THIS WEEK IN SPARTA

LANGLEY, British Columbia – This Week in Sparta sees eight teams in action as well as the Spartan Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday afternoon.  Men’s and women’s rugby return to action with their first matches of the spring. Men’s and women’s basketball are at home for a single header as is men’s rugby, with men’s hockey playing two games at home. On the road this weekend are men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s hockey, and women’s rugby in their first seven’s tournament of the season.
 
HOME
 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 
Thursday, January 23 vs UBC Okanagan Heat, Langley, B.C.
6 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH 

NOTABLE 

• The Spartans are in third spot in the Canada West Pacific Division at 8-5, while the Heat are in fifth place in Pacific at 3-9.
• TWU spilt with the UBC Okanagan in their first two games of the season in Kelowna, B.C. Winning 73-59 on November 15 and losing 73-58 on November 16.
• The Spartans lost 63-57 in the opening round of last season’s playoffs in Abbotsford, B.C.
• The Spartans are currently 20-7 lifetime against the Heat.
• TWU is 6-1 over their last seven CW conference games, while UBC Okanagan is 1-6, with their lone win against the Spartans. Last week the Spartans swept their northern BC road trip, winning 67-33 over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack and 88-62 over the UNBC Timberwolves.
• Last week, the Alberta Pandas swept the Heat in Edmonton, Alta. winning 68-57 and 85-57

 
MEN’S BASKETBALL 
Thursday, January 23 vs UBC Okanagan Heat, Langley, B.C.
8 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH 

NOTABLE 

• The Spartans are in third spot in the Canada West Pacific Division at 6-7, while the Heat are in sixth place in Pacific at 4-8.
• TWU spilt with the UBC Okanagan in their first two games of the season in Kelowna, B.C. Losing 63-53 on November 15 and winning 83-73 on November 16.
• The Spartans are currently 15-6 lifetime against the Heat.
• Last week the Spartans swept their northern BC road trip, winning 87-78 over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack and 75-57 over the UNBC Timberwolves.
• Last week the Heat split with the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton, Alta. winning 69-68 and losing 82-65.
• David Mutabazi is currently at 970 total points overall in 65 games.
• Connor Platz currently has 160 total blocks in Canada West conference games. He is six blocks shy of tying Brett Layton (MRU) for third spot with 166. Myron Dean (MAN) holds the CW career block record with 197.
• Platz leads CW with a career average of 2.58 blocks per game. Including tonight, TWU has seven games left in the CW regular season. This puts him on pace to move into second spot in CW by the end of the season. Greg Stewart (TRU) is second with 174.

 
MEN’S HOCKEY 
Friday, January 24 vs Calgary Dinos, Langley, B.C.
7 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH 
Saturday, January 25 vs Calgary Dinos, Langley, B.C.
3 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH 

NOTABLE 

• The Spartans are in fourth spot in the Canada West West division at 3-17-2, while the Dinos are in third place at 10-8-0-2.
• Last week the Spartans went 0-1-1-0 against the UBC Thunderbirds, losing 3-1 in Vancouver, B.C., and losing in overtime 6-5 at the Langley Events Centre.
• Last week the Dinos were swept by the Alberta Golden Bears losing 7-3 in Calgary, and 5-1 in Edmonton.
• TWU lost 7-0, and 3-2 to Calgary in the first semester in Calgary.
• TWU is currently 0-12 lifetime against the Dinos.

 
MEN’S RUGBY 
Saturday, January 25 vs No. 3 Saint Mary’s, Langley, B.C.
11 a.m. (PT) – Willoughby Stadium at the Langley Events Centre | WATCH 

NOTABLE 

• This is the Spartans’ first match of the spring.
• St. Mary’s is from Moraga, Calf. And ranked No. 3

 
SPARTANS HALL OF FAME
Saturday, January 25 Induction Ceremony
6 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre

INDUCTEES 

• TEAM: 1981-82 Men’s Hockey
• COACH: Alan Kotanen – Men’s Hockey 1974-1975
• ATHLETES: Dan Bainard – Men’s Volleyball (’00), Jacob Doerksen – Men’s Basketball (’11), Angela (Trauter) Gahan – Women’s Soccer (’05), Jen (Kreek) Kauffeldt – Women’s Basketball (’96).

 
AWAY
 
WOMEN’S HOCKEY 
Friday, January 24 at Calgary Dinos, Calgary, Alta.
7 p.m. (MT) – Father David Bauer Arena | WATCH 
Saturday, January 25 at Calgary Dinos, Calgary, Alta.
2 p.m. (MT) – Father David Bauer Arena | WATCH 

NOTABLE 

• The Spartans are in third spot in the Canada West West division at 10-11-1-0 (21 pts), while the Dinos are in fourth place at 6-12-1-1 (14 pts).
• This weekend’s games are critical in determining which team will secure the final playoff spot in the division.
• Last week the Spartans went 0-1-1 against the UBC Thunderbirds, losing 4-1 in at home, and losing in overtime 4-3 in Vancouver, B.C.
• Last week the Dinos were swept by the Alberta Golden Bears losing 2-1 in Edmonton, and 5-2 in Calgary.
• TWU swept Calgary 3-1, and 3-1 in the first semester in Langley, B.C.
• TWU is currently 5-8 lifetime against the Dinos.

 
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL 
Friday, January 24 at Calgary Dinos, Calgary, Alta.
6 p.m. (MT) – Jack Simpson Gym | WATCH 
Saturday, January 25 at Calgary Dinos, Calgary, Alta.
5:30 p.m. (MT) – Jack Simpson Gym | WATCH 
 
NOTABLE 

• The Spartans are in ninth spot in the Canada West division at 5-9, while the Dinos are in 12th place at 3-11.
• Last week the Spartans were swept by the Alberta Pandas, losing 3-0 and 3-2 at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.
• Last week the Dinos were swept by the UFV Cascades 3-0, and 3-0 on the road in Abbotsford, B.C.
• TWU is currently 37-41 lifetime against the Dinos.
• The Spartans lost 3-2 to Calgary in a preseason game on October 6.
• Last season the Spartans and Dinos split their two conference games in Calgary. TWU lost 3-2 and won 3-1.

 
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL 
Friday, January 24 at Calgary Dinos, Calgary, Alta.
7:30 p.m. (MT) – Jack Simpson Gym | WATCH 
Saturday, January 25 at Calgary Dinos, Calgary, Alta.
4:00 p.m. (MT) – Jack Simpson Gym | WATCH 
 
NOTABLE 

• The Spartans are in fifth spot in the Canada West division at 9-5, while the Dinos are in ninth place at 5-9.
• Last week the Spartans were swept by the then No. 1 Alberta Golden Bears winning 3-2 both nights at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.
• Last week the Dinos were swept by the UFV Cascades 3-1, and 3-2 on the road in Abbotsford, B.C.
• TWU is currently 54-28 lifetime against the Dinos.
• The Spartans are currently on a 19-match winning streak against the Dinos.
• The last time TWU lost to Calgary was 3-1 in the Canada West playoffs on February 26, 2016.

 
WOMEN’S RUGBY 
Canada West Rugby 7’s Series | Edmonton 
Saturday, January 25 vs Victoria
10:22 a.m. (MT) – Foote Field Dome | WATCH 
Saturday, January 25 vs Lethbridge
12:38 p.m. (MT) – Foote Field Dome | WATCH 
Saturday, January 25 vs UBC
3:15 p.m. (MT) – Foote Field Dome | WATCH 
Sunday, January 26 vs Calgary
10 a.m. (MT) – Foote Field Dome | WATCH 
Sunday, January 26 vs Alberta
1 p.m. (MT) – Foote Field Dome | WATCH 

NOTABLE 

• This weekend is the first tournament of the 2025 Canada West Rugby 7’s Series.
• Last season TWU missed the Edmonton tournament due to travel issues related to poor weather.
• The missing of the five matches ended up costing the Spartans a playoff spot.
• TWU hosts the series February 7-8 at the Willoughby Stadium at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.

 
 About Spartan Athletics 
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country, and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men’s rugby, as well as women’s and men’s disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 13 U SPORTS team championships and 32 Canada West team championships.
 
About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.   
  
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