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Student-athletes recognized with awards during Varsity Athletics Banquet

York University Lions track and field standouts Brittany Crew and Pierce Lepage were named the female and male athletes of the year, respectively, at the 51st annual Varsity Athletics Banquet on April 4.

2019 Varsity Banquet
From left to right: Christy Ihunaegbo, track and field – Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy winner; Erin McAleenan, women’s basketball – Coach of the Year; Brittany Crew, track and field – Female Athlete of the Year; DeAndrae Pierre, men’s basketball – Male Rookie of the Year; and Kalifornia Mitchell, women’s soccer – Female Rookie of the Year

Crew, who returned to the Lions this season after spending two years competing internationally, picks up her third Female Athlete of the Year award after winning the award in 2015 and 2016. Lepage earned his first Male Athlete of the Year award this year, in his first season competing with the Lions.

Four of the Lions’ graduating seniors were also recognized for their outstanding contributions to varsity athletics with the Lions Legacy Award. Women’s volleyball player Cadence Currie, track and field athlete Bailey Francis, women’s hockey player Jenna Gray and field hockey player Sara Vollmerhausen all took home the award, which recognizes the imprint they’ve left on York both on and off the field during their time with the Lions.

Also receiving major awards at the event were Christy Ihunaegbo from the track and field team, who was named the recipient of the Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy for exemplifying the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, enthusiasm for life and the consideration of others; Kalifornia Mitchell from the women’s soccer team and men’s basketball player DeAndrae Pierre, who were named the top rookies of the year; and women’s basketball head coach Erin McAleenan, who received the Coach of the Year award.

Female Athlete of the Year: Brittany Crew, track and field
Crew, a now three-time female athlete of the year, had another phenomenal season for the Lions, as she was named both U SPORTS field events athlete of the year and the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) field events MVP. She won gold medals in the weight throw and shot put events at both the U SPORTS championships and the OUA championships and received the Wendy Jerome Trophy as the most outstanding performer at the OUA championships. She also broke her own OUA championships records in both the shot put and weight throw and her own U SPORTS championship record in the shot put. Crew graduates from York this year with a degree in kinesiology and health science as one of the most decorated athletes in the history of the track and field program. In her Lions career, Crew won a total of six gold medals at the U SPORTS championships and seven gold medals at the OUA championships.

Male Athlete of the Year: Pierce Lepage, track and field
Lepage was outstanding this year, his first season with the Lions track and field team. He won two gold medals at the U SPORTS championships in the 60m hurdles and long jump events, a silver medal in the men’s 4x200m relay and a bronze medal in the men’s high jump. He also dominated the competition at the OUA championships, winning three gold medals in the 60m hurdles, high jump and long jump. Lepage was named the U SPORTS field athlete of the year and male athlete of the meet for U SPORTS championships and also received the Hec Phillips award as the most outstanding performer at the OUA championships.

Lions Legacy Award: Cadence Currie, women’s volleyball
Currie played for five years on the women’s volleyball team as both an outside hitter and a libero. She had an outstanding career for the Lions on the court, appearing in 88 games and earning a total of 330 points and 660 digs. Off the court, Currie was also a great student in the classroom, earning academic all-Canadian honours last year and maintaining her AFA status for all five years she spent at York. She was always willing to help her teammates with their academics as well, and served as a PAWS mentor, guided the women’s volleyball study hall hours, and was the team academic lead and captain of academics. She was also a member York Sport Council, Lions Leadership and Athletes in Action, and was an active contributor to Shoreham sports clinics and the women’s volleyball reading buddies program as well as the driving force behind many Lions 4 Lions initiatives with the women’s volleyball program.

Lions Legacy Award: Bailey Francis, women’s track and field
An active member of the York Sport Council and a four-year member of the Lions track and field team, Francis spearheaded a number of initiatives with the Sport Council and was always a positive influence on her teammates throughout her career. She was also a strong student inside the classroom, maintaining a B+ average while earning her degree in criminology. She not only left her mark on the Lions, but in other areas of York as well. She was selected to be a part of the President’s Ambassador Program for emerging student leaders, she was a member of the Stong Student Council for three years and she participated in many intramural sports. She spent countless hours volunteering with local homeless shelters, Special Olympics Ontario and a number of other charitable causes. On the track, Francis finished in the top 10 at the OUA championships the past three years, including a career-best fifth place in the women’s triple jump this year, and she competed for the Lions at the U SPORTS championships the past two years.

Lions Legacy Award: Jenna Gray, women’s hockey
Gray was an ironwoman for the Lions during her outstanding career. She stepped into the Lions lineup right away in her rookie season and never came out of it, playing in all 120 games in her five-year career. She was one of the leaders on the ice and inside the locker room for the Lions and served as team captain for the past two years. She scored 39 points in her career and was named an OUA second-team all-star in her fifth and final season. Off the ice, Gray was a PAWS mentor, an academic all-Canadian, and won the 2018-19 U SPORTS Student-Athlete Community Service Award for excellence in athletics, academics and sport leadership. She was also an executive member of the York Sport Council, and she played a large role in the organization and execution of the Hockey Education Reaching Out Society, which gives local children from the Jane-Finch community the opportunity to play hockey as an education and leadership vehicle.

Lions Legacy Award: Sara Vollmerhausen, field hockey
Vollmerhausen played defence for five years on the Lions field hockey team and helped the team go from fifth place with a losing record in her rookie season to a two-time OUA champion by the end of her career. She was the team captain last season as well as a U SPORTS all-Canadian and OUA all-star, and she won the U SPORTS Fair Play Award for sportsmanship. Vollmerhausen was also a York Sport Council member for all of her five years and was in charge of Lions 4 Lions this year as part of the Sport Council’s executive team. She was an active participant in the Lions Adopt-a-Family program, Shoreham sports clinics and many field hockey team fundraisers – including the first-ever field hockey game for the cure, which raised more than $1,000. She also worked as a work-study student in facility operations, organized study hall sessions for the field hockey team and was instrumental in organizing the first-ever team lifts in the varsity gym.

Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy: Christy Ihunaegbo, women’s track and field
After migrating to Canada from Nigeria 10 years ago after competing on the Nigerian national track and field team, Ihunaegbo enrolled at York after a few years in Canada. She began competing with the Lions track and field team in 2015 after giving birth to her second child, and throughout her time at York she has had to balance the responsibilities of being a mother of two and a full-time student-athlete, while also working night jobs after a full day at York to support her family. Despite having an extremely busy schedule, Ihunaegbo was a leader on the track and field team and a role model to her teammates. She always displayed a tremendous work ethic, went out of her way to give other athletes advice to help them improve, and was always willing share her experiences from both on and off the track. Ihunaegbo was always an outstanding athletic performer for the Lions. She is the York University record holder in the 300m and 4x400m relay, a four-time U SPORTS medallist and a three-time OUA championship medallist.

Coach of the Year: Erin McAleenan, women’s basketball
The Lions have improved in every season since McAleenan took over the program in 2015. Despite losing their leading scorer from last year’s team and battling a significant amount of injuries all season long, she led the Lions to their first playoff win since the 2007-08 season, an upset victory on the road over the Queen’s Gaels in the first round of the playoffs. The Lions also achieved their first five-game win streak since the 2007-08 season and finished in fifth place in the OUA East. Their biggest victory of the regular season was a huge win over the No. 4-ranked Ryerson Rams during the final weekend of the regular season to clinch a playoff berth.

Male Rookie of the Year: DeAndrae Pierre, basketball
Pierre becomes the first basketball player to win the rookie of the year since 2010. The Lions guard had a massive impact in his first season with the team and was a huge part of the team’s improvement. He made an immediate splash in the OUA, scoring a career-high 31 points early in the season against the Waterloo Warriors, leading the team by playing almost 30 minutes per game, and ranking second on the team with 13 points and 2.5 assists per game. He was named to the OUA East all-rookie team and ranked second in the OUA among rookies in total points, points per game, field goals made and total assists. Pierre also scored 26 points in the team’s victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues, which clinched a playoff berth, and he was named York’s male athlete of the week twice during the season.

Female Rookie of the Year: Kalifornia Mitchell, soccer
Mitchell stepped into the Lions starting lineup right away and started all 16 games at midfield for the Lions. She scored the first goal of the season for the team in her first career game and played strong on both the offensive and defensive ends of the field all season long. Mitchell also ranked third on the team in goals, fourth in points and shots on goal, and fifth in shots. She was a big part of the Lions lineup and helped the team finish in second place in their division and earn a bye in the first round of the OUA playoffs. In addition to winning the York Female Rookie of the Year award, Mitchell was recognized for her outstanding rookie season by winning the OUA Rookie of the Year award and being named the U SPORTS all-rookie team.

MVPs
Men’s basketball – Chevon Brown
Women’s basketball – Katrina Collins-Samuels
Men’s cross country – Ali Ghadghoni
Women’s cross country – Katrianna Pisani
Field hockey – Sara Vollmerhausen
Football – Nikola Kalinic
Men’s hockey – Scott Feser
Women’s hockey – Erin Locke
Rugby – Megan Pakulis
Men’s soccer – Daniel Gogarty
Women’s soccer – Christina Morelli
Men’s tennis – Jeremy Guttman
Women’s tennis – Heather Hills
Men’s track and field – Pierce Lepage
Women’s track and field – Brittany Crew
Men’s volleyball – Logan Mend
Women’s volleyball – Celeste Witzell
Men’s wrestling – Shevonne Witter-Watts
Women’s wrestling – Bailey Agard
Most Improved Team – men’s basketball
Sport Council Award – Tara Leithead, women’s volleyball
Roar Cup – women’s hockey team
Student Athletic Therapist of the Year – Brian Richard
Spirit Cup Award – men’s hockey team

New fitness equipment leads to big gains at Tait McKenzie Centre

Recent upgrades to the fitness equipment in York University’s Tait McKenzie Centre have led to huge improvements as the York Lions’ Campus Recreation Department continues to make big strides in increasing program options and user satisfaction.

A full-scale update to the equipment kit in the Fitness Centre was completed in December 2018, while upgrades to two of the studios, including the addition of women’s-only programming and accessibility services space, have made for a more welcoming and positive atmosphere for users.

“The upgrades to the space and the new equipment make all the difference – it now feels like you are working out at an exclusive club,” said Maureen Barnes, director, Student Accessibility Services at York and frequent user of the Tait McKenzie Fitness Centre. “Not only are there are new machines to integrate into existing routines, but the strength and conditioning area has new toys so that keeping workouts challenging is never a problem. What was especially helpful was being able to do an intro session to see how to incorporate the new equipment into daily routines.”

Fourth-year kinesiology and health science student Malcolm Glennie agrees that the changes to the Fitness Centre have increased the options users have when completing their workouts.

“Changing up your workout routine is important and the new equipment at Tait is perfect for adding some diversity and creativity to your workouts,” said Glennie.

The new equipment purchases increased the equipment kit size, variety, quality and elevation of spaces within the Fitness Centre and studios. In the Fitness Centre itself, all previous cardio equipment, selectorized strength, plate-loaded strength, training stations, Olympic benches, and racks were replaced with new and upgraded models.

Elevated space within the Fitness Centre was also created to include a functional training area that features Escape Fitness equipment, a premium and industry-leading brand, that offers users unique equipment design as well as increased functionality. The new Escape Fitness equipment area has allowed for new programming, and the Campus Recreation Department recently launched the popular Olympic weight lifting program in January. Led by the student staff members, the Olympic weight lifting program is executed in a group training format that takes place three days per week and caps off with a mini Olympic weight lifting event. The new program has elevated both the Fitness Centre’s program offerings and the professional student staff who lead the sessions, as they have all completed their Level 1 Olympic weight lifting coaching course.

The women’s-only programming and accessibility services space has found a home in Studio 3, which has undergone a facelift that includes new flooring, paint, lights, ventilation, and new selectorized and free weight equipment. Studio 1, which is used for spin classes and drop-in fitness classes, has also been improved with new paint, ventilation, Keiser spin bikes and an Escape Fitness training rig.

“The new Fitness Centre equipment has turned the studio space into an inviting, safe space for training clients at Tait,” said Vienna Nguyen, a fourth-year kinesiology and health science student and Fitness & Lifestyles staff member who leads the programming associated with student accessibility services in Studio 3.

“Having a separate space allows our clients to feel comfortable and confident when exercising, and creating a space like this is a huge benefit to have for our clients.”

The new equipment purchases include selections from the industry-leading brands Precor, Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Escape Fitness and Matrix. The impact of the new equipment can already be seen, as the Fitness Centre recorded 11,775 more total visits when compared to January 2018, which represents an increase of 29 per cent.

For more information on the Tait McKenzie Centre and to find out about memberships and program options, visit the Campus Recreation website.

York9 FC to play 2019 inaugural Canadian Premier League season at York Lions Stadium

In conjunction with York University Athletics & Recreation, York9 Football Club (FC) has confirmed it will launch its 2019 inaugural season of Canadian Premier League at York Lions Stadium.

“It’s exciting for the players,” said York9 FC coach Jimmy Brennan, whose squad convened this month for the start of Canadian Premier League training camps. “You want to play your games in a true modern stadium atmosphere, with the added bonus that we get to start this club playing properly on soccer-specific grass.”

View of York Lions Stadium at York University

In addition to creating a great soccer-viewing experience for fans, the periphery niceties, including a sizable craft beer and food truck selection, will be a big part of creating an outstanding match day for York9 supporters.

“We’re creating a small craft beer festival every game for people to enjoy,” said Preben Ganzhorn, president and CEO of York9 FC. “We think it will be appealing to the university crowd and all sports enthusiasts within York Region. We want to create something that speaks to that millennial but also is relevant to the true soccer fan. It’s about creating the combination of an inviting environment, where there’s something for everybody, and developing something special on the pitch in a way that’s authentic in order to create good football viewing.”

Additionally, the north supporters end will now feature a multi-tiered safe standing area to create a true football atmosphere for the club’s loudest supporters. This decision has been made after consultation with supporter groups and researching other top-flight stadiums around the world.

“We are incredibly excited to have this partnership with York9 FC, and now to see them officially launch their 2019 inaugural season in beautiful York Lions Stadium is something we’re really looking forward to,” added Jennifer Myers, executive director, Athletics & Recreation at York University.

York9 FC opens its 2019 inaugural season home slate with a Canadian Championship matchup against AS Blainville on May 22.

The club will host 905 Derby rival Forge FC three days later at York Lions Stadium, on May 25, for their Canadian Premier League home opener.

About the Canadian Premier League

Canadian Premier League (CPL) is Canada’s professional men’s soccer league, set to debut on April 27. Playing in world-class and unique venues, and partnering with strong community-led ownership groups, the CPL is a league for Canadians by Canadians that will bring professional soccer to communities coast to coast.

For updates and more information, visit CanPL.ca.

Weekend wrap: Lions storm the podium at U SPORTS Track & Field Championships

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions track and field team opened the 2019 U SPORTS championships on Thursday at the University of Manitoba with a gold-medal performance from thrower Brittany Crew.

Crew got the Lions off to a great start by winning the gold medal in the weight throw in the first event of the meet. Crew’s winning throw came on her second toss of the day, as she heaved her weight 18.78m to earn her fifth career U SPORTS gold medal and third in the weight throw. She bested second-place competitor Ariane Dubois of Sherbrooke, Que., by 44cm and third-place finisher Noemie Jeffrey of Laval, Que., by 1.33m. Crew was named the U SPORTS Female Field Athlete of the Year earlier in the day and will go for her sixth career U SPORTS gold medal in the shot-put tomorrow. More details on the York Lions website.

The Lions reached the podium five times on Day 2 of the 2019 U SPORTS Track & Field Championships on Friday, as all-world athlete Pierce Lepage led the way for the Lions with two gold medals and a bronze in his first U SPORTS championships.

Lepage started his day by winning his heat in the men’s 60m hurdles in 8.01 seconds. In the final just two hours later, he cruised to victory in 7.83 seconds, just .04 seconds off the U SPORTS championship meet record to pick up his first gold medal of the meet. Lepage won his second gold medal of the day a short time later in the men’s long jump, breaking the York school record in the process as he leapt to the top of the podium with a distance of 7.69m.

Lepage made quick work of the long jump, only registering two jumps before heading to the other side of the track to compete in the men’s high jump, which started just 30 minutes after the long jump. The silver medallist in the decathlon at the 2018 Commonwealth Games would win his third medal of the day with a bronze in the event, clearing the bar at 2.09m. More details.

The Lions completed their season on Saturday with some thrilling action on Day 3. The team had four individual athletes and three relay teams competing on the final day of the 2018-19 season, with the men’s 4x200m relay team providing some fireworks on the track in a thrilling performance.

After a spectacular Day 2 where he earned two gold medals in the men’s 60m hurdles and long jump and a bronze in the high jump, Lepage subbed into the men’s 4x200m relay and got the Lions off to a great start in the B final, giving them a lead after the first leg. He handed off to relay specialist Daniele Orsini who maintained the lead through the second leg. Despite a rough handoff and some contact around the first corner, Tohma Van Bergen turned on the jets and held off a charge from the Regina Cougars to run a blistering third leg before giving the baton to anchor runner Zeon Bass. Bass maintained the Lions’ lead throughout the final lap as the Lions won the B final in a time of 1:27.26 and played the waiting game to see where they would sit after the A final. More details.

York Lions Stadium receiving an upgrade

The York Lions Stadium

York University will embark on a major transformation of the York Lions Stadium (formerly the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium) into a multi-use facility with artificial turf and a seasonal inflatable dome to support year-round activities and events.

The York Lions Stadium

On Feb. 26, the Board of Governors of York University approved the changes, and preliminary scoping and design planning can now begin. A request for proposals will be issued in the coming months.

The new multi-use facility will be available for additional sporting events such as football and soccer competitions year-round. It will allow for better utilization of the stadium and improved athletics and recreation programs for use by York students, staff and faculty.

“This project will expand access, provide more sporting and community event options at our Keele Campus, and enrich the experience of athletes at York, in the GTA and beyond as they strive for excellence,” said Jennifer Myers, executive director of athletics at York University.

The University will also construct a new track and field facility on the northwest corner of campus that will meet the high standards and quality of the current track and will meet Athletics Canada’s daily training needs.

“We’re very happy with York University’s continued commitment to our high-performance program,” said Simon Nathan, Athletics Canada’s high performance director. “The new facility will allow us to train for all events, something we could not do before, and athletes will continue to have full access rights.”

The new facilities will be used to support a diverse mix of varsity and campus recreation programs, intramurals, special University events, community and public events, and more.

Weekend wrap: Lions fall to Marauders in four sets in OUA quarterfinals

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University men’s volleyball team was defeated by the McMaster University Marauders 3-1 in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarterfinals on Saturday evening at Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

Despite the Lions being up against the No. 4 nationally ranked Marauders, they came out of the gates strong, won the first set and made it tough on the Marauders in the final three sets.

The Lions were confident entering the game, fresh off two wins in a row last weekend, and had an impressive first set. The start of the set was extremely close for both teams until the Marauders, after an 11-11 tie, earned five points, while the Lions only added one, to enter the mid-set break with a 16-12 lead. More details on the York Lions website.

Road ends for Lions with loss to Warriors in quarterfinals

The York University women’s volleyball team was defeated 3-0 by the University of Waterloo Warriors in the OUA quarterfinals on Saturday evening at Physical Activities Complex in Waterloo, Ont.

The Lions, who earned a playoff spot as the fourth seed in the OUA East division, were up against tough competition with the No. 4 nationally ranked Warriors who finished in first place in the OUA West division. The Lions, however, were fresh off a big five-set win against the Trent Excalibur last weekend.

The Lions were the first to earn a point at the start of the first set, but the Warriors had a strong start entering the mid-set break with a 16-8 lead. The Warriors picked up their biggest lead of the set after a service error by the Lions, to lead by 10 points, 20-10. Despite the Lions attempting to close the large lead, the Warriors took the first set 25-17. More details.

Weekend wrap: Lions men’s and women’s teams finish fourth at OUA championships

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions men’s and women’s teams both finished fourth overall in the team standings at the 2018-19 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) track and field championships.

The Lions, who hosted the event on their home track at the Toronto Track & Field Centre Feb. 22 and 23, brought home a total of 14 medals over the course of the two-day event. Their medal haul included six gold medals, three silver medals and five bronze medals.

On the women’s side, the University of Guelph Gryphons came out on top with a commanding 218 points, followed by the University of Western Mustangs in second place with 135 points and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in third with 115. The Gryphons men also claimed an OUA banner with 153 points, followed by the Varsity Blues in second with 123 and the Mustangs in third with 117.50. More details on the York Lions website.

Lions advance to OUA quarterfinals with huge win over Gaels

The York University women’s basketball team upset the Queen’s University Gaels 76-70 in the first round of playoffs on Wednesday evening at the Athletics & Recreation Centre in Kingston, Ont.

The Lions were the underdog team heading into the game as they were playing against the fourth-seeded Gaels on their home court. However, the Lions played outstanding basketball all game long and clinched the game in the final minute of the fourth quarter. They would go on to defeat the Gaels by six points and celebrate with a large group of Lions supporters who had travelled by bus to cheer on the team.

The first quarter was extremely close for both teams, as the Lions and Gaels each had a chance to lead. The quarter was tied a total of five times; however, it was the Lions who came out on top after one final jump shot by Cyanna King to lead the Gaels 16-14 by the end of the first frame. More details.

Three days later, the Lions were defeated by the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 89-53 in the quarterfinals of the OUA playoffs on Saturday afternoon at Montpetit Hall in Ottawa.

The Lions were fresh off a huge win on Feb. 20 as they defeated the Queen’s Gaels 76-70 in the first round of the playoffs. With the win, they found themselves up against the Gee-Gees in the quarterfinal game, a strong team that came in first place in the OUA East division with a 21-2 record during the regular season.

The Gee-Gees had an early lead, but the Lions came out strong and tied the game 10-10 with a jump shot by Lauren Golding, and took the lead 12-10 after a jumper by Madison Bardoel. After more baskets by Cyanna King and Chante Clarke, the Lions picked up a six-point lead on the Gee-Gees, 16-10. A hard-fought battle in the final minutes of the first quarter ended with the Lions and the Gee-Gees tied 18-18. More details.

Adarkwa top finisher for Lions at U SPORTS wrestling championships

The York University Lions wrestling team took on the best in the nation this weekend at the 2019 U SPORTS championships at the University of Calgary.

Mary Adarkwa led the team with a fifth-place finish in the women’s 72kg division. Adarkwa defeated OUA silver medallist Ashley Gravelle of the Lakehead Thunderwolves by a score of 10-0 in her first-round match and wound up in fifth place in her weight category.

Other Lions competing this weekend were Shevonne Witter-Watts, who finished in sixth place in the men’s 57kg category; Nashane Ralph, who also finished in sixth place in the men’s 61kg category; and Lynelle Vassell, who finished in seventh place in the women’s 82kg category. More details.

Lions net big road win over Varsity Blues

The York University men’s volleyball team defeated the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 3-1 on Friday evening at Goldring Centre in Toronto.

The Lions took the game to the Varsity Blues who fell to 11-6 with the loss. The Lions are in fourth place in the OUA East standings with 14 points, eight back of the Blues who sit in third. Despite losing the first set, the Lions dug deep and won the final three sets to defeat the Varsity Blues.

The Varsity Blues came out strong and led the Lions early into the first set and entered the mid-set break leading 16-7. Their strong lead allowed them to take the first set 25-18 and pick up a 1-0 lead over the Lions. More details.

The next day the Lions beat the Trent University Excalibur 3-1 on Saturday, Feb. 23 in Peterborough, Ont., in their final game of the regular season.

The Lions’ Andrew Shotbolt led in points between both teams with 18 points in total, which were great aids to help the Lions take their final regular-season win.

In the first set, the Lions beat Trent in a 25-19 game set. In the second set, the home team, which is currently ranked seventh in the OUA East division, was able to surpass the Lions and take the set by three points for a 25-22 set win. More details.

Lions beat Excalibur in five sets

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team beat the Trent University Excalibur 3-2 on Saturday, Feb. 23 in Peterborough, Ont., in their final regular season game of the 2018-19 season.

The Lions took the first set 25-16 against the Excalibur. The second set went past the 25 mark as the Excalibur took the set 26-24 against York, bringing the score to a 1-1 tie. In the third set, the Lions were able to surpass Trent by five points as they took the set 25-20. The Lions took a temporary lead against the Excalibur before Trent was able to tie the score as they took the fourth set 25-18, bringing the game to a fifth and final set. More details.

On Friday night, the Lions were defeated 3-0 by the University of Toronto Varsity Blues at the Goldring Centre in Toronto.

The Varsity Blues picked up a 1-0 lead on the Lions after taking the first set 25-19. The Lions led the Varsity Blues early into the second set, 8-7, and eventually entered the mid-set break leading 16-10. After eight consecutive points, the Varsity Blues led the Lions 18-16, and they took the second set 25-20. The Varsity Blues defeated the Lions 25-16 in the final set and won the match 3-0.

Sarah Williams led the Lions, earning nine points, six digs and two blocks. Celeste Witzell earned 8.5 points and one dig, while Olivia Kim had eight points and 10 digs. The Varsity Blues were led by Alina Dormann who earned 16.5 points, 12 digs and one block. More details.

Lions fall to Gee-Gees in first round of OUA playoffs

The York University men’s basketball team fell in the first round of the OUA playoffs after a dropping a road game by a score of 92-77 to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Wednesday evening at Monpetit Hall in Ottawa.

The Gee-Gees picked up an early lead, adding seven points at the start of the first quarter before the Lions were able to get on the scoreboard. Just three minutes into play, the Gee-Gees picked up a nine-point lead, 17-8 over the Lions. And even though the Lions picked up their offence, they managed to hold onto their lead to end the first quarter up 35-24 over the Lions. More details.

Weekend wrap: Lions score biggest win of season over No. 6 Gee-Gees

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University men’s basketball team played their best game of the season against the nationally ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday evening at the Tait McKenzie Centre and picked up a 78-67 win.

The Lions started the first quarter playing some impressive basketball picking up a six-point lead at the midway mark. After the first two points came from Gene Spagnuolo sinking two free throws, Nana Adu-Poku added the next eight points for the Lions off two free throws, two lay-ups and a jump shot to lead the Gee-Gees 10-4. With two minutes remaining, DeAndre Pierre nailed a three-pointer to lead the Gee-Gees 17-10. The Gee-Gees added two final points and trailed 17-12 by the end of the first quarter. More details on the York Lions website.

A day earlier, the Lions lost 102-57 to the Carleton University Ravens, the current number two ranked team in the country on Friday, Feb. 8 at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

In the first quarter of the game, the Ravens led with 23 points and the Lions were able to secure 16. York’s Gianmarco Luciani secured the first two points for the Lions and also led the team in points in the first quarter with seven points however, the Ravens were able to push past the Lions and leave the first quarter with a 23-16 lead.

In the second quarter, the Ravens continued to lead the play on the court and on the scoreboard. They were able to score 23 points and held the Lions to six to end the first half with a 46-22 lead. More details.

Sparling wins gold medal at OUA Fencing championships

The York University Lions fencing team took part in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) fencing championships at the University of Toronto over the weekend and the Lions Adrien Sparling brought home some hardware with an outstanding performance.

Sparling took home the Schwende Trophy as the OUA men’s sabre individual champion after a dominant 15-6 victory over Brock’s Aaron Olmstead in the final. Carleton’s Ghazal Mo placed third, defeating Royal Military College’s (RMC) Gerson Zamor 15-9 in the bronze-medal match. As a result of his win, Sparling was also named as an OUA all-star.

Overall the Lions finished in ninth place out of 13 teams from across the OUA. The host Blues won the team gold medal, followed by the Carleton Ravens in second place and the RMC Paladins in third. More details.

LePage leads way for Lions with two medals

All-world athlete Pierce LePage led the way for the York University Lions track and field team this weekend at the Spire NCAA Division 1 Indoor Invitational in Geneva, Ohio.

LePage picked up two medals for the Lions, the first a gold medal with a leap of 7.42m in the men’s long jump. The jump qualified him for the U SPORT championships and leaves him ranked first overall in Canada. He followed that up with a silver medal in the shot put with a season’s best throw of 14.01m.

Other podium finishes for the Lions on the men’s team included Abdiaziz Ali with the silver medal in the 600m with a new personal best of 1:19.99 and Jason Clare with a bronze medal in the pole vault with a new personal best jump of 4.73m. More details.

Lions sweep Badgers 3-0 on road

The York University men’s volleyball team defeated the Brock University Badgers 3-0 on Saturday afternoon at Bob Davis Gym in St. Catharines, Ont.

Despite a close first set, the Lions easily led the Badgers through two more sets to pick up the 3-0 win. During the first set, the Badgers nearly caught up to the Lions near the end of the set, however York held onto their lead to defeat the Badgers by three points, 25-22. The second set was a breeze for the Lions, taking the set 25-17. Similarly, the Lions won the final set, 25-21 to defeat the Badgers.

With the win, the Lions are still sitting in a playoff spot, fourth place, four points ahead of the Nipissing Lakers. The Lions have five games left in the regular season to secure a spot in the playoffs. More details.

On Sunday, the Lions were defeated 3-1 by the McMaster University Marauders on at Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

The Lions picked up an early 1-0 lead on the Marauders and led throughout the entire first set. The Lions comfortably led the Marauders by six points, 23-17 near the end of the set, and despite the Marauders earning four more points, a kill my Aleksander Grzegorczyk and an attack error by the Marauders led the Lions to take the set 25-21. More details.

Lions score four power play goals to defeat Gaels

The York University women’s hockey team picked up a big 4-1 win against the Queen’s University Gaels on Friday evening at Canlan Ice Sports.

The Lions had an impressive game, scoring four power play goals against the Queen’s Gaels, whose goaltender, Makenzy Arsenault, who came into the game leading the OUA with a 1.17 goals against average and ranked second with a .947 save percentage. This was York’s first win against Queen’s since the 2015-16 season when the Lions beat the Gaels 2-1 in overtime.

The Lions had a strong first period despite the Gaels getting on the scoreboard first. At 8:27, the Gaels took a 1-0 lead on the Lions with a goal by Nicole Posesorski. The Lions out-possessed the Gaels for the remainder of the period keeping majority of the play in the Gaels’ end and taking a total of ten shots on goal. More details.

The next day, the Lions lost 6-2 to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday, Feb. 9 on the road at Varsity Arena. York’s Natalie Dean with assists from Kara Washer and Ellen Donaldson, scored the first goal of the game to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

The Lions remained the sole team on the scoreboard for the remainder of the first period, however in the second period, Toronto’s Kassie Roache responded 36 seconds into the start of the second period with a goal for the Blues. More details.

Fotinos makes 49 saves in 2-1 loss to Rams

The York University Lions men’s hockey team lost 2-1 to the Ryerson University Rams in their final game of the regular season at Canlan Ice Sports on Sunday, Feb. 10, which began with an on-ice ceremony honouring graduating players Josh LaFrance and Stefano Pezzetta.

The Rams overpowered the Lions in shots in the first period as they fired 18 while the Lions responded with ten of their own. The game remained scoreless for the first half of the period until the Rams were able to score at 10:54 on a goal by John Carpino. Ryerson, who had a fast-paced start, remained in the Lions end of the rink for much of the first half of the first period, but Lions goaltender Alex Fotinos did not allow them to extend their lead. More details.

The day before, the Lions lost 5-1 against the Brock Badgers on Saturday, Feb. 9 in St. Catharines, Ont.

At 7:22, Brock’s Brandon O’Quinn scored the first goal for the Badgers. A few minutes later, York’s Reid Jackman scored the first goal for the Lions, which was assisted by Alex Mowbray and Sal Filice as the teams ended the first period tied 1-1.

In the second period the Badgers were able to add another goal on the scoreboard. The Lions were able to fire 16 shots-on-goal, however, neither was able to find the back of Brock’s net and the Badgers shot 11 at the Lions. More details.

Lions toppled by Marauders on Road

The York University women’s volleyball team were defeated 3-0 by the McMaster University Marauders on Sunday afternoon at Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

The Lions fell in three sets to the Marauders despite an early lead at the start of all three sets. The Lions opened the first set leading the Marauders up until their 10th point, 10-8, after a service ace by Olivia Kim. The Marauders picked up a strong lead on the Lions, 16-10, after earning eight consecutive points. The strong lead led the Marauders to take the set 25-17.

The Lions once again led the Marauders throughout the first half of the second set. The Marauders tied the set 7-7, however the Lions earned five more points to lead the Marauders 12-7. The Marauders picked up their first lead on the Lions 17-16 and maintained their lead to win the second set 25-19. More details.

The day before the Lions fell 3-1 to the Brock University Badgers on Saturday afternoon at Bob Davis Gym in St. Catharines, Ont.

The Lions made it difficult for the Brock Badgers to pick up a 3-1 win, keeping the game close in all four sets. The Badgers led the Lions 1-0 taking the first set 25-19. The Lions managed to tie the game winning the second set 25-21. Despite a strong effort by the Lions, the Badgers took the final two sets, 25-20, and 25-17 to defeat the Lions 3-1. More details.

Lions start strong but drop game to Ravens

The York University Lions women’s basketball team lost 66-47 to the Carleton University Ravens on Friday, Feb. 8 at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The Lions began the game by opening up a big lead in the first quarter. The Lions were able to drop 19 points in the first quarter of the game compared to eight for the Ravens. York’s Emma Jonas was able to secure eight points for the Lions in the first quarter, including two 3-point shots. Katrina Collins-Samuels followed Jonas as she was able to drop six points of her own to contribute to York’s 19-8 lead over the Ravens. More details.

The next night, the Lions fell 78-50 to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday evening at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Gee-Gees opened the first quarter putting up seven consecutive points before the Lions were able to get a point of their own. Megan MacLeod got the Lions on the board with a lay-up as they trailed 7-2. Midway through the quarter, the Gee-Gees led the Lions 13-4, however the Lions picked up their game and trailed four points, 15-11, with one-minute remaining. The Gee-Gees sunk two free throws to end the quarter leading the Lions 17-11. More details.

Lions open playoffs against Badgers in first round series

The puck drops on the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men’s hockey post-season this week and the York University Lions will take on the Brock Badgers in the first round of the 2018-19 playoffs.

The best-of-three series will begin on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 7:15 p.m. on Brock’s home ice in St. Catharines, Ont., while the Lions will host Game 2 on Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. at Canlan Ice Sports. If necessary, Game 3 will be played on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Brock.

The series marks the second straight season the Lions and Badgers will match up in the playoffs. The Badgers had the upper hand last year, defeating the Lions after three hard-fought games in the third round of the playoffs. Brock would go on to claim the OUA silver medal and advance to the U SPORTS championships where they were knocked out after losing to St. FX in the first game. They have continued their strong play this season and earned the second seed in the OUA West Division with a 19-5-4 record. The Lions, who had a strong first half of the season, enter the playoffs seeded seventh with a 12-14-2 record.

The Lions jumped out to a 9-2-1 record to start the season and looked to be one of the teams to beat in the OUA, but a slew of injuries to key players affected the team’s depth and resulted in them winning only three games in the second half of the season. The Badgers, on the other hand, have played consistent hockey all season long, never losing more than two games in a row. The teams matched up three times in the regular season and played in three close games that all ended up in the Badgers’ favour.

In their first matchup of the year on Mark Cross Memorial Night in January, the Badgers won 4-3 after taking the lead in the third period. Lions defenceman Sal Filice rung a potential game-tying shot off the post with just seconds left in the game as Brock hung on for the victory. The OUA West rivals have played twice already in February, with the Badgers picking up a 3-1 victory on home ice in a game that was tied 1-1 heading into the third period, and the Lions losing a 5-1 game on home ice that was closer than the score would indicate with the Badgers icing the game late with two empty-net goals.

The underdog Lions are led by team captain Scott Feser, who paced the Lions in points this season with a career-high 32 (13 goals, 19 assists). Not far behind Feser is fifth-year senior Reid Jackman, who led the Lions with 15 goals. Jackman has proved he can score in bunches this season, picking up three hat tricks en route to a career-high in goals and points (30). Third-year goaltender Mack Shields has also continued his stellar career this season, keeping the undermanned Lions in many games with his outstanding play. He heads into the playoffs with 11 wins and a .913 save percentage.

Solid goaltending has also been a hallmark of the Badgers’ success in the past two seasons. Starting netminder Logan Thompson led the OUA with 18 wins while placing second in save percentage (.934) and third in goals against average (2.22). Up front, the Badgers are led by forwards Ryan Burton and Ryan McDonald, who tied for the team lead with 19 points apiece, while defenceman Skylar Pacheco led the Badgers’ defence with five goals and 10 assists.

The Lions are just two seasons removed from winning the 2016-17 OUA championship and hope to rekindle some of the playoff magic that led to their first OUA championship win since 2004. With 10 returning players from that championship team, the Lions are a battle-tested playoff group who, despite their second-half struggles, have played well against the second-place Badgers and figure to give them all they can handle in this first-round series.

All games in this exciting first round matchup can be seen live on oua.tv.

Weekend wrap: Lions score biggest win of season over No. 6 Gee-Gees

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University men’s basketball team played their best game of the season against the nationally ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday evening at the Tait McKenzie Centre and picked up a huge 78-67 win.

The Lions started the first quarter by playing some impressive basketball, picking up a six-point lead at the midway mark. After the first two points came from Gene Spagnuolo sinking two free throws, Nana Adu-Poku added the next eight points for the Lions off two free throws, two lay-ups and a jump shot to lead the Gee-Gees 10-4. With two minutes remaining, DeAndre Pierre nailed a three-pointer to lead the Gee-Gees 17-10. The Gee-Gees added two final points and trailed 17-12 by the end of the first quarter. More details on the York Lions website.

A day earlier, on Friday, Feb. 8, the Lions lost 102-57 to the Carleton University Ravens, the current No. 2-ranked team in the country, at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

In the first quarter of the game, the Ravens led with 23 points and the Lions were able to secure 16. York’s Gianmarco Luciani secured the first two points for the Lions and also led the team in points in the first quarter with seven points; however, the Ravens were able to push past the Lions and leave the first quarter with a 23-16 lead.

In the second quarter, the Ravens continued to lead the play on the court and on the scoreboard. They were able to score 23 points and held the Lions to six to end the first half with a 46-22 lead. More details.

Sparling wins gold medal at OUA fencing championships

The York University Lions fencing team took part in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) fencing championships at the University of Toronto over the weekend and the Lions’ Adrien Sparling brought home some hardware with an outstanding performance.

Sparling took home the Schwende Trophy as the OUA men’s sabre individual champion after a dominant 15-6 victory over Brock’s Aaron Olmstead in the final. Carleton’s Ghazal Mo placed third, defeating RMC’s Gerson Zamor 15-9 in the bronze-medal match. As a result of his win, Sparling was also named as an OUA all-star.

Overall, the Lions finished in ninth place out of 13 teams from across the OUA. The host Blues won the team gold medal, followed by the Carleton Ravens in second place and the RMC Paladins in third. More details.

LePage leads way for Lions with two medals

All-world athlete Pierce LePage led the way for the York University Lions track and field team this weekend at the Spire NCAA Division 1 Indoor Invitational in Geneva, Ohio.

LePage picked up two medals for the Lions. The first, a gold medal with a leap of 7.42m in the men’s long jump, which qualified him for the U SPORT championships and leaves him ranked first overall in Canada. He followed that up with a silver medal in the shot put with a season’s best throw of 14.01m.

Other podium finishes for the Lions on the men’s team included Abdiaziz Ali with the silver medal in the 600m with a new personal best of 1:19:99 and Jason Clare with a bronze medal in the pole vault with a new personal best jump of 4.73m. More details.

Lions sweep Badgers 3-0 on road

The York University men’s volleyball team defeated the Brock University Badgers 3-0 on Saturday afternoon at Bob Davis Gym in St. Catharines, Ont.

Despite a close first set, the Lions easily led the Badgers through two more sets to pick up the 3-0 win. During the first set, the Badgers nearly caught up to the Lions near the end of the set; however, York held onto their lead to defeat the Badgers by three points, 25-22. The second set was a breeze for the Lions, taking the set 25-17. Similarly, the Lions won the final set 25-21 to defeat the Badgers.

With the win, the Lions are still sitting in a playoff spot, fourth place, four points ahead of the Nipissing Lakers. The Lions have five games left in the regular season to secure a spot in the playoffs. More details.

On Sunday, the Lions were defeated 3-1 by the McMaster University Marauders at the Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

The Lions picked up an early 1-0 lead on the Marauders and led throughout the entire first set. The Lions comfortably led the Marauders by six points, 23-17 near the end of the set, and despite the Marauders earning four more points, a kill by Aleksander Grzegorczyk and an attack error by the Marauders led the Lions to take the set 25-21. More details.

Lions score four power play goals to defeat Gaels

The York University women’s hockey team picked up a big 4-1 win against the Queen’s University Gaels on Friday evening at Canlan Ice Sports.

The Lions had an impressive game scoring four power play goals against the Queen’s Gaels, whose goaltender, Makenzy Arsenault, came into the game leading the OUA with a 1.17 goals against average and ranked second with a .947 save percentage. This was York’s first win against Queen’s since the 2015-16 season when the Lions beat the Gaels 2-1 in overtime.

The Lions had a strong first period despite the Gaels getting on the scoreboard first. At 8:27, the Gaels took a 1-0 lead on the Lions with a goal by Nicole Posesorski. The Lions out-possessed the Gaels for the remainder of the period, keeping the majority of the play in the Gaels’ end and taking a total of 10 shots on goal. More details.

The next day, the Lions lost 6-2 to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday, Feb. 9 on the road at Varsity Arena. York’s Natalie Dean, with assists from Kara Washer and Ellen Donaldson, scored the first goal of the game to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

The Lions remained the sole team on the scoreboard for the remainder of the first period; however, in the second period, Toronto’s Kassie Roache responded 36 seconds into the start of the second period with a goal for the Blues. More details.

Fotinos makes 49 saves in 2-1 loss to Rams

The York University Lions men’s hockey team lost 2-1 to the Ryerson University Rams in their final game of the regular season at Canlan Ice Sports on Sunday, Feb. 10, which began with an on-ice ceremony honouring graduating players Josh LaFrance and Stefano Pezzetta.

The Rams overpowered the Lions in shots in the first period as they fired 18 while the Lions responded with 10 of their own. The game remained scoreless for the first half of the period until the Rams were able to score at 10:54 on a goal by John Carpino. Ryerson, who had a fast-paced start, remained in the Lions’ end of the rink for much of the first half of the first period, but Lions goaltender Alex Fotinos did not allow them to extend their lead. More details.

The day before, the Lions lost 5-1 against the Brock Badgers on Saturday, Feb. 9 in St. Catharines, Ont.

At 7:22, Brock’s Brandon O’Quinn scored the first goal for the Badgers. A few minutes later, York’s Reid Jackman scored the first goal for the Lions, which was assisted by Alex Mowbray and Sal Filice as the teams ended the first period tied 1-1.

In the second period the Badgers were able to add another goal on the scoreboard. The Lions fired 16 shots on goal, none of which were able to find the back of Brock’s net. The Badgers shot 11 at the Lions. More details.

Lions toppled by Marauders on Road

The York University women’s volleyball team was defeated 3-0 by the McMaster University Marauders on Sunday afternoon at the Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

The Lions fell in three sets to the Marauders despite an early lead at the start of all three sets. The Lions opened the first set leading the Marauders up until their 10th point, 10-8, after a service ace by Olivia Kim. The Marauders picked up a strong lead on the Lions, 16-10, after earning eight consecutive points. The strong lead led the Marauders to take the set 25-17.

The Lions once again led the Marauders throughout the first half of the second set. The Marauders tied the set 7-7, but the Lions earned five more points to lead the Marauders 12-7. The Marauders picked up their first lead on the Lions 17-16 and maintained their lead to win the second set 25-19. More details.

The day before, the Lions fell 3-1 to the Brock University Badgers on Saturday afternoon at Bob Davis Gym in St. Catharines, Ont.

The Lions made it difficult for the Brock Badgers to pick up a 3-1 win, keeping the game close in all four sets. The Badgers led the Lions 1-0 taking the first set 25-19. The Lions managed to tie the game, winning the second set 25-21. Despite a strong effort by the Lions, the Badgers took the final two sets, 25-20 and 25-17, to defeat the Lions 3-1. More details.

Lions start strong but drop game to Ravens

The York University Lions women’s basketball team lost 66-47 to the Carleton University Ravens on Friday, Feb. 8 at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The Lions began the game by opening up a big lead in the first quarter. The Lions were able to drop 19 points in the first quarter of the game compared to eight for the Ravens. York’s Emma Jonas was able to secure eight points for the Lions in the first quarter, including two three-point shots. Katrina Collins-Samuels followed Jonas and was able to drop six points of her own to contribute to York’s 19-8 lead over the Ravens. More details.

The next night, the Lions fell 78-50 to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday evening at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Gee-Gees opened the first quarter by putting up seven consecutive points before the Lions were able to get a point of their own. Megan MacLeod got the Lions on the board with a lay-up as they trailed 7-2. Midway through the quarter the Gee-Gees led the Lions 13-4, but the Lions picked up their game and trailed four points, 15-11, with one minute remaining. The Gee-Gees sunk two free throws to end the quarter leading the Lions 17-11. More details.