Sports in brief: Flames hockey forward leads Bisons recruiting class of 2019-20

Flames hockey forward leads Bisons recruiting class of 2019-20

The University of Manitoba women’s hockey team has recruited St. Mary’s Academy prep player Kate Gregoire as part of its 2019-20 recruiting class.

Gregoire’s addition was announced at the end of the August along with six other new recruits who will join the team after this season: Halle Edwards, Camille Enns, Polina Goncharova, Samantha Sichkaruk, Molly Kunnas and Jamie Ricklefs.

Interim head coach Sean Fisher said the new talent will be a welcome boost to the bench.

"I know we are adding a group of terrific young women who will complement the culture that has been built here," Fisher said. "More impressive than their hockey accomplishments are the quality of people we are adding to our roster."

Gregoire, 17, had  successful season with the Flames in 2017-18. The team won a gold medal at the 2018 Female World Sport School Challenge and Gregoire was the team’s top scorer with 49 points in 47 games.

"Kate is a dynamic skater and is able to generate offense out of seemingly nothing," Fisher said. "She makes players around her better and will be a driving force of Bison offensive hockey in future years."

Also part of the class is Russian player Polina Goncharova. The 18-year-old is currently playing with the Hockey Training Institute Stars program in Toronto, Ont. and in 2015-16 was a member of the Russian U18 national team.

Former Shaftesbury Prep player Jamie Ricklefs will round out the class when she makes her way back to Manitoba from the Thunder Bay Queens.  

"Jamie plays the game with an edge and is a prototypical Bison player. She can skate, competes incredibly hard, plays on the right side of the puck and has a sneaky release on her shot," Fisher said.

Justus Alleyn signs pro basketball contract

Former U of M men’s basketball guard Justus Alleyn has signed a pro deal with NH Ostrava.

Alleyn was named 2017-18 male athlete of the year by the Bisons and this spring competed with Team Canada at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

NH Ostrava plays in the Czech Republic National Basketball League, the highest professional level in that country. The team’s first pre-season game was  Sept. 4 and the first league game is Sept. 30.