UNews - Dana Mckechnie

U Sports Men’s National Hockey Championship comes to Lethbridge

caroline.zentner — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 17:37:16 +0000

It’s just the fourth time in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s 51-year history that it will host a U Sports national championship, and the first time the country’s best men’s hockey programs will battle on Enmax Centre ice for the right to raise the David Johnston ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cup. Today, ticket sales opened for the prestigious U Sports Men’s National Hockey Championship tournament.

“This is such a great opportunity for our community, for Pronghorn Athletics and for the hockey fan in general,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon. “This championship dates back to 1963 and very rarely ventures into Alberta, so we’re thrilled to host such a high-calibre event and to welcome hockey fans from around the country to Lethbridge.”

The U Sports Men’s National Hockey Championship, March 14-17, 2019, has not been hosted in Alberta since 2006 and only then by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta – four times over the last 33 years. The U of L Pronghorns, who won the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cup in their lone championship appearance in Toronto in 1994, will join seven other programs in a single-elimination competition over the course of four exciting days.

"It’s hard to believe it has been 25 years since we pulled off that unimaginable run. It's an accomplishment I’ll cherish forever and one I reflect on often," says Dana McKechnie, a key member of the 1994 national championship team and father of current Pronghorn Sam McKechnie. "So many people in the community and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ shared that experience with our team. I’m already seeing fellow alumni and community members begin to rally around this year’s team and the exciting opportunity they now have to host the national tournament. Even more special is the opportunity to watch our son Sam and this exciting group of talented players make a run at repeating the unthinkable."

Ticket packages for the tournament are now available at enmaxcentre.ca, with adult eight-game packages priced at $160, senior packages at $136 and youth/student packages at $100.

“With each team’s season riding on the result of every game, the intensity level is incredible and makes for amazing hockey,” says Ken McInnes, executive director of Sport and Recreation Services. “These players have all played at the highest levels throughout their youth careers and the majority are from Canadian Hockey League programs. They’re now mature young men and the quality of hockey is outstanding.”

The tournament format pits the country’s four regional conference champions (Canada West, OUA East, OUA West, AUS), the host Pronghorns and three assigned berths (Canada West runner-up, OUA third place, AUS runner-up) against one another. The first two days feature a pair of quarter-final games each, followed by Saturday’s semi-final contests and third-place and championship games on the concluding Sunday.

The championship weekend also features a visit from Rogers Hometown Hockey, a championship awards gala and associated community events.

The U of L Pronghorns men’s hockey team is back at home this weekend hosting the defending national champion ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta Golden Bears. Game times are Friday at 7 p.m. at Nicholas Sheran Arena and Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Enmax Centre.

Impressive recruiting class for Horns men's hockey team

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 21:58:32 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s hockey team has turned over a significant portion of its roster as head coach Spiros Anastas announced the commitment of 12 new players for the 2015-16 Canada West season.

Former Lethbridge Hurricane forward Jay Merkley, left foreground, and former Edmonton Oil King and Memorial Cup champion Blake Orban, right standing, are among 12 new recruits that will bring a wealth of major junior experience to the Horns program.

Within the group of 12, the program will add nine forwards and three defencemen, seven of which have Western Hockey League experience and who will be taking advantage of the WHL Scholarship program. Two other players have spent time in the NCAA and the other three join the program after playing exclusively in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

“We are extremely happy with our recruiting class thus far for 2015-16 and we’re not done yet. We're expecting to announce two or three more players in the coming month,” says Anastas. “We will be a very young team but one that has significantly increased in skill and major junior experience.”

Three of the incoming freshmen also have direct ties to Pronghorns alumni, highlighted by forward Sam McKechnie. Sam is the son of Dana McKechnie, who was a member of the Pronghorns' lone ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cup Championship team, while Blake Orban is also a second generation Pronghorn, after his father Scott played for the Pronghorns during their inaugural Canada West season in 1984-85. The third member of the group is former Olds Grizzly, Kyle Moore, who follows in his brother Dustin’s footsteps. Dustin is a former Pronghorn captain and Canada West first team all-star.

“Our WHL games played have nearly tripled from last year's roster and a number of these recruits have been captains of their Junior teams,” says Anastas. “It’s never easy to let go of as many players as we did at the end of last season, but the turnover was necessary to send this program in a new direction.”

Forwards Jay Merkley, Dalton Sward, Colton Sheen, Robert Lindores, Brett Roulston, and Bryson Gore and defenceman Tyler Hansen, Dustin Fostvelt and Austin Kernahan round out the group announced by Coach Anastas.

“I strongly believe that we are bringing in great people who want to be Pronghorns and great members of our campus community,” says Anastas. “We are excited for our returning players, our incoming recruits, and this hockey program. We have worked hard at this and plan to take some big leaps from the improved strides we made last season.”

For a look at each of the recruits, check out the GoHorns website.

Gallagher, Waldner earn top athlete honours

trevor.kenney — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:22:31 +0000

Championship thrower Kayla Gallagher and four-time Academic All Canadian basketball player Derek Waldner were named Pronghorn Female and Male Athlete of the Year respectively this past weekend as Pronghorn athletics held its annual Blue and Gold Banquet.

Over 275 athletes, administrators and special guests were in attendance for the supper and awards ceremony at the Lethbridge Lodge. The guest speaker for the event was former Pronghorn Dana Mckechnie.

Female Athlete of the Year

In only her first year of eligibility, Kayla Gallagher burst onto the track scene and served notice that she will be a force on the CIS throwing scene for years to come.

At the Canada West Championship meet, the Truro, N.S. native earned two medals, winning her first Canada West weight throw title with a throw of 16.85 metres, nearly a metre further than her closest competitor. She also earned a silver medal in the shot put event. With her gold medal in the weight throw, Gallagher was a first-team Canada West All-Star.

Heading into the CIS Championship meet in Edmonton, Gallagher was ranked fifth in CIS, but a new personal best throw of 18.24 metres earned her the gold medal. The throw was nearly two metres better than her previous personal best and she won the event by almost a metre. The throw was also the furthest ever by a first-year thrower in CIS History. The win also earned her a first-year All-Canadian award.

Male Athlete of the Year

In his final season as a Pronghorn, senior basketball player Derek Waldner capped his career with an exceptional season and will go down in 'Horns history among the best to ever don the blue and gold.

Named a second team Canada West all-star, Waldner led the nation in rebounding and rebounding average with 252 rebounds and an average of 11.5 boards per game. The 252 rebounds also set a new Pronghorn single season record. Waldner was also seventh in Canada West scoring, averaging 16.6 points per game.

Waldner finishes his five-year career with the 'Horns as the school's all-time leading rebounder with 874 and leader in games played with 108. He also sits fifth in scoring with 1139 points and compiled 29 double-doubles (double figures in both points and rebounds) in his career.

The consummate student-athlete, Waldner has been a four-time Academic All-Canadian and is well on his way to finishing his degree with a fifth Academic All-Canadian Award.

Other major award winners included:

President's Award (Academic achievement)

For the second year in a row a member of the Pronghorns women's hockey team receives the prestigious President's Award. Presented to the student athlete with the highest academic standing at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, this year's winner is Jasmin Teske. Like her former teammate Megan Bach last season, Teske achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA, while balancing her large commitment to the team.

Team Academic Award (Team academic achievement)

The women's hockey team received the team academic award with a combined GPA of 3.10

Team MVPs (as voted by team members)

Men's Soccer – Matt Medoruma
Women's Soccer – Taura Willoughby
Men's Hockey – Brent Henke
Women's Hockey – Amy Van Buskirk
Men's Basketball – Derek Waldner
Women's Basketball – Ali Cameron
Women's Rugby – Brandi Van Eeuwen
Men's Swim – Ryan Thornley
Women's Swim – Kara Declark
Men's Track – Peter Millman
Women's Track – Kayla Gallagher

UNews - Dana Mckechnie

U Sports Men’s National Hockey Championship comes to Lethbridge

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Impressive recruiting class for Horns men's hockey team

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