UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons

Horns soccer looks to build off success

trevor.kenney — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 16:34:59 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns have finalized their schedules for the Canada West soccer season and for the program's men's team, the focus will be on building off of last season's 18-point performance, a franchise best.

The men's program will open its 2013 campaign with a home-and-home series against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos, Sept. 7-8 (at home on Sunday, Sept. 8). That's the start of a 15-game schedule that will also see the Horns play host to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Huskies, Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cougars, UNBC Timberwolves, UBC Thunderbirds and the Trinity Western Spartans.

The Horns won four games last season and narrowly missed the playoffs with 18 standings points. They will once again play in the six-team Prairie Division, looking for one of three playoff spots.

The regular season concludes on Oct. 27 followed by three rounds of playoffs in four days at the home of the first-place finisher in the five-team Pacific Division. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of New Brunswick in Fredericton, N.B. is the site of the 2013 CIS men's championship tournament, Nov. 7-10.

On the women's side, the Horns are coming off a one-win season but with 21 players eligible to return from last season's roster (that included 11 first-year players), it should be a much more seasoned and cohesive group.

The Canada West women's set-up differs from the men in that only one, 13-team division exists, with the top eight teams qualifying for playoffs.

After opening the schedule on the road with games against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cougars, the Horns will host the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Winnipeg Wesmen on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the U of L Community Stadium.

The Horns will also play host to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons the next day and host the UNBC Timberwolves, UBC Thunderbirds and Trinity Western Spartans to round out the home schedule.

Canada West playoffs open with quarter-finals on Oct. 26, after which teams will be re-ranked for semifinals and medal matches on Nov. 2-3. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto hosts CIS Nationals, Nov. 7-10.

For a look at the complete Pronghorns soccer schedule visit the website at www.gohorns.ca. For season tickets, call Pronghorn Athletics at 403-329-2681.

Hockey Horns earn awards

trevor.kenney — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:25:35 +0000

Shelby Ballendine secured a little piece of history and may have also saved the season for the Pronghorns women's hockey team.

Both she and Cass Mappin, of the Horns men's hockey team, were named Subway Pronghorn Athletes of the Week after their teams picked up weekend splits against ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina Cougars.

Ballendine and the Horns were facing a weekend sweep at the hands of the Cougars before she scored Saturday's game-tying goal with just seven seconds to play in the third period. She then netted the game-winning shootout goal that secured a vital two points for the Horns and put them three points clear of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons for the final Canada West playoff spot. The Bisons cap their season this weekend with two games against conference leading ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calary, needing a sweep to overtake the idle Horns.

Ballendine also made history, moving into a tie atop the Horns' all-time scoring list with 73 points in 118 career Canada West games.

Mappin, a first-year forward, was instrumental in helping the Horns men's team bury the Cougars and near a clinch of their own Canada West playoff berth. He scored and added an assist in Friday night's loss to Regina, then netted a key insurance goal in Saturday's win, keeping the Horns five points ahead of the Cougars for the final playoff spot. Regina plays four games to the Horns' two to close out the regular season.

Mappin is fourth in Canada West rookie scoring with seven goals and nine assists.

Taal family influence a Pronghorn tradition

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:04:45 +0000

When Lauren Taal chose to attend the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and play for the Pronghorns women's basketball team, to everyone looking in, it seemed like the easy decision. But make no mistake, beginning with that decision and the ensuing five years that followed, Taal's time as a Pronghorn has been anything but easy – and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"I am happy that this is the path I chose," says Taal, a third generation family member to attend the U of L. "I don't think it turned out the way I thought it would but as you grow up, I guess you realize that things aren't always what you expect."

Taal's family tree has an indelible ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge branch to it, beginning with her grandfather Jack Lilja Sr., who coached the Horns women's team for four seasons in the 1970s. Her mother Lynette Taal (Lilja) played for the Horns from 1978 through 1983, while her aunts Lorell (1973-77) and Leslie (1974-79) also wore the blue and gold. Her uncle, Jack Lilja Jr., played both basketball and soccer for the Horns and her father Clarence Taal is another U of L alumnus.

Horns' guard Lauren Taal drives the lane in a recent Canada West game at the 1st Choice Savings Centre. PHOTO courtesy of Paula Gorman.

Given the family lineage, it seemed natural that Lauren would choose to attend the U of L, yet she seriously entertained offers from both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan.

"It was a difficult decision for me because I knew how important it was and I knew how long the family tradition was to come here," says Taal. "At the same time my parents would have supported me any place I went."

In Taal's time at the U of L, the Horns have never finished above the .500 mark and made just one playoff appearance. Teammates have come and gone, she lost a close friend and mentor, suffered a major knee injury that cost her the second half of her fourth season and veered away from her intended major. Only now, in her final year, can she see the all their hard work starting to pay off and the team making huge strides forward.

"Looking back now, I'm still really glad that I came here," she says. "I don't think I would have learned as much going to programs that have seen more success. I think the people I've met here and the experiences I've had through the school and through basketball, playing with all the people I've played with, they've all had a great influence on me."

Taal has grasped adversity and made it work for her, learning more about herself in times of challenge than she ever learned as a high school star at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute.

"I had been pretty fortunate before coming here," says Taal. "I'd always played on teams that were pretty good and always been one of the better players, thanks a lot to my mom's influence. Then to struggle the way we did as a team and to get injured – when you lose something that's been such a big part of your life it makes you stop and realize all the things you need to be grateful for because just like that, they can be taken away from you."

Losing her friend Krista Heidinger (née Robson) tragically, a former Pronghorn her mother had coached, and whom she knew and looked up to since she was four years old, was another tough blow. Yet Taal, approaching her final games in a Horns jersey and ready to graduate with a degree in kinesiology this spring, is still thankful for the opportunity to have played in her hometown for the family program and with her younger sister Cassidy (second year).

"After we lost against ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary this year, making it tough for us to get into the playoffs, I was pretty upset," says Taal. "I remember coming out of the dressing room and my little cousins were there saying, "You played so well" and they were so excited. Knowing they support me and come out to games and look up to me and Cassidy, I'm very grateful to have a family that is behind me, that I'm getting an education and playing the game I love. It really puts things into perspective."

After convocation, Taal will explore professional basketball opportunities in Europe, with plans to eventually pursue a master's degree in sports management or administration. There's also a good chance she'll follow another family tradition and turn to coaching.

"I've gotten so much from this game, I feel a responsibility to give back to it," she says. "My granddad passed it on to my aunts and my mom, and she passed her love of the game on to me. Lots of people might not understand that just because they haven't had the same upbringing but I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have basketball, so I can definitely see myself coaching."

Whether it leads her back to the U of L once again remains to be seen.

GET THE FACTS

Taal set a Canada West single-game record for steals recently, nabbing 13 steals against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons

Taal has already dabbled in coaching, teaming up with former Horns women's head coach Dori Johnson to guide a youth league team last summer

Her grandfather Jack Lilja Sr. played for Canada's 1963 World Championship Men's Basketball Team. He wore jersey No. 7, as did Taal's mother Lynette and as she wears today for the Horns

Her mother Lynette was a two-time Canada West all-star and named Pronghorn Female Athlete of the Year in 1983

The Lilja family was inducted into the Pronghorn Hall of Fame in 2002

This story first appeared in the February 2012 edition of The Legend. To view the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Horns hockey opens at home

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:08:38 +0000

The Pronghorns men's and women's hockey teams will finally hit home ice in conference action this weekend, opening their Canada West home schedules as part of home-and-home series with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos.

The men's team will open its series Friday night, while the women's side is in Calgary on Friday before returning to Lethbridge for its home opener on Saturday night. Both games drop the puck at 7 p.m. at Nicholas Sheran Arena.

The men's hockey team posted a 4-2-0 mark in pre-season non-conference play. After finishing last season as the hottest team in the conference before falling two points short of a playoff berth, the Horns look to get off to a better start this fall. The Horns went 9-2-1 during the second half of last season and were in the race for the final playoff spot up until the final weekend.

The team will return a veteran presence, with only four players not back from last season's squad. The graduations of Jason Roberts and Logan Lavorato leaves a void in the leadership department, while Canada West rookie of the year, Adam Chorneyko, left the team to pursue a pro hockey opportunity.

Five new additions to the Horns are all expected to make significant impacts. Former Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Nick Hotson transferred from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons, and is eligible to play after sitting out last season. Western Hockey League products Taylor Gal, Daniel Iwanski and Ryan Letts have also been added. Former Ontario Hockey League product Tyler Melancon has also been added to the roster.

The Dinos were just 1-8-0 in pre-season play and were swept by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta two weeks ago when they opened their conference schedule.

The women's hockey team (0-2-0 Canada West, 1-6-0 overall) returns to action after being swept in its opening weekend of the season on the road by the CIS 8^th-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies.

They'll face a Dinos (1-1-0 Canada West) team that boasts Team Canada veteran and female hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser. Wickenheiser has captured six world championships and three Olympic gold medals over a 17-year career with the Canadian national team.

For more on both the men's and women's hockey teams, check out the Horns Athletics website.

Heninger, Matte named athletes of the week

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:09:41 +0000

Becky Heninger tormented her former team and Brian Matte made an impressive debut for his new team as each player earned Subway Pronghorn Athlete of the Week honours.

Heninger, a fourth-year guard and former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dino, kicked off the second semester of Canada West women's basketball conference action with her best offensive output of the season.

Playing against her former team, the Medicine Hat native scored a team-high 21 points in only 29 minutes of action. She went 7-of-12 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line as the Horns beat the Dinos 90-83 on Saturday night.

The win was the sixth in seven games for the Horns and improved their record to 6-5 on the season, tying the Dinos and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Winnipeg for the fourth and final conference playoff position.

On the men's side, first-year forward Brian Matte made an impressive debut for the Pronghorns men's hockey team.

After joining the team following the semester break, Matte registered a team-leading eight shots on goal in his Canada West debut Friday night, a 1-0 loss to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons.

Saturday night, the former Prince George Cougar then opened the scoring with his first CIS goal and later assisted on the game-winning goal in a 6-4 Horns win over the Bisons. He also recorded another six shots on net.

Pronghorns begin playoff push

trevor.kenney — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:05:09 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team opens the second half of the Canada West schedule this weekend with a pair of home games at Nicholas Sheran Arena.

The Horns will host the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons for games Friday and Saturday nights, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m.

The two-game set kicks off a crucial stretch for the Horns, who are currently on the outside of the playoff race. With 12 games remaining, the U of L (4-9-3) sits eight points back of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Huskies and the fourth and final playoff spot. If the team has a playoff push inside it, now is the time for it to begin.

The Bisons (9-3-2) come into the weekend second in the Canada West standings and boast the best defensive record of any team in the league, allowing a paltry 2.36 goals per game. The Horns, meanwhile, have surrendered the most goals in the conference and will need to shore up defensively to earn a pair of wins.

The teams opened the Canada West season in Winnipeg with the Bisons recording a sweep (3-2, 4-0).

In other weekend Canada West home action, the Pronghorns men's and women's basketball teams will host the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos, Saturday night at the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.

Both the men's and women's teams boast 5-5 records and are squarely in the hunt for Canada West playoff spots. The Dinos men's team leads Canada West with an 8-2 record while the women Dinos are at 6-4 on the year.

Tip-off Saturday night is at 6 p.m. for the women's game and 8:15 p.m. for the men's contest.

Horns hosting MS Awareness Game Night

trevor.kenney — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:31:04 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's and men's basketball teams will be hosting a MS Awareness Game Night, Saturday, Nov. 21 in support of the Lethbridge & District Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

MS Society volunteers will be at the 1st Choice Savings Centre providing information about the society, volunteering, fundraising events, and the services they offer to those living with MS in the Lethbridge & District area as well as ways anyone can get involved with the MS Society.

"We are so happy that the Pronghorns approached us about doing this third party fundraiser for us," says Leanne Kindrat, development co-ordinator of the Lethbridge & District Chapter of the MS Society. "Having local sports teams get involved with the MS Society is incredible. Not only will the game help spread awareness, but hopefully it will open the door to people with MS that didn't know there were so many resources available for them to use."

For every ticket sold that night, $1 will be donated back to the MS Society, helping get 'one step' closer to finding a cause and cure for MS. The Horns host ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons with the women's game beginning at 6 p.m. and the men's game tipping off at 8 p.m.

"Our vision is to be recognized as a superior provider of sport, recreation, and wellness opportunities that positively contribute to the quality of life for our students and the community," says Business and Development Manager, Sports and Recreation Services, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Robb Engen. "I can't think of a better organization to partner with than the MS Society here in Lethbridge. With this partnership, we hope to bring more awareness to our students on campus about Multiple Sclerosis, and what they can do to help end MS."

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. It is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Canada. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause, prevention, treatment and cure for this disease. For more information about the Society or any of our fundraising events or to make a donation please visit www.mssociety.ca, www.endMS.ca or call 403-328-7002.

Horn men clinch playoff berth

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:30:56 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team is headed back to the Canada West playoffs and they'll do so on home ice, beginning Mar. 6.

The Horns clinched not only a playoff spot but also a home playoff series this past weekend when they picked up a split with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos. After a lackluster 6-2 loss Friday night at Nicholas Sheran Arena, the Horns rebounded with a solid 5-2 victory over the Dinos on Saturday night. Four power play goals, including a pair from defenceman Ryan Pottruff, paved the way for the Horns, who improved to 14-12-0 on the season.

The U of L, now fourth in the Canada West standings, still has a shot at third place but would need a weekend sweep of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta Golden Bears to catch the idle ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons. At worst, the Horns will finish fourth in the conference and host a playoff series against either Regina, UBC or Calgary. All three of those teams are still battling for the fifth and sixth playoff positions (although Regina has at least clinched one of those spots).

The Horns last made the playoffs in 2006-07 when they hosted UBC Thunderbirds and lost a three-game series 2-1. The club concludes its Canada West regular season this weekend, also at home, when the first place Golden Bears (20-4-2) come calling for games Friday and Saturday nights, 7 p.m., at Nicholas Sheran.

Women's Hockey

The Pronghorns will not be suiting up for playoff action this spring but a weekend split, capped by Sunday's 7-3 rout, was a good way to cap the 2008-09 Canada West regular season.

The Horns got three goals from Shelby Ballendine and a pair from Brittany Kaye to blitz the playoff-bound UBC T-Birds 7-3. The win followed a 6-4 loss on Saturday that saw the Horns nearly erase a 5-1 first period deficit.

U of L finished the season 4-19-1 and graduated a pair of players, Lindsay Peters and Johanna Myers.

Swim team off to Victoria

trevor.kenney — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:48:48 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns swim team is off to Victoria this weekend for the Canada West Championship meet, highlighting activities for Pronghorn Athletics.

The Horns are still a small squad comparatively, but they have qualified 23 swimmers for the conference meet, up six from last season. Unfortunately, only 18 will be on hand in Victoria due to a variety of ailments that will keep five swimmers unavailable for action.

Last year, the women's swim team finished fifth overall, one place up from the previous season, while the men placed sixth at the Canada West Championships. With such a small squad heading to the meet, a Canada West title is not expected, but the team is poised to improve on last year's team standing.

To follow the Horns this weekend, click on this Canada West Championships link.

Horns Basketball

A pair of west coast schools comes to town to face the Pronghorns men's and women's basketball teams.

Trinity Western Spartans and Simon Fraser Clan will provide the opposition Friday and Saturday night respectively at the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym.

The Pronghorn women (3-13) have split each of their past two weekend series, beating nationally-ranked opponents on each occasion. This weekend they'll meet the top-rated program in the country in the form of the Clan (16-1) on Saturday night.

The Pronghorn men (4-12) are in the midst of a six-game losing skid and are three games out of the final playoff berth in the Central Division. They face two tough tests this weekend with the Spartans (12-5) on a nine-game conference win streak and the Clan (10-7) having won six of their last eight.

Game times both nights see the women take the court at 6 p.m., followed by the men's game at 8:15 p.m.

Horns Hockey

While the Pronghorns men's team has a bye in Canada West play, the Pronghorn women host the defending Canada West champion ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta Pandas.

The Horns (2-15-1) are coming off a weekend split with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina. The Pandas (16-2-0) are ranked fourth in the country, with their only two losses coming at the hands of the top-rated ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons.

Game times both nights are 7 p.m. at Nicholas Sheran Arena.

Horns' streak ends with thud

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:48:36 +0000

A program-best winning streak that had stretched to eight games and spanned the Christmas break and the debut of a new year came to a crashing close this past weekend for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team.

The Horns were soundly swept by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Huskies (5-0 and 6-1), falling five points back of the Huskies in the Canada West standings. The U of L (12-8-0) had crawled to within a point of the country's fourth-rated Huskies (14-5-1), all the while earning an eighth-place spot in the national rankings. The losses dropped the Horns into a third-place tie with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons (each with 24 points) with just eight games to play in the regular season.

Pronghorns will get an opportunity to lick their wounds over the next week as they head into a bye weekend, not resuming Canada West play until Jan. 30-31 when they head to the west coast to face ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia T-Birds.

Women's Hockey

The Pronghorns women's hockey team earned a home-ice split this past weekend, beating ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina Cougars 2-1 in overtime Friday night before falling 4-2 in Saturday's series finale at Nicholas Sheran Arena.

Dayna Janzen scored the game-winning goal with 26.1 seconds to play in overtime Friday night, handing the Horns (2-15-1) just their second victory of the season. The club is back in action this weekend when the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta Pandas come calling for games Friday and Saturday night at Nicholas Sheran.

Women's Basketball

For the second successive week, the Pronghorns women's basketball team beat a ranked opponent. The Horns dumped eighth-rated ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos 79-71 Saturday at the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym, giving the Horns (3-13) a split of their weekend series.

First-year player Courtney Heinricks had a season-best 15 points in the win, while third-year player Hannah Blanchette also netted 15 points and hauled in nine rebounds in the victory. Pronghorns lost 86-65 Friday night as the Dinos (7-9) halted what had been a six-game losing streak.

Men's Basketball

The Pronghorns men's basketball team was swept by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos over the weekend, slipping to 4-12 on the season and falling three games back of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan for the final Canada West Central Division playoff berth.

Playing the country's third-ranked Dinos (14-2), Lethbridge dropped 100-82 and 88-75 decisions on Friday and Saturday night respectively.

Both the Pronghorns men's and women's teams are back at home this weekend when they host Trinity Western and Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ on successive nights at the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym.

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