UNews - Andrea Letal

Horns dynasty team inducted into Alberta Sports Hall of Fame

trevor.kenney — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 19:40:56 +0000

They dominated women's rugby for three years, winning consecutive Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009. On Wednesday, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby championship teams were inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

The Horns' title run was capped by a dominant performance at the CIS championship tournament in 2009.

The Horns will go into the hall as part of the 2015 inductee class that also includes: Carla MacLeod (Hockey); Kevin Martin (Curling); Bruce MacGregor (Hockey); Bill Warren (Builder); Hugh McPherson (Builder); James (Bearcat) Murray (Builder); David and Jean Folinsbee (Pioneer Award – Badminton); Peter Maher (Bell Memorial Award); Chris Koch (Achievement Award); and Joey Moss (Achievement Award).

Following the program’s first Canada West title and a CIS bronze medal victory in 2006, the Pronghorns returned to the CIS Championships in 2007 in London, Ont. The Horns defeated the host Western Mustangs 15-10 to win the program's first national title and kick off a run of dominance that not only boosted the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's national reputation but inspired a new generation of rugby players throughout southern Aberta.

Brittany Orr was named CIS tournament most valuable player and Canada West rookie of the year, while Ashley Steacy (nee: Patzer) garnered recognition as a CIS All-Canadian.

While the Horns knew they were guaranteed a berth in the 2008 CIS Championship as the host program, the team earned its third consecutive Canada West title to enter the tournament as the top seed. On their home field, the Pronghorns repeated as national champions with a 29-15 win over St. Francis Xavier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in front of more than a 1,000 hometown fans.

Steacy was named CIS Tournament MVP and the Pronghorns laid claim to six of the 15 tournament all-star spots. Brandi Van Eeuwen was named both the Canada West and CIS rookie of the year.

The 2009 season was truly a special one for the Pronghorns as they went undefeated in Canada West conference action, outscoring their opponents 217-7 in four conference games before winning the Canada West title with a 30-0 victory over the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta Pandas.

The Horns' dominance was cemented at the CIS Championship tournament in Vancouver. The U of L opened the tourney with a 51-3 thrashing of the Western Mustangs before dispatching Quebec champion Concordia 15-0. A 25-0 victory over Ontario champion Guelph Gryphons set up another championship matchup with St. FX. Once again, the Pronghorns prevailed, winning 20-3 for their third consecutive CIS Championship.

On their run to the title in 2009, the Horns outscored their opponents an unfathomable 444-13. Steacy was named CIS Player of the Year, while Andrea Letal was the tournament MVP and Neil Langevin was named Canada West and CIS Coach of the Year.

The 2015 Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet was held May 29, 2015.

Letal, Stemler earn Subway honours

trevor.kenney — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:52:30 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbrdige announced its Pronghorn Athletes of the Week on Wednesday and it was hardly surprising a member of the three-time national championship women's rugby team was among the honorees.

Andrea Letal was named Subway Pronghorn Female Athlete of the Week after she played a major role in the Horns capturing their third consecutive Monilex trophy over the weekend.

Letal, a third-year wing, was named CIS championship match MVP after scoring two tries in the Horns' 20-3 victory over St. Francis Xavier. She also scored a try in the Horns' semifinal win over Guelph while her tough defence and kicking ability were key reasons for the Horns not surrendering a try throughout the entire tournament.

On the men's side, men's basketball post Remington Stemler had his best weekend in a Pronghorn jersey, helping the Horns to a weekend split with the Regina Cougars.

On Friday night, with the Horns down 15 points late in the fourth quarter, Stemler kick-started a Horns' run that cut the deficit to a single point. Stemler recorded two big blocks and a huge dunk, and despite the comeback falling short, the fifth-year post had a productive night with seven rebounds, three points and four blocks in 13 minutes.

The next night, during the Horns' first conference win of the season, the Calgary native collected 10 points, nine rebounds and another block in 19 minutes of action in a 70-54 win.

Horns win CIS rugby crown

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:47:18 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns are three-time national champions after successfully defending their national title for the second consecutive year, beating the St. Francis Xavier X-Women 20-3 in the CIS women's rugby gold medal game on Sunday at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver.

The Pronghorns were in the driver's seat all game, as the X-Women, like every opponent Lethbridge has faced this year, were unable to break down the CIS champions' defence once they fell behind. Andrea Letal (Calgary, Alta.), who was named the CIS tournament MVP, scored a try 11 minutes into the contest, and that turned out to be all the 'Horns needed to take home the gold.

"We were really well composed and the girls played exactly the game plan we asked them to," said Horns' head coach Neil Langevin. "The defence has been the hallmark of this group and it's just a wonderful group to coach. We played defence first. We kept the ball in their end as much as possible and tried to force them into mistakes."

That strategy paid off for Lethbridge, as they extended their lead in the 26th minute when sustained pressure in the X-Women's end of the field resulted in a penalty goal attempt for Ashley Patzer (Lethbridge, Alta.) from about 20 yards out. The All-Canadian and tournament all-star made no mistake, splitting the uprights to put her side up 8-0.

Brittany Orr (Fort Macleod, Alta.), also named to the tournament all-star team, provided the nail in the coffin just a few minutes later. She received the ball on the right wing 30 yards from goal, cut back to the middle of the field to beat a St. FX defender and scored to put her side up 13-0. Patzer's conversion made it 15-0, giving the X-Women little hope of getting back into the game against the stifling Pronghorns defence.

Courtnay Malcom (New Glasgow, N.S.) did get her side on the board before the half-time break, nailing a penalty goal from 20 yards in the 34th minute, but the X-Women could do nothing offensively in the second half. They did push deep into Pronghorn territory occasionally but were never able to finish their drives before the Pronghorn defence won back the ball.

"Our back three were important all weekend," said Langevin. "All the girls did a great job clearing the ball and we credit them a lot because they did face some pressure."

Letal added to her MVP credentials early in the second half with another try, this time a 30-yard sprint down the right wing to all but seal the win for the Horns, putting them up 20-3. It was their second straight meeting with the X-Women in the title game, as they won gold with a 29-15 result last year.

In addition to Letal, Patzer and Orr, Lethbridge's Alex Hendricks (Lomond, Alta.), Kelsey Willoughby (Lethbridge, Alta.) and Brandi Van Eeuwen (Duncan, B.C.) were also named tournament all-stars. Asya Bartley (Ottawa, Ont.), Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, Ont.) and Ghislaine Landry (Toronto, Ont.) were named to the all-star team for St. FX.

Horns roll to Canada West title

trevor.kenney — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:24:21 +0000

For the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby team, it's all about the numbers. Sunday afternoon in Edmonton, that number was four, as in the number of consecutive Canada West championships they'd won. In two weeks, the number they'll be looking for is three, meaning a third consecutive national crown.

The Horns are well on their way to achieving that goal after cruising through the Canada West tournament this past weekend. After throttling UBC Thunderbirds 86-0 in the semifinal round, the Horns rolled past host ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta Pandas 30-0 in the championship game. In keeping with the numbers' theme, the tally for the weekend was 116-0.

"The effort had to be there today because the U of A kept coming, and they didn't give up throughout the match," Pronghorns head coach Neil Langevin told Matt Gutsch, U of A sports information. "We knew that they would be very structured and that we would have to put together something really special here today to get past them. We're obviously very proud of the effort and happy that we got the win."

Canada West Player of the Year Ashley Patzer scored a try, two converts and two drop goals to the lead the Pronghorns to the victory. Ashley Zaremba, Andrea Letal and Brittany Orr also added trys for the Pronghorns, who now head to the CIS national championship tournament undefeated on the year and likely as the #1-seed. They'll be seeking their third consecutive CIS crown.

Sunday's championship tilt was the seventh time in the last nine years Alberta and Lethbridge have met in the conference deciding game, with the Pronghorns having now won the last three battles against their provincial rivals.

Alberta won five straight CIS titles from 1999 to 2003 and six straight Canada West banners from 1999 to 2004 until the Pronghorns took over as the dominant rugby program in the country.

The Horns ran up a 19-0 lead by the half and kept the game under control in the second stanza. Patzer, behind an impressive line performance, was her usual game-changing self.

"I do believe she is one of the top five players in the world, and we're really proud of her," Langevin told the U of A. "She has grown so much in her five years, and not just as a player, but as a leader and as an individual."

For his part, Langevin was named 2009 conference coach of the year.

The CIS national tournament is set for Nov. 6-8 in Vancouver. Patzer and company have two weeks to prepare for a final run at a third straight national title.

"We just have to go home now and prepare to compete for that next championship," Patzer says. "We just need to stay together as a team and stay focused as a team, and make our week of practice really worthwhile."

UNews - Andrea Letal

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