Luke Weddell named CW MVB Athlete of the Week

Feb. 11, 2025 – With just one weekend remaining in the regular season, fans are in for an electrifying finish as the battle for playoff positioning continues across Canada West basketball, volleyball and hockey.

The Alberta Pandas women’s volleyball team made a big statement last weekend, extending their win streak to 15 games after sweeping UBC for the first time in five years. The Manitoba Bisons extended their own win streak to 14 games, concluding their regular season with a sweep of MacEwan. The race for first place will be tight, and could be decided by a big series between UFV (16-2) and UBC (14-4) this weekend.

In men’s volleyball, Winnipeg (15-3) continues to top the table despite a split with Brandon last weekend. Alberta secured a big home sweep of UBC, leapfrogging the T-Birds in the process. The competition for the final postseason berths will be fierce entering the final weekend, with the likes of Brandon, Calgary, UFV and TRU all in contention.

All playoff spots are already locked up in both men’s and women’s hockey, but the battle for postseason positioning continues. Both East and West division titles – and the first round bye that comes with them – are still up for grabs on the men’s side, setting up an exciting final weekend of action.

Over on the hardcourt, Victoria men’s basketball (18-0) needs just two more wins to complete a perfect regular season. The Vikes brushed aside TRU last weekend and will close out the regular season with a two-game trip to UBCO. It was also a notable weekend for Trinity Western guard Josh Belvin, as the fifth-year broke the Spartans’ single-game scoring record with a 43-point performance in a 93-63 win over UNBC.

In women’s basketball, the race for the Prairie Division title remains extremely tight. Saskatchewan and Alberta are tied at the top with 16-2 records, with Calgary right behind at 15-3.

Track and Field student-athletes were also in action at the Pandas Open in Edmonton last weekend, another tune-up opportunity with the conference’s championships fast approaching at the end of the month. Calgary’s Sienna MacDonald made headlines yet again, recording the 12th fastest time in the world this year in the 60m hurdles.

Here are your Canada West Players of the Week – Presented by BioSteel.

Women’s Volleyball – Talia Attieh (UFV Cascades)

Feb. 6 at TWU: 24 kills, 2 aces, .269 hitting %, 2 blocks, 6 digs, 27.0 points in 3-2 win

Feb. 7 vs TWU: 17 kills, 2 blocks, six digs, .400 hitting %, 18.0 points in 3-0 win

Talia Attieh was a dominant force for the UFV Cascades last week, leading both matches in kills and points as she helped her team to a pair of massive wins over their local rivals from Trinity Western. Attieh averaged over five kills per set, as the Cascades followed up Thursday’s five set win on the road with a Friday sweep at home to move to 16-2 on the year. The third-year outside hitter posted new career highs with 24 kills and 27 points in Thursday’s contest.

View WVB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men’s Volleyball – Luke Weddell (Alberta Golden Bears)

Feb. 7 vs UBC: 48 assists, 5 digs, 1 block, 1 kill in 3-1 win

Feb. 8 vs UBC: 43 assists, 6 digs, 1 kill in 3-1 win ​
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Leading the defending champion Alberta Golden Bears to a pair of wins over the nationally ranked UBC Thunderbirds, third-year setter Luke Weddell orchestrated a dynamic Bears offence.

Weddell dished 91 assists over eight sets of volleyball, as the Bears moved ahead of UBC for second place in the conference standings with a 14-4 record. He also added 11 digs, two kills, and only one setting error in the two wins.

The Red Deer product now sits third in Canada West with 655 assists and 9.92 assists per set this season.

View MVB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women’s Hockey – Madison Willan (Alberta Pandas)

Feb. 7 vs MAN: 2 assists, 1 shot, +1 rating in 2-1 win

Feb. 8 vs MAN: 2 goals, 1 assist, 4 shots, +2 rating in 4-1 win

Recording a point on five of the Pandas six goals in their sweep over Manitoba, fifth-year forward Madison Willan put on a show on senior weekend at Clare Drake Arena.

Willan assisted on both of the Pandas third period goals in their 2-1 win on Friday night, setting up Izzy Lajoie then Abby Soyko in consecutive shifts to propel the Pandas in their win.

The Canadian National Team baseball player was terrific on Saturday, scoring twice in the first minute, before adding an assist later in the frame to spark a 4-1 Pandas win.

Willan and the Pandas ended the 2024/25 season with a program record 24 wins and 49 points, with Willan leading the team with 23 points in 28 games.

View WHKY: Standings | Schedule | Statistics

Men’s Hockey – Cole Schwebius (UBC Thunderbirds)

Feb. 7 vs SSK: Shutout, 17 saves in 3-0 win

Feb. 8 vs SSK: 29 saves, .935 save % in 3-2 shootout loss

Schwebius picked up his 11th win and second shutout of the season Friday night in a clinical performance against the No. 2 ranked Huskies. The former Kelowna Rocket stopped 29 of 31 shots through regulation and overtime in a 3-2 shootout loss Saturday as the T-Birds picked up three out of a possible four points, extending their point streak to seven games.

Schwebius put up a .958 save percentage over the weekend, the Huskies only managing to score twice, both on the power play. Two points back of the West Division leading Mount Royal Cougars, the T-Birds close out the regular season this weekend in Calgary, taking on the Dinos for a pair of games at Father David Bauer Arena.

View MHKY: Standings | Schedule | Statistics

Women’s Basketball – Gage Grassick (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Feb. 7 at REG: 29 points, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 6 stl, 3-7 3PT%

Feb. 8 vs REG: 24 points, 5 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 3-6 3PT%

The veteran guard added another impressive weekend to her season in a rivalry sweep over the Regina Cougars to extend the Huskie win streak to 16 games. Grassick led the Dogs in both games, recording a game-high 29 points on Friday before totalling a team-high 24 on her home court Saturday. She played a key role defensively, posting a block and seven steals by the end of the weekend.

Grassick ranks among the conferences best in several statistical categories this season including steals (1st), points per game (2nd), assist to turnover ratio (2nd), three-points made (1st), and total field goasl made (1st).

View WBB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men’s Basketball – Josh Belvin (Trinity Western Spartans)

Feb. 7 vs UNBC: 16 pts, 7 reb, 5 stl in 76-66 win ​

Feb. 8 vs UNBC: 43 pts, 11 reb, 8 stl in 93-63 win

Belvin re-wrote the Spartans’ record book. He opened the weekend with a 16-point, seven rebound, five-steal game to lead the Spartans to a 76-66 win over the UNBC Timberwolves on Friday night. He then broke out for a history making Saturday night, as the communications student scored a TWU record 43 points to go with 11 rebounds, and eight steals to lead the Spartans to a 93-63 win over the Twolves. ​
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​Belvin’s 43 points break the previous record of 42 points, held by Canada West and Spartan Hall of Famer Jacob Doerksen. Doerksen (’11) set the record in a 114-89 win against the UFV Cascades on Dec. 4, 2010. Belvin’s 43 points are the most scored in a Canada West conference game this season. The previous high was 36 by Calgary’s Nate Petrone against Manitoba on Jan. 18. Belvin’s previous career high in a Canada West conference game was 30 points, which he did in a 93-89 loss to the Victoria Vikes on January 13, 2024.
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​Belvin also broke the TWU record for steals in a game with eight steals on Saturday night, breaking the previous record of seven, which was held by six Spartans including Belvin, who had seven in an 83-68 win on Jan. 31 against UBC. The eight steals’ ties for eighth most in CW history and is the most in Canada West this season.
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View MBB: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women’s Track and Field – Sienna MacDonald (Calgary Dinos)

Pandas Open (Edmonton): 60m Hurdles – 1st, Long Jump – 1st, High Jump – 3rd

Sienna MacDonald continues to be must-watch every time she steps foot on the track. The fourth-year combined event athlete shined in a pair of individual events over the weekend at the ninth annual Pandas Open. MacDonald kicked off the meet with an eye-popping time of 7.97 seconds in the 60m hurdle prelims. That time not only shatters meet and school records – it now ranks as by far the top time in U SPORTS this season and is the 12th fastest time in the world this year. Proving it was no fluke, MacDonald then ran a time of 8.00 in the 60m hurdle finals to breeze to the win.

Less than an hour later, the Airdrie, Alta., native turned in the top long jump mark in U SPORTS on the year, going 6.21m on her first attempt and 6.23m on her third jump to again easily win the event.

MacDonald also competed in high jump at the Pandas Open, tying for the top height on the day at 1.67m and settling for third overall based on attempts.

With the regular season now in the books, MacDonald is ranked in four events in U SPORTS – holding the top spot in the pentathlon, 60m hurdles and long jump, while also ranking sixth in the high jump.

Men’s Track and Field – Thomas Williams (Alberta Golden Bears)

Pandas Open (Edmonton): 3000m – 1st, 1500m – 3rd

Leading all male university competitors in points, second-year Golden Bear Thomas Williams put on a show for the home crowd at Pandas Open.

In the final event before the Canada West Championship in Regina, Williams won the men’s 3000m, adding a bronze medal in the 1500m race in the Butterdome. Williams led the Bears to a team title, finishing 95 points ahead of Saskatchewan.

Williams accounted for 16 of the Bears 181 points, winning the 3000m by a staggering 11 seconds, winning with a time of 8:35.92. He also placed third in the 1500m (and second among university athletes) with a time of 4:00.20.

About Players of the Week:

The Canada West Players of the Week, Presented by BioSteel is a weekly celebration of athletic achievements across the conference. Each week, deserving student-athletes are nominated by SIDs from each member institution. Canada West office staff review nominations and select the recipients.

About BioSteel

BioSteel is a leading sports hydration and nutrition brand, delivering clean, high-performance solutions trusted by professional athletes, top universities, and teams across North America and Europe, including major organizations like the NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS, NBA, and their affiliates. Alongside hydration, BioSteel offers premium protein and sports nutrition products, catering to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and those striving for a healthier lifestyle. Committed to excellence, BioSteel equips top athletes and active individuals with the essential tools to reach peak performance and sustain wellness every day.

About Canada West:

As the leading university athletic conference in the country, Canada West is home to student-athletes that excel in the classroom and their communities. The conference is comprised of 17 member institutions spanning from Victoria to Winnipeg, with over 3,200 student-athletes competing across 14 sports. Canada West’s mission is to train leaders and build champions by providing leadership in the delivery, regulation, and promotion of university level high performance sports programs throughout western Canada.