WEEKEND PREVIEW: Duckworth Challenge, Jim Daly Classic and Seniors Night headline busy weekend

It’s the busiest weekend of the university campaign for the Bisons, who will have six different teams compete throughout two days of action. Below is what to expect:

JIM DALY BISONS CLASSIC (FRIDAY FROM 6:30-8:30 PM, SATURDAY FROM 10 AM-5 PM, LIVE RESULTS CAN BE FOUND HERE)

• The Jim Daly Classic is the biggest non-CanWest or U SPORTS event hosted by the Bisons. Top athletes from across the country are traveling in for this meet, including over 40 from other schools who are currently in the top 12 in the nation in various categories 
• Seven Bisons have already qualified for nationals, hosted by the Bisons March 7-9 (Daxx Turner, triple jump, Graham Wright, weight throw, Adam Andres, 60m hurdles, Dawson Mann, 600m, Ty Cox-Yestrau, 300m, Anna McConnell, shot put, Lara Denbow, high jump)
• Headline events for the men include the weight throw at 7:45 pm on Friday (three Bisons competig, including Wright, as well as Joshua Suelzle and Cole Gagnon, who are both in the top 12 nationally), as well as the 300m at 11:05 am Saturday (12 timed sections, includes nationals qualifier Ty Cox-Yestrau in the same section as fellow top 12 athletes Josh Li, Alberta Gold and Devon Zuchotzki, Calgary), as well as the 600m at 2:25 pm on Saturday (includes nationals qualifier Dawson Mann in the same section as teammate and 2023 nationals medalist Tristan Allen, plus second-ranked Daniel Eiswerth, Regina, ninth-ranked Adam Mytopher, Regina and 12th ranked Tyler Sharpe, Alberta Gold)
• Headline events for the women include the 1000m timed final at 8:10 pm Friday (Lena Klassen, Angela Kroeker, Annika Niblock, Maisey Williams, Megan Van Heyst all competing), the shot put at 10 am Saturday (two-time defending national champ Anna McConnell competing, along with teammate Danica Kubay and eighth-ranked Jinaye Shomachuk, Lethbridge) and the high jump at 11 am Saturday (top-ranked Lara Denbow along with teammates Eniola Adepoju, Lola Oladapo and Signy McKim competing, along with 11th-ranked Holly Harrison of Alberta Gold)

MEN’S HOCKEY VERSUS MACEWAN (FRIDAY AT 7 PM, SATURDAY AT 3 PM, CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS) 

• This weekend’s games have heavy playoff implications. If MacEwan wins on Friday they’ll earn a post-season birth along with eliminating Manitoba. The Herd need a regulation sweep to remain in playoff contention
• Saturday’s game is Seniors Night. Manitoba will celebrate the careers of defenceman Chase Hartje (45 career points are the third most by a Bisons defenceman since 2009) and forwards Dylan Thiessen (48 points in four seasons at Manitoba, 100 career games played after this weekend) and Colton Veloso (played in 111 career games for Manitoba after this weekend, recording 58 points along with 229 shots)
• Bisons captain Jonny Hooker is tied for sixth in the Canada West conference in goals, with 11. He added another last weekend against Trinity Western, as Manitoba earned their first sweep of the year. Thiessen netted the game-winner in game two, and had two goals overall as Manitoba came back from a goal down late to beat TWU 3-2
• Manitoba’s dynamic duo of Ross Hawryluk and Kolby Thornton have been stellar all season. Thornton is second in CanWest with 550 saves, while Hawryluk has stopped more than 50 shots twice this yea, including in a 3-1 win over TWU last Friday. He has 1093 saves over two seasons at Manitoba, including 738 stops in 2022-23, the seventh most by any Bisons goalie dating back to 2000

MEN’S & WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VERSUS WINNIPEG (FRIDAY AT 6 & 7:45 PM, CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)

• Friday’s matches mark the conclusion of the 32nd annual Duckworth Challenge — Winnipeg won the challenge 4-1 last year, but the Bisons hold an all-time winning record of 18-13. Basketball takes place on Thursday night at Winnipeg
• On the women’s side, Manitoba boasts the nation’s kills and kills per set leader Raya Surinx (309, 4.75), as well as the nation’s assists leader Katreena Bentley (687). Libero Julia Arnold is also second in digs in the conference by one, at 234
• The women are in a top four position in the conference standings at 15-3, and are undefeated at home this year, at 8-0, surrendering just five sets. This is the first matchup between the Bisons and Wesmen since last year’s thrilling 3-2 win for the Bisons which earned them their first nationals trip since 2014
• The men are in a playoff position at 11-7, just nine points shy of the top four. Winnipeg has won the last four contests between the two sides, but two of those matches have gone to five sets. Manitoba’s last win over Winnipeg was January 19, 2022, where captain Spencer Grahame had eight kills and two assisted blocks 
• Bisons libero Josh Jehle is second in the nation in digs, with 152
• Manitoba is second in Canada West, with 2.72 blocks per set. Middles Jonah Dueck and Harrison Ens are both in the top five, averaging over one block per set, while Jordon Heppner isn’t far behind at 0.99. 
• Senior Ben Carleton was on a tear before an arm injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. His spot has been filled by second half addition Karil Dadesh Adeh. The Iranian Junior National Team veteran had 22 kills and seven digs in his debut against UBC last week, as Manitoba split against the second-place T-Birds

MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VERSUS WINNIPEG (SATURDAY AT 2 & 4 PM, CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)

• The women’s basketball team has not won a regular season conference game against Winnipeg since 2008, however they defeated the Wesmen 74-65 during the pre-season. Emerson Martin and Treyah Paquette both scored 19 points in the contest, while Ayva Khan contributed ten
• Speaking of Martin, she and Emily Mandamin have been two of the best three point shooters in Canada West this year. Mandamin is shooting at 42.6 percent from distance, fourth in the conference, while Martin is shooting 36.7 with a career high 22 triples
• Senior forward Emily Johnson has averaged career highs in points per game (11.5) and rebounds per game (8.3) this year as Manitoba’s most consistent scorer. The latter of those stats are ninth in CanWest 
• Winnipeg is currently in a playoff spot at 5-11, while the Bisons are just outside the top 12 at 4-12. This contest has serious playoff implications for both sides
• On the men’s side, the Bisons and Wesmen have identical 11-5 records (entering Thursday) and are ranked fifth and sixth in CanWest entering play. The top four teams earn a first round bye in the 12-team CanWest playoff tournament hosted by the Bisons February 21-25. A split for Manitoba and two wins against UBCO next weekend would help them earn a bye
• This will be the first regular season game between the two sides (not including a pre-season contest earlier this year) since Winnipeg’s 73-70 win that gave them a spot at nationals last season. Manitoba has a 15-10 record against the Wesmen since 2010
• Simon Hildebrandt and Daren Watts are both averaging double figures in points per game for Manitoba at 17.9 and 15.8 respectively 
• Manitoba and Winnipeg are second and third, respectively in steals per game, at 9.1 and 9.0. Expect that to be a major storyline during the contest. Manitoba is led by Mason Kraus, who has the most steals in the nation at 46. Tito Obasoto also has a career high 28 steals