U SPORTS TOP TEN TUESDAY (#10): Carleton, Regina open at No. 1 in basketball, Toronto claims top spot in swimming
TORONTO (U Sports) – The six-time defending champion Carleton Ravens (men) and Regina Cougars (women) open the season as the top-ranked U Sports basketball teams in the country, while the U Sports title holder Toronto Varsity Blues are the team to beat in both men's and swimming.
Carleton earned 458 points to claim the No.1 position, ahead of reigning silver medalist Calgary, UBC, McMaster and cross-town rival Ottawa. On the women's side, the Cougars received 546 points in the first coach's poll to open in top spot, with Carleton, McMaster, Laval and McGill rounding out the top five.
Last March, the Ravens men extended their perennial domination of U Sports basketball with their sixth consecutive national championship and 12th in the last 14 seasons via a 101-79 victory over Calgary in the gold medal game at UBC's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. The Cougars, meanwhile, finished sixth at last year's national championship held at UNB in Fredericton, falling 74-73 to Alberta in the consolation final. Defending champion Saskatchewan is ranked No.7 to open the campaign.
Carleton begins its season Friday night at Algoma while Regina hosts Victoria in a pair of weekend games.
In both men's and women's swimming, Toronto claimed the top spot in the first rankings of the season, after sweeping the national banners at last year's CIS championship for the first time 23 years. The Varsity Blues made a statement over the weekend, winning both the men's and women's event in a dual meet at nationally-ranked Calgary (No.3 men's, No. 4 women's).
In other U Sports rankings, Alberta (men's volleyball), Trinity Western (women's volleyball), UNB (men's hockey), UBC (women's hockey), Laval (men's cross county and women's soccer), OUA champion Guelph (women's cross country) and York (men's soccer) all maintain their pole positions for another week.
NOTE: This is the final rankings for men's and women's soccer ahead of this weekend's conference championships.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (1st place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. Carleton (0-0) / 458 points (45) / (-)
2. Calgary (0-0) / 384 (1) / (-)
3. UBC (0-0) / 335 / (-)
4. McMaster (0-0) / 326 / (-)
5. Ottawa (0-0) / 254 / (-)
6. Dalhousie (0-0) / 207 / (-)
7. Brock (0-0) / 199 / (-)
8. McGill (0-0) / 113 / (-)
9. Saint Marys (0-0) / 73 / (-)
10. Ryerson (0-0) / 55 / (-)
Other teams receiving votes: Windsor (51), Saskatchewan (28)
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (1st place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. Regina (0-0) / 546 points (43) / (-)
2. Carleton (0-0) / 469 / (-)
3. McMaster (0-0) / 467 (2) / (-)
4. Laval (0-0) / 411 (1) / (-)
5. McGill (0-0) / 326 / (-)
6. Windsor (0-0) / 203 / (-)
7. Ryerson (0-0) / 191 / (-)
8. Queens (0-0) / 147 / (-)
9. Saskatchewan (0-0) / 139 / (-)
10. Victoria (0-0) / 121 / (-)
Other teams receiving votes: Concordia (106), Saint Marys (98)
MEN'S SWIMMING
(points) / (previous ranking)
1 Toronto / 729 / (-)
2 UBC / 533 / (-)
3 Calgary / 416 / (-)
4 Laval / 263 / (-)
5 Montreal / 244 / (-)
6 McGill / 204 / (-)
7 Ottawa / 171 / (-)
8 Sherbrooke / 117 / (-)
9 Victoria / 74 / (-)
10 Dalhousie / 69 / (-)
Other teams receiving votes: Alberta (30), Lethbridge (29), Laurentian (21), Acadia (20), UNB (16), Queen's (8), Mount Allison (4), Manitoba (4), Carleton (2)
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
(points) / (previous ranking)
1. Toronto / 656 / (-)
2. UBC / 646 / (-)
3. Montreal / 511 / (-)
4. Calgary / 355 / (-)
5. McGill / 128 / (-)
6. Laval / 127 / (-)
7. UQAM / 90 / (-)
8. Lethbridge / 89 (-)
9. Alberta / 81 / (-)
10. Ottawa / 67 / (-)
Other teams receiving votes: Victoria (59), Sherbrooke (53), Dalhousie (50), Laurentian (14), UQTR (9), Acadia (6), Mount Allison (4), UNB (2)
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / votes (1st place votes) / (previous ranking)
- Alberta (2-0) / 283 pts (23) / (1)
- TWU (2-0) / 249 (6) / (2)
- McMaster (1-0) / 230 / (3)
- Calgary (0-0) / 182 / (5)
- Laval (3-0) / 165 / (6)
- Manitoba (1-1) / 150 / (4)
- Montreal (4-0) / 118 / (8)
- Mount Royal (1-1) / 97 / (9)
- Saskatchewan (1-1) / 65 / (7)
- Waterloo (0-0) / 28 / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: TBD
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)
1 TRINITY WESTERN (2-0) / 60 pts / (1)
2 ALBERTA (2-0) / 56 pts / (2)
3 UBC Okanagan (2-0) / 51 pts / (3)
4 TORONTO (1-0) / 45 pts / (5)
5 MCMASTER (1-0) / 44 pts / (6)
6 CALGARY (0-0) / 38 pts / (7)
7 UBC (2-0) / 33 pts / (8)
8 MONTREAL (1-1) / 31 pts / (4)
9 DALHOUSIE (5-0) / 30 pts / (10)
10 LAVAL (2-0) / 29 pts / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Western (17), Sherbrooke (14), St. Mary's (9), Brandon (8), McGill (7)
MEN'S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / votes (1st place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. UNB (6-0-2) / 149 (14) / (1)
2. Saskatchewan (6-1-1) / 125 / (3)
3. StFX (5-3-0) / 102 / (2)
4. UOIT (7-1-0) / 95 / (5)
5. Alberta (4-2-0) / 87 (1) / (7)
6. Concordia (6-1-0) / 58 / (9)
7. Mount Royal (4-2-0) / 51 / (4)
8. Ryerson (5-1-1) / 46 / (6)
9. UPEI (4-2-2) / 34* / (8)
10. Acadia (5-3-0) / 34* / (NR)
* UPEI (over Acadia) was awarded the higher ranking based on number of higher placed votes.
Other teams receiving votes: Calgary (12), Carleton (11), UQTR (8), Windsor (5), McGill (4), Queen's (2), Dalhousie (1), York (1)
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)
1. UBC (7-1-0) / 40 / (1)
2. Saint Mary's (5-0-1) / 36 / (2)
3. Montreal (3-2-0) / 32 / (3)
4. St. Thomas (5-0-1) / 28 / (4)
5. Guelph (4-1-1) / 23 / (6)
6. McGill (2-1-0) / 21 / (5)
7. Manitoba (6-2-0) / 14 / (7)
8. Western (3-3-0) / 14 / (8)
9. Nipissing (5-1-0) / 6 / (NR)
10. Saskatachewan (5-3-0) / 5 / (9)
Other teams receiving votes: Laurentian (1)
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
(points) / (previous ranking)
1. Laval / 96pts / (1)
2. Victoria / 80pts / (3)
3. Western / 78pts / (T6)
4. Trinity Western / 75pts / (4)
5. Windsor / 68pts / (5)
6. Guelph / 52pts / (2)
7. McMaster / 35pts / (T6)
T8. Calgary / 25pts / (8)
T8. StFX / 25pts / (9)
10. Queen's / 15pts / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Manitoba (6), McGill (2)
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
(points) / (previous ranking)
1. Guelph / 99 pts / (1)
2.Trinity Western / 90pts / (2)
3. Queen's / 80 pts / (6)
4. Toronto / 60 pts / (3)
5.Calgary / 52 pts / (T4)
6.Western / 49 pts / (T4)
7. Victoria / 42 pts / (7)
T8.McMaster / 22 pts / (10)
T8. McGill / 22pts / (8)
10. Alberta / 18pts / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Dalhousie (13), Laval (6), Laurentian (2)
MEN'S SOCCER
(regular season record) / (playoff record) / votes / (previous ranking)
1.York 14-0-2 / 1-0 / 60 pts / (1)
2.Alberta 13-1-2 / 1-0/ 53 pts / (2)
3.Ryerson 14-1-1 / 1-0 / 48 pts / (3)
4.Guelph 12-2-2 / 1-0 / 39 pts / (4)
5.Toronto 12-2-2 / 1-0 / 32 pts / (5)
6.Acadia 9-1-2 / 31 pts / (9)
7.UQAM 6-0-6 / 23 pts / (8)
8.UBC 9-1-6 / / 1-0 / 20 pts / (10)
9.Cape Breton 9-2-1 / 13 pts / (7)
10. Calgary 9-4-3 / 1-0 / 7 pts / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Dalhousie (5), Laval (3), StFX (2), UQTR (2), Trinity Western (1), Carleton (1)
WOMEN'S SOCCER
(regular season record) / (playoff record) / votes / (previous ranking)
1. Laval (13-0-1) / 60 pts / (1)
2. Trinity Western (11-0-3 / 1-0 playoffs) / 54 pts / (2)
3. UOIT (13-2-1 / 1-0 playoffs) / 48 pts / (3)
4. Cape Breton (11-1-0) / 36 pts / (7)
5. Montreal (11-2-1) / 35 pts / (6)
6. Western (9-1-6 / 1-0 playoffs) / 26 pts / (10)
7. Queen's (11-4-1/ 1-0 playoffs) / 18 pts / (NR)
8. York (11-2-3 / 0-1 playoffs) / 14 pts / (4)
9. UBC (6-3-5) / 12 pts / (13) / 1-0 playoffs)
10. Calgary (9-1-4 / 0-1 playoffs) / 10 pts / (5)
Other teams receiving votes: Memorial (7) Victoria (6) MacEwan (3) Fraser Valley (1)
FRC – U Sports Football Top 10 (#10)
Laval tops final poll of season for 7th time in 10 years
Laval earned 26 of 30 first-place votes - three more than a week ago - and 296 points in the 10th Football Reporters of Canada poll of the campaign to keep its No. 1 ranking for the third straight week. Thanks to a 7-1 mark in league play, the Rouge et Or extended to 14 their remarkable streak of consecutive regular seasons with zero or one loss, having compiled a sensational 106-9 record over that period (.922).
All other first-place nods in this week's poll went to the Montreal Carabins (7-1), who racked up 267 points to remain in second position behind their RSEQ foes for the third week in a row.
Rounding out the final Top 10 of 2016 are the third-ranked Western Mustangs (7-1 / 235 points / no change), No. 4 Regina Rams (6-2 / 180 / up three positions), No. 5 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (7-1 / 167 / up one), No. 6 Calgary Dinos (6-2 / 144 / down one), No. 7 McMaster Marauders (7-2 / 137 / down three), No. 8 Carleton Ravens (7-2 / 128 / no change), No. 9 Saskatchewan Huskies (5-3 / 60 / up one), as well as the previously unranked St. Francis Xavier X-Men (7-1 / 27) at No. 10.
While Laval got the best of archrival Montreal in the last three national polls, the Carabins won the race for first place in Quebec by the slimmest of margins and will have the all-important home-field advantage for the duration of the RSEQ playoffs, including a potential clash with the Rouge et Or in the Dunsmore Cup final on Nov. 12.
With Montreal and Laval splitting their two-game season series with a similar point differential in head-to-head competition, first place came down to points allowed over the eight-game RSEQ schedule and the Carabins claimed their first regular season title since 2004 thanks to a 72-78 advantage in that department. The Laval defence did its part this past weekend as the Rouge et Or wrapped up league play with a 14-1 win at Sherbrooke, but the top-rated Montreal unit was even better, pitching a shutout in a 13-0 road victory against McGill.
Both teams are now set to face 4-4 opponents in Saturday's RSEQ semifinals as Montreal hosts McGill and Laval hosts Concordia. The Montreal-McGill confrontation is televised live on TVA Sports at 2 p.m.
In the OUA conference, playoff action got under way last weekend with a pair of quart-finals that saw Carleton dominate cross-town rival Ottawa 45-9 and McMaster survive a scare to edge Guelph 17-11.
In Saturday's Final Four round, at 1 p.m., the Marauders visit second-place Laurier, live on CHCH and OUA.TV, while the Ravens travel to London to face first-place Western, live on Rogers Cable 13 and OUA.TV.
In Canada West, one year after going 0-8, Regina completed its remarkable turnaround and claimed first place for the first time in program history thanks to a resounding 55-21 decision over Manitoba in Winnipeg. In the win, quarterback Noah Picton threw for 447 yards in less than three quarters of action to set a new single-season U Sports record with 3,174 passing yards, 12 more than the previous national standard established a year ago by two-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner Andrew Buckley of Calgary.
Calgary finished second thanks to a thrilling 41-35 overtime win at UBC, while Saskatchewan clinched third with a 48-9 defeat of visiting Alberta.
The road to the Hardy Cup begins Saturday with the Dinos hosting the Huskies at noon Mountain Time and the Rams hosting the reigning Vanier Cup champion Thunderbirds (3-5) at 3:30 p.m. Central Time. Both semifinals can be seen on Shaw TV/Access and CanadaWest.TV.
Finally in the AUS, defending conference champion StFX will enjoy a well-deserved break on Saturday while the Acadia Axemen (2-6) visit the Mount Allison Mounties (3-5) in semifinal action.
The X-Men, who had already secured their first regular season title since 1997, crushed second-place Mount Allison 65-17 in their league finale, while Acadia earned the third and final AUS playoff berth thanks to a 10-3 win at Saint Mary's.
NOTES: Sportsnet and TVA Sports are once again the official broadcasters of the U Sports football semifinals and final in 2016... The ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl (AUS at Canada West) and the Uteck Bowl (OUA at RSEQ) are set for Saturday, Nov. 19, while the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup follows on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. ET at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ont.... For all the information on the 52nd Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.
FRC – U SPORTS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#10)
Pts (1st place) Last week
1. Laval (7-1) 296 (26) 1
2. Montreal (7-1) 267 (4) 2
3. Western (7-1) 235 3
4. Regina (6-2) 180 7
5. Laurier (7-1) 167 6
6. Calgary (6-2) 144 5
7. McMaster (7-2) 137 4
8. Carleton (7-2) 128 8
9. Saskatchewan (5-3) 60 10
10. StFX (7-1) 27 NR
Other teams receiving votes: UBC (7), Ottawa (2), Concordia (1).
WEEK 10 RESULTS (all times local)
October 28 (regular season)
Saskatchewan 48, Alberta 9 (at Saskatchewan)
October 29 (regular season)
Acadia 10, Saint Mary's 3 (at Saint Mary's)
StFX 65, Mount Allison 17 (at StFX)
Concordia 39, Bishop's 6 (at Bishop's)
Montreal 13, McGill 0 (at McGill)
Laval 14, Sherbrooke 1 (at Sherbrooke)
Calgary 41, UBC 35 OT (at UBC)
Regina 55, Manitoba 21 (at Manitoba)
October 29 (OUA quarter-finals)
Carleton 45, Ottawa 9 (at Carleton)
McMaster 17, Guelph 11 (at McMaster)
WEEK 11 SCHEDULE (all times local)
NOTE 1: Click HERE for the complete 2016 regular season schedule & results
NOTE 2: Click HERE for the complete 2016 playoff schedule & results
November 5 (conference semifinals)
12:00 No. 9 Saskatchewan (5-3) at No. 6 Calgary (6-2) (Shaw TV/Access & CanadaWest.TV)
13:00 No. 8 Carleton (7-2) at No. 3 Western (7-1) (Rogers Cable 13 & OUA.TV)
13:00 No. 7 McMaster (7-2) at No. 5 Laurier (7-1) (CHCH & OUA.TV)
14:00 Acadia (2-6) at Mount Allison (3-5) (Bell Aliant Fibe TV1 & AUStv.ca)
14:00 McGill (4-4) at No. 2 Montreal (7-1) (TVA Sports)
14:00 Concordia (4-4) at No. 1 Laval (7-1)
15:30 UBC (3-5) at No. 4 Regina (6-2) (Shaw TV/Access & CanadaWest.TV)