Women to shine in Wesmen Classic
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This article was published 24/12/2018 (2467 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Wesmen Classic will feature women’s basketball as the main event for the first time in the tournament’s 52-year history.
The University of Winnipeg’s annual holiday event, which previously only featured men’s basketball, was expanded in 2017 to include men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball on an alternating four-year cycle.
“As a former player and alumni of the program, I remember the days when we used to play in the Classic and it was very special,” Wesmen women’s basketball head coach Tanya McKay.
“Now our team has the opportunity to be featured and our kids have the opportunity to play in a huge event in front of their home fans. I think it’s a tremendous opportunity and we’re really excited.”
The tournament runs Dec. 28 to 30 at the Duckworth Centre (400 Spence St.) and will feature eight teams from the Canada West conference. The Wesmen, who currently sit in 12th place in the conference with a 3-7 record will open against the 17th-place University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat on Friday at 6 p.m.
The Wesmen head into the tournament with three wins in their last four games — a streak that’s indicative of the young team’s growth in the face of adversity, said McKay.
“We had to deal with three injuries when we began the season,” she said. “Our roster is at 10, so we have 10 kids who are playing a ton of minutes and getting better.”
Forward Paige Hastings Van is the sole fifth-year player on the team and she said the Classic will be a chance to see how the Wesmen measure up against the rest of the conference — the second- and third-place teams from the universities of Calgary and Regina are also in the bracket.
“We have a very young team and we’re kind of just finding our groove through the first half, (we’re) very athletic and trying to use that to our advantage,” Hastings Van said. “I think it will very much boost our confidence, getting a chance to play some of the top teams is a very good opportunity.”
The Classic could also feature a personal milestone for coach McKay, who is sitting on 499 wins throughout her 23-year career with the Wesmen.
When asked what the 500th win would mean to her, McKay said, “I feel very fortunate to be coaching a great program, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 23 years — I owe a lot to the players that I’ve coached and the staff that I’ve had.”
For first-year forward Deborah Nkiaski, being part of McKay’s legacy means a lot.
“To see her reach that goal, reach that achievement, I think that’s awesome,” she said. “We were a part of that; we were a part of her wins.”
During the tournament, the
Wesmen will also unveil a new installation at the Duckworth Centre that pays homage to the athletic department’s history. Longtime women’s basketball coach Tom Kendall and former all-Canadian star Sandra Carroll will be the first two individuals inducted into the Wesmen Ring of Honour on Dec. 28.
Volleyball’s Mike Burchuk and Diane Scott will go in at a later date as part of the inaugural class.
Visit wesmen.ca or call 204-786-9823 or 204-786-9821 for more information and to purchase tickets in advance.