The last decade featured five national championships for Manitoba Bisons teams, with the latest coming in women's hockey back in 2017-18. So, what's on tap for the 2020s?
It starts this weekend as teams return from winter break. At home, men's hockey continue their fight for a home playoff series with an important series against Mount Royal. At IGAC, men's and women's volleyball both look to solidify their records against competitive Calgary teams.
On the road, women's hockey and men's and women's basketball continue their schedules as well. Get set for it all in our weekend preview.
Volleyball vs. Calgary – January 3 (6/7:45 PM), January 4 (5/6:45 PM)
WATCH: CanadaWest.TV
UPDATES: follow @BisonMVB and @BisonWVB on Twitter
The
Bisons women (2-10) have every reason to feel confident heading into the second half, despite their record. Last week they had an excellent showing at the Wesmen Classic, posting a 4-1 record that included an upset of No. 3 ranked Dalhousie. They start their second half against Calgary (2-10), with both teams six points back of a playoff spot.
The battle of outside hitters will be between Calgary's Beth Vinnell and Manitoba's
Kearley Abbott, both top 12 in the conference in kills per set. Vinnell led her team with 22 combined kills in the Dinos last two games against Trinity Western, while Abbott has carried a heavy load for the Herd — sitting eighth in the conference with 411 total attacks.
The
Bisons men (5-5), meanwhile, are in the Canada West playoff picture and also play a Calgary team (5-5) with an identical record. The Dinos will be hungry after losing four straight, as they're led on the outside by Mac McNicol (2.58 kills per set) and Liam Kuppe (2.14 kills per set).
Manitoba will be looking for a big second half from their senior
Kevin Negus. Leading the conference with 4.19 kills per set, Negus will be critical for a Manitoba team that has an opportunity to go on a run — next week's games are at the 2-8 TRU WolfPack.
Bisons volleyball tickets are $10 at the door, with UM students and fans 12-and-under in free!
Men's Hockey vs. Mount Royal – January 3 (7 PM), January 4 (2 PM)
WATCH: CanadaWest.TV
LISTEN: UMFM second stream
UPDATES: follow @umbisonsMHKY on Twitter
After ending their first half with a split against Lethbridge, the Bisons men's hockey team (7-8-1) find themselves in a playoff spot but seven points back of Mount Royal (10-4-2) and fourth place. That makes this weekend an excellent opportunity to make up ground, with the top four seeds hosting quarterfinals starting February 14.
The Herd have had strong play from their blue line all season, led by fifth-year
Adam Henry, who has six goals and nine assists — the second leading scoring defenceman in Canada West. Up front, second-year
Jeremey Leipsic ended the fall semester on a hot streak with goals in his last three games. Leipsic is second on the Bisons in scoring with six goals and six assists.
Bisons hockey tickets are $10 at the door, with UM students and fans 12-and-under in free!
Basketball at MacEwan – January 3 (7/9 PM), January 4 (6/8 PM)
WATCH: CanadaWest.TV
UPDATES: follow @BisonWBB and @BisonMBB on Twitter
The
Bisons women (3-5) find themselves starting the second half with nearly half the conference within four points of them. There's lots left to be decided. They start on the road against MacEwan (2-6) with first-year guard
Lauren Bartlett coming off a sparkling end to the first half.
Bartlett has scored double digits in her last three games, capped by a 19-point outing against UFV. The long ball continues to be key for the Bisons, as
Emma Thompson and
Taylor Randall have been shooting over seven each per game and Bartlett is tops in the conference in percentage, making 57.7% of her 3.2 threes per game.
The
Bisons men (7-1) took advantage of their schedule in the first half and sit fourth in the conference heading into 2020. They'll have plenty of opportunity to add to their win total against MacEwan, who have yet to win at 0-8.
Manitoba has boasted one of the most opportunistic offences in Canada West this season, leading the conference in free throws made and attempted while grabbing 16.1 offensive rebounds per game, good for second. Combine this with 3.0 blocks — led by
James Wagner and
Isaac Miller-Jose — the Herd have been a team that's won by the grind in 2019-20.
Women's Hockey at Mount Royal – January 3 (8 PM), January 4 (4 PM)
WATCH: CanadaWest.TV
UPDATES: follow @umbisonsWHKY on Twitter
In what was otherwise a tough fall for Bisons women's hockey (4-10-1-1), the Herd ended November on an incredible high — sweeping Lethbridge on an overtime winner by
Jordyn Zacharias.
Riding their first win streak of 2019-20, the Herd take on Mount Royal (7-8-1-0) and still have a shot at the post-season as they sit seven points back of the Pronghorns and sixth. Zacharias coming alive could be a major key, as the fifth-year has scored points in two straight and is now second on the Herd with six points. In net, second-year
Erin Fargey is also coming off one of her best games of the season, making 17 saves in 60:48 on November 30.
Notes from the Range
