Courtesy of U SPORTS

WINNIPEG (U SPORTS) – The perennial wrestling powerhouse Brock University Badgers captured both team titles at the 2017 U SPORTS Wrestling Championships that concluded on Saturday afternoon in the Axworthy RecPlex on the campus of the University of Winnipeg.

In women’s competition the Badgers captured their sixth consecutive team title. Brock claimed medals in seven of eight weight classes, including four gold medals to go along with two silver and one bronze to finish the event with 67 points. Guelph finished second (34 points) while the Saskatchewan Huskies finished third with 32 points.

On the men’s side, Brock took home medals in eight weight classes, four gold and four silver on their way to winning their fourth consecutive team title. The Badgers accumulated 77 points well ahead of McMaster (37 points). The Alberta Golden Bears finished third with 35 points.

Taking home gold for Brock on the women’s side were Tina Mclaren (51 kg), Emily Schaefer (59 kg), Jessica Brouillette (63 kg) and Indira Moores (67 kg).

Other gold medalists were Katie Dutchak, Saskatchewan (48 kg), Cara Nania , Calgary (55 kg), Gracelynn Doogan, Guelph (72 kg) and Kiera Prior, Saskatchewan (82 kg).

Members of the Badgers men’s team winning gold were Chris McIsaac (61 kg), Matt Jagas (68 kg), Tyler Rowe (76 kg) and Jevon Balfour (82 kg).

Marco Palermo, Lakehead (54 kg), Josh Bodnarchuk, Saskatchewan (57 kg), Vincent De Marinis, Concordia (65 kg), Ilya Abelev, UNB (72 kg) , Grayson St-Laurent, UNB (90 kg), Finn Higgins, Winnipeg (100 kg) and Brad Hildenbrandt, Fraser Valley (120 kg) were the other athletes crowned U SPORTS national champions.

Following the competition, Illya Abelev (UNB) and Jessica Brouillette (Brock), the 2014 Women’s Rookie of the Year were named the U SPORTS Wrestlers of the Year.

“(I’m) very proud of Ilya,” said UNB head coach Don Ryan. “He not only is a five-time U SPORTS champion, he also has a 4.3 GPA in school. He is a model student athlete on and off the mats. He officiates high school tournaments, a proctor in his residence and volunteers over 10 hours a week at the hospital.”

“(Jessica) is one of the leaders on our team and we are very pleased to see that all her hard work and dedication payed off with her winning the national championship and the outstanding female athlete of the year,” said Brock assistant coach Dave Collie. “She was fortunate to have the opportunity to showcase her skill and determination against such an amazing athlete in (63 kg silver medalist) Temi Ogunjimi from Calgary.”

Brock coach Marty Calder was named U SPORTS Coach of the Year on both the men’s and women’s side, his sixth time as women’s coach of the year and eighth men’s honour.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

Men’s 

1.  Brock Badgers 77.0
2.  McMaster Marauders 37.0
3.  Alberta Golden Bears 35.0
4.  Western Mustangs 34.0
5.  Regina Cougars 34.0
6.  Concordia Stingers 33.0
7.  UNB Varsity Reds 31.0
8.  Calgary Dinos 30.0
9.  Saskatchewan Huskies 27.0
10.  Guelph Gryphons 26.0
11.  Winnipeg Wesmen 21.0
12.  Lakehead Thunderwolves 14.0
13.  Fraser Valley Cascades 12.0
14.  Ryerson Rams 2.0

Women’s 

1. Brock Badgers 67.0
2.  Guelph Gryphons 34.0
3.  Saskatchewan Huskies 32.0
4.  Alberta Pandas 30.0
5.  Calgary Dinos 27.0
6.  Western Mustangs 21.0
7.  Regina Cougars 17.0
8.  McMaster Marauders 16.0
9.  Winnipeg Wesmen 16.0
10.  Concordia Stingers 10.0
11.  Fraser Valley Cascades 8.0
12.  Toronto Varsity Blues 5.0
13.  Lakehead Thunderwolves 3.0
14.  Ryerson Rams 0.0

INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS

WOMEN
Outstanding Wrestler: Jessica Brouillette – Brock
Rookie of the Year: Hannah Taylor – Brock
Coach of the Year: Marty Calder – Brock
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Natassya Lu – Guelph
Student Athlete Community Service Award: Alisha Kaegi – Winnipeg

MEN
Outstanding Wrestler: Ilya Abelev – UNB
Rookie of the Year: Marco Palermo – Lakehead
Coach of the Year: Marty Calder – Brock
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Kyle Nguyen – Winnipeg
Student Athlete Community Service Award: Joban Phulka – McMaster

FINAL INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

Men – 54kg
1st Place – Marco Palermo of Lakehead Thunderwolves
2nd Place – Chris Nikolau of Western Mustangs
3rd Place – Sina Ghazizadah of Alberta Golden Bears
4th Place – Daniel Amberson of Regina Cougars
5th Place – Rob Smith of McMaster Marauders

Men – 57kg
1st Place – Josh Bodnarchuk of Saskatchewan Huskies
2nd Place – Sam Jagas of Brock Badgers
3rd Place – Kyle Robinson of Guelph Gryphons
4th Place – Johnny Vo of Alberta Golden Bears
5th Place – Joshua Zimroz of Regina Cougars
6th Place – Kais Al-Khaldi of McMaster Marauders

Men – 61kg
1st Place – Chris McIsaac of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Elvir Uzunovic of Guelph Gryphons
3rd Place – Melvin Arciaga of Alberta Golden Bears
4th Place – Ayobami Peloula of Saskatchewan Huskies
5th Place – Kevin Leatherdale of Lakehead Thunderwolves
6th Place – Charles Cook of Calgary Dinos
7th Place – David Gillis of UNB Varsity Reds

Men – 65kg
1st Place – Vincent De Marinis of Concordia Stingers
2nd Place – Mizam Tamaradze of Brock Badgers
3rd Place – Erik Joy of McMaster Marauders
4th Place – Conlan Foy of Calgary Dinos
5th Place – Nathan Galan of Saskatchewan Huskies
6th Place – Lauchlin MacDonald of Western Mustangs
7th Place – Lonnie Albertson of Winnipeg Wesmen

Men – 68kg
1st Place – Matt Jagas of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Caleb Rutner of Western Mustangs
3rd Place – Aiden McKeage of Alberta Golden Bears
4th Place – Francis Carter of Concordia Stingers
5th Place – Alexander Chaves of Guelph Gryphons
6th Place – Theo Dow of Saskatchewan Huskies
7th Place – Lucas Hoffert of Regina Cougars

Men – 72kg
1st Place – Ilya Abelev of UNB Varsity Reds
2nd Place – Cruiz Manning of Brock Badgers
3rd Place – Ben Zahra of McMaster Marauders
4th Place – Callum McNeice of Calgary Dinos
5th Place – Marcus Peterson of Alberta Golden Bears
6th Place – Dima Gershanov of Concordia Stingers
7th Place – Brayden Ambo of Western Mustangs
8th Place – Geraldo Fox of Regina Cougars

Men – 76kg
1st Place – Tyler Rowe of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Ahmed Shamiya of McMaster Marauders
3rd Place – Dan Humphrey of Guelph Gryphons
4th Place – John Fayed of Calgary Dinos
5th Place – Miles Kent of Alberta Golden Bears
6th Place – Brett Kryger of Regina Cougars
7th Place – Chris Kinsella of Concordia Stingers

Men – 82kg
1st Place – Jevon Balfour of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Alex Brown-Theriault of UNB Varsity Reds
3rd Place – Gaelan Malloy of Regina Cougars
4th Place – Andrew Johnson of Saskatchewan Huskies
5th Place – Bradley MaGarrey of McMaster Marauders
6th Place – Kyle Price of Concordia Stingers
7th Place – Amtoj Dhaliwal of Fraser Valley Cascades
8th Place – Kevin Marshall of Western Mustangs

Men – 90kg
1st Place – Grayson St-Laurent of UNB Varsity Reds
2nd Place – Clayton Pye of Brock Badgers
3rd Place – Nick Proctor of Calgary Dinos
4th Place – Calvin Daum of Winnipeg Wesmen
5th Place – Nicholas Goleniec of Alberta Golden Bears
6th Place – Joban Phulka of McMaster Marauders
7th Place – Eric Jacobson of Western Mustangs

Men – 100kg
1st Place – Finn Higgins of Winnipeg Wesmen
2nd Place – Waylon Decoteau of Regina Cougars
3rd Place – Baldwin Asala of Calgary Dinos
4th Place – Ignatius Pitt of Brock Badgers
5th Place – Jeremy Poirier of Concordia Stingers
6th Place – Dennis Sutton of Unattached
7th Place – Job Reinhart of Guelph Gryphons
8th Place – Arjun Sahota of Western Mustangs

Men – 120kg
1st Place – Brad Hildenbrandt of Fraser Valley Cascades
2nd Place – Kyle Bonk-Dann of Western Mustangs
3rd Place – Frederick Choquette of Concordia Stingers
4th Place – Jordan Tholl of Regina Cougars
5th Place – Kyle Nguyen of Winnipeg Wesmen
6th Place – Ameen Amagharian of McMaster Marauders
7th Place – Sunny Narwal of Ryerson
8th Place – Matt Short of UNB Varsity Reds

Women – 48kg
1st Place – Katie Dutchak of Saskatchewan Huskies
2nd Place – Mary Olapade of Alberta Pandas
3rd Place – Natassya Lu of Guelph Gryphons
4th Place – Farrentina Gatta of Brock Badgers
5th Place – Ashley Coupal of Fraser Valley Cascades
6th Place – Christine Grafe of Western Mustangs

Women – 51kg
1st Place – Tina McLaren of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Jade Dufour of Concordia Stingers
3rd Place – Amber Weibe of Regina Cougars
4th Place – Farah Taj of Alberta Pandas
5th Place – Karla Godinez of Fraser Valley Cascades
6th Place – Jessica Bershatsky of Lakehead Thunderwolves
7th Place – Monica Wood of McMaster Marauders

Women – 55kg
1st Place – Cara Nania of Calgary Dinos
2nd Place – Hannah Taylor of Brock Badgers
3rd Place – Julie Steffler of Western Mustangs
4th Place – Chelsey Sicard of Guelph Gryphons
5th Place – Rachel Alder of Winnipeg Wesmen
6th Place – Devyn Mandershied of Saskatchewan Huskies

Women – 59kg
1st Place – Emily Schaefer of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Cierra Carere of Guelph Gryphons
3rd Place – Cholena Horne of Alberta Pandas
4th Place – Tianna Kennett of Calgary Dinos
5th Place – Jenna Leslie of McMaster Marauders
6th Place – Laryssa Barry of Saskatchewan Huskies

Women – 63kg
1st Place – Jessica Brouillette of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Temitope Ogunjimi of Calgary Dinos
3rd Place – Nicole Roach of McMaster Marauders
4th Place – Rhiannon Digweed of Guelph Gryphons
5th Place – Alisah Kaegi of Winnipeg Wesmen
6th Place – Sheina Fisher of Alberta Pandas

Women – 67kg
1st Place – Indira Moores of Brock Badgers
2nd Place – Michalia Walls of Western Mustangs
3rd Place – Alison McPhee of Saskatchewan Huskies
4th Place – Dalyn McKay of Regina Cougars
5th Place – Charlene Forde-Smith of McMaster Marauders

Women – 72kg
1st Place – Gracelynn Doogan of Guelph Gryphons
2nd Place – Haley Heffel of Alberta Pandas
3rd Place – Shauna Kuebeck of Brock Badgers
4th Place – Brooke Jarrett of Toronto Varsity Blues
5th Place – Sydney Summach of Calgary Dinos
6th Place – Audrey Bucher of Winnipeg Wesmen
7th Place – Gen Lamarche of Concordia Stingers

Women – 82kg
1st Place – Kiera Prior of Saskatchewan Huskies
2nd Place – Zoe Forsyth of Brock Badgers
3rd Place – Inga Hammer of Regina Cougars
4th Place – Maura Martina of Winnipeg Wesmen
5th Place – Olivia Cirillo of Western Mustangs