’s side, Alberta’s Sam Pereira, Zachary Campbell, Ben Reid, Talon Hird and Isaiah Springer won out their weight classes to help the Golden Bears capture their 13th CW title.
With the victory, the Golden Bears restore their status as a wrestling powerhouse (the team’s 13th championship is the highest of any school in CW history). The Pandas’ win gets them back atop the podium for the first time since 2017-2018.
The team’s head coach, Owen Dawkins attributes the success to a new training method.
“The kids worked hard from the beginning of the year. I asked them, let’s switch what we’re doing… and it was hard at first, but at the end of the year is where it matters and it showed up here.”
Second-place Saskatchewan came up four points short on the men’s side and seven on the women’s.
“We knew it was going to be a hard duel and unfortunately the matches that needed to go our way, didn’t. We got the matches we knew we were going to… you need to be able to perform that day. Unfortunately it wasn’t our day,” said Saskatchewan Head Coach Daniel Olver.
The day didn't favour Calgary either, but the team took some positives out of the event.
“It was fantastic. We need our sport to return to championships. Our athletes have been waiting patiently to have a championship again so we’re very grateful to U of S for hosting it. They did a great job. And the competition was heated,” said Dinos Head Coach Mitch Ostberg.
The University of Alberta also takes home seven of eight major awards on the year. Haley Heffel has been named the Female Wrestler of the Year, while teammate Isaiah Springer was given the honour on the men’s side.
“Those two they work so hard. Haley has been a cornerstone of our program for ten years. It’s bittersweet because that was her last match and for her, it’s painful because she didn’t get a chance to earn a national championships. And I think she would have… not getting the chance to finish with a national championship is hard but this is hers,” Dawkins commented after the award ceremony.
“Isaiah Springer. What can you say. He’s just a rock. The kid trains hard. Whatever you ask him to do, he volunteers, he does everything. Can’t have two better athletes. I’m extremely proud of them.”
Springer was also voted the Male Student Athlete of the Year while Taylor McPherson has earned the same title on the women’s side. Owen Dawkins was named the coach of the year for both men and women, while Ben Reid is this year’s top rookie. The only non-Alberta athlete to earn a major award was Eilidh Wist from the University of Calgary. Wist was honoured as the Female Rookie of the Year.
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
(Name / School / Year / Major / Hometown)
Female Wrestler of the Year
Haley Heffel / Alberta / 5 / Education / Dapp, AB
Female Rookie of the Year
Eilidh Wist / Calgary / 1 / Arts, Education / Calgary, AB
Female Student Athlete of the Year
Taylor McPherson / Alberta / 4 / Kin., Sport & Rec. / Calgary, AB
Female Coach of the Year
Owen Dawkins / Alberta / 13th year
Male Wrestler of the Year
Isaiah Springer / Alberta / 2 / Education / Cochrane, AB
Male Rookie of the Year
Ben Reid / Alberta / 1 / Science / Spruce Grove, AB
Male Student Athlete of the Year
Isaiah Springer / Alberta / 2 / Education / Cochrane, AB
Male Coach of the Year
Owen Dawkins / Alberta / 13th year
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