StFX hockey and cross country teams remain nationally ranked

October 30, 2012

CIS TOP TEN TUESDAY (#9)
Carleton, Windsor open at No. 1 in basketball

OTTAWA (CIS) – The reigning national champion Carleton University Ravens and University of Windsor Lancers top the first CIS men’s and women’s basketball rankings of the 2012-13 season, respectively.

The first CIS swimming rankings were also announced on Tuesday with Montreal (women) and Toronto (men) taking the early lead.

In other CIS sports, only men’s hockey has a new national leader this week as the Saskatchewan Huskies replace UNB at No. 1. In other disciplines, Ottawa (women’s soccer), York (men’s soccer), Calgary (women’s hockey), Trinity Western (women’s volleyball), Alberta (men’s volleyball) and Guelph (women’s & men’s cross country) all hold on to the pole position.

In men’s basketball, Carleton opens at No. 1 for the seventh straight campaign and for the 10th time in the last 11 years. The Ravens claimed their record-tying eighth W.P. McGee Trophy (all in the last 10 years) last march in Halifax thanks to an 86-67 gold-medal win over Alberta. They will have a chance to become the most decorated team in CIS men’s basketball history in front of their home fans this winter when they host the Final 8 in the nation’s capital (March 8-10).

The top-ranked Ravens, who received 43 of 44 first-place votes in the initial coaches’ poll, are off to a great start once again this fall with eight victories in nine pre-season contests, including a 2-1 record versus NCAA opponents and a 6-0 mark against CIS rivals. The defending champs travel south this week for two more exhibition games against U.S. schools, Villanova (Thursday) and La Salle (Friday), before opening the regular season at Windsor and Western on Nov. 9-10.

Rounding out the first Top 10 of the season are the No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds, who earned the remaining first-place nod, as well as No. 3 Acadia, No. 4 Fraser Valley, No. 5 Saskatchewan, No. 6 Lakehead, No. 7 McGill, No. 8 Cape Breton, No. 9 Windsor and No. 10 Alberta.

In women’s hoops, Windsor opens at No. 1 for the second time in three years, seven months after claiming a second straight Bronze Baby Trophy thanks to a 69-53 defeat of UBC in the national final.

Like the Carleton men, the Lancers have been impressive in pre-season action with six victories in seven contests, all against CIS opponents. After winning their first five games this fall, the reigning champs split a two-game set against the Regina Cougars in Saskatchewan’s capital last weekend, taking the opener 69-57 and dropping a 74-63 decision in the rematch. Windsor hits the road to face Oakland University of the NCAA on Saturday in its final exhibition test before opening conference play at home against Carleton and Ottawa on Nov. 9-10.

The Lancers received 41 first-place votes in the first coaches’ poll of the campaign, with the other two nods going to the second-ranked Cougars, who will host this year’s CIS championship from March 15 to 17.

Rounding out the Top 10 are No. 3 Fraser Valley, No. 4 Carleton, No. 5 Saint Mary’s, No. 6 Saskatchewan, No. 7 Victoria, No. 8 Acadia, No. 9 Wilfrid Laurier and No. 10 UBC.

League play kicks off later this week in CIS men’s and women’s basketball with 32 games in Canada West and four matches in the AUS. Conference action gets under way a week later in the RSEQ and OUA.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous rankings)

1. Windsor (0-0) / 514 points (41) / (-)
2. Regina (0-0) / 446 (2) / (-)
3. Fraser Valley (0-0) / 429 / (-)
4. Carleton (0-0) / 393 / (-)
5. Saint Mary’s (0-0) / 300 / (-)
6. Saskatchewan (0-0) / 230 / (-)
7. Victoria (0-0) / 195 / (-)
8. Acadia (0-0) / 191 / (-)
9. Wilfrid Laurier (0-0) / 188 / (-)
10. UBC (0-0) / 79 / (-)

Also receiving votes: Ottawa (78), Alberta (74), Calgary (63), Laval (48).

MEN’S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous rankings)

1. Carleton (0-0) / 526 points (43) / (-)
2. UBC (0-0) / 457 (1) / (-)
3. Acadia (0-0) / 338 / (-)
4. Fraser Valley (0-0) / 320 / (-)
5. Saskatchewan (0-0) / 314 / (-)
6. Lakehead (0-0) / 313 / (-)
7. McGill (0-0) / 309 / (-)
8. Cape Breton (0-0) / 150 / (-)
9. Windsor (0-0) / 131 / (-)
10. Alberta (0-0) / 87 / (-)

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
(points) / (previous rankings)

1. Guelph 100.0 points / (1)
2. McMaster 85 / (2)
3. Victoria 78.9 / (3)
4. Western 62.2 / (5)
5. McGill 61.1 / (4)
6. Calgary 38.9 / (7)
7. Toronto 33.9 / (6)
8. Windsor 29.4 / (NR)
9. StFX 25.0 / (9)
10. Queen’s 11.7 / (8)

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
(points) / (previous rankings)

1. Guelph 99.4 points / (1)
2. Victoria 83.5 / (2)
3. Windsor 77.6 / (3)
4. Queen’s 57.6 / (5)
5. Regina 54.7 / (7)
6. Laval 51.8 / (4)
7. McMaster 45.3 / (6)
8. StFX 24.1 / (8)
9. Calgary 22.4 / (9)
10. Lakehead 11.2 / (NR)

WOMEN’S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / (previous rankings)

1. Calgary (7-0-1) / (1)
2. McGill (4-0-0) / (2)
3. Montreal (4-0-0) / (3)
4. Alberta (7-1-0) / (4)
5. StFX (5-0-0) / (5)
6. Queen’s (7-0-1) / (6)
7. Wilfrid Laurier (6-1-1) / (7)
8. Guelph (5-2-1) / (8)
9. Toronto (6-1-1) / (NR)
10. Western (5-1-1) / (10)

Also receiving votes: Regina, Lethbridge, St. Thomas.

MEN’S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous rankings)

1. Saskatchewan (7-1-0) / 159 points (15) / (2)
2. Alberta (5-3-0) / 129 / (4)
3. Moncton (4-1-1) / 124 / (6)
4. UNB (4-2-0) / 121 / (1)
5. UQTR (5-2-0) / 102 / (3)
6. Acadia (4-2-0) / 90 / (7)
7. StFX (4-2-0) / 64 / (5)
8. Lakehead (5-2-1) / 50 / (8)
9. Toronto (5-0-1) / 48 (2) / (NR)
10. Calgary (5-3-0) / 30 / (9)

Also receiving votes: Ottawa (7), Manitoba (4), Windsor (4), Waterloo (2), Western (1).

WOMEN’S SOCCER (final rankings of 2012)
(regular season / playoff record) / votes / (previous rankings)

1. Ottawa (14-0-2 / 1-0) / 50 points / (1)
2. Trinity Western (11-1-0 / 1-0) / 43 / (3)
3. Montreal (11-2-1) / 37 / (2)
4. Victoria (9-2-1 / 1-0) / 34 / (5)
5. Cape Breton (10-0-3) / 33 / (4)
6. Wilfrid Laurier (11-2-3 / 1-0) / 28 / (6)
7. Queen’s (11-2-3 / 1-0) / 17 / (7)
8. UBC (8-2-2 / 1-0) / 16 / (8)
9. Sherbrooke (10-3-1) / 10 / (9)
10. McGill (9-3-2) / 3 / (NR)

Other teams receiving votes: Dalhousie (2), McMaster (1), Regina (1).

MEN’S SOCCER (final rankings of 2012)
(regular season / playoff record) / votes / (previous rankings)

1. York (14-0-2 / 1-0) / 40 points / (1)
2. UBC (11-0-3) / 36 / (2)
3. McMaster (12-1-3 / 1-0) / 32 / (4)
4. Alberta (9-2-4) / 27 / (5)
5. Queen’s (11-1-2 / 1-0) / 23 / (6)
6. Trinity Western (9-1-4) / 17 / (7)
7. Saint Mary’s (8-2-3) / 15 / (3)
8. Montreal (10-2-0) / 13 / (9)
9. Laval (7-1-4) / 7 / (8)
T10. Carleton (10-2-2 / 1-0) / 5 / (10)
T10. UNB (9-3-1) / 5 / (NR)

WOMEN’S SWIMMING
(points) / (previous rankings)

1. Montreal 507 points / (-)
2. McGill 354 / (-)
3. Calgary 344 / (-)
4. Toronto 343 / (-)
5. McMaster 156 / (-)
6. UQTR 145 / (-)
7. Guelph 136 / (-)
8. Laval 135 / (-)
9. Alberta 132 / (-)
10. Ottawa 123 / (-)

MEN’S SWIMMING
(points) / (previous rankings)

1. Toronto 585 points / (-)
2. Calgary 470 / (-)
3. Laval 453 / (-)
4. Montreal 290 / (-)
5. McGill 247 / (-)
6. Regina 182 / (-)
7. Ottawa 169 / (-)
8. Alberta 150 / (-)
9. McMaster 137 / (-)
10. Dalhousie 78 / (-)

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / votes / (previous rankings)

1. Trinity Western (1-1) / 58.5 points / (1)
2. UBC (1-1) / 57.5 / (2)
3. Alberta (2-0) / 52 / (3)
4. Laval (4-0) / 46 / (4)
5. Manitoba (1-0) / 45 / (5)
6. Ottawa (4-0) / 41 / (6)
7. Montreal (3-1) / 33 / (NR)
8. Dalhousie (2-2) / 32 / (7)
9. York (4-0) / 24 / (NR)
10. Calgary (1-1) / 22 / (10)

Next highest: Sherbrooke (16.5), Toronto (16), UBCO (11), Brandon (11), Winnipeg (5).

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous rankings)

1. Alberta (2-0) / 269 points (26) / (1)
2. Trinity Western (1-1) / 227 (2) / (2)
3. McMaster (3-0) / 201 / (3)
4. Manitoba (1-0) / 194 / (5)
5. Laval (3-0) / 189 / (4)
6. Brandon (2-0) / 137 / (6)
7. UBC (1-1) / 113 / (9)
8. Saskatchewan (0-2) / 74 / (7)
9. Calgary (1-1) / 39 / (8)
10. Thompson Rivers (2-0) / 35 / (NR)

CIS Men’s Hockey Top 10 (#4)
Saskatchewan moves up to No. 1

OTTAWA (CIS) – The game of musical chairs continues this week in CIS men’s hockey. For the fourth time in as many national polls released this season, a new team sits in the driver’s seat.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies (7-1-0) are the new team to beat according to the 17-member media panel. The Huskies, who occupied the second spot a week ago, received 15 first-place votes and 159 points in the new poll to merit No. 1 status for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign, when they topped 10 consecutive rankings from early November to late January.

The UNB Varsity Reds, Alberta Golden Bears, and UNB again had previously been ranked No. 1 this fall.

The remaining first-place nods this week went to the surprising Toronto Varsity Blues (5-0-1), who make their first Top 10 appearance since 2003-04, in ninth place. The Blues were also ranked ninth on March 16, 2004.

Rounding out the new Top 10 are the No. 2 Alberta Golden Bears (5-3-0), up two positions; No. 3 Moncton Aigles Bleus (4-1-1), up three; No. 4 UNB Varsity Reds (4-2-0), down three; No. 5 UQTR Patriotes (5-2-0), down a pair; No. 6 Acadia Axemen (4-2-0), up one; No. 7 StFX X-Men (4-2-0), down two; No. 8 Lakehead Thunderwolves (5-2-1), the only team to stay put this week; and No. 10 Calgary Dinos (5-3-0), down one.

Saskatchewan, Alberta and Moncton all went 2-for-2 in the last seven days.

The Huskies travelled to Vancouver and swept a two-game set against UBC, 5-4 and 5-1. The Bears were also on the road this past weekend and dominated Lethbridge 7-1 and 10-3. The Aigles Bleus beat Saint Mary’s 7-2 and StFX 4-2 on home ice.

Meanwhile, UNB suffered its second loss of the young season on Friday night, dropping a 4-2 decision at Acadia. The V-Reds rebounded the next night with a 4-2 win at Dalhousie.

Top-10 battles to keep an eye on this weekend include No. 7 StFX at No. 4 UNB on Friday, and No. 3 Moncton at No. 6 Acadia on Saturday.

Top-ranked Saskatchewan enjoys a break in its Canada West schedule this week.

CIS MEN’S HOCKEY TOP 10 (#4)

Voting is based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, with a 1st place vote worth 10 points. The CIS Men’s Ice Hockey Top Ten Committee is made up of media members from across Canada.

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous rankings)

Also receiving votes: Ottawa (7), Manitoba (4), Windsor (4), Waterloo (2), Western (1).

FRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#10)
McMaster tops final rankings of 2012

OTTAWA (CIS) – The McMaster Marauders top the final Football Reporters of Canada - CIS national rankings of the 2012 campaign. The reigning Vanier Cup champions were ranked No. 1 in each of the 10 weekly polls this fall.

For the fourth time this season, the Marauders received all 30 first-place votes and 300 points from the FRC panel. McMaster (8-0) was the only team in the country to keep an unblemished record in conference play.

The only change in the last media poll of the year sees the Sherbrooke Vert & Or (6-3) return to the Top 10 after a four-week absence, in tenth position. The Manitoba Bisons drop out of the rankings for the first time since Week 1.

All other ranked teams stay put, including the No. 2 Laval Rouge et Or (8-1), No. 3 Calgary Dinos (7-1), No. 4 Montreal Carabins (8-1), No. 5 Guelph Gryphons (7-1), No. 6 Queen’s Gaels (6-2 / 1-0 playoffs), No. 7 Regina Rams (6-2), No. 8 Western Mustangs (5-3 / 1-0) and No. 9 Acadia Axemen (7-1).

The playoffs got under way in Ontario this past weekend with a pair of OUA quarter-finals. Queen’s blanked Laurier 34-0 and Western outscored Windsor 56-35, while McMaster and Guelph enjoyed byes in the opening round.

In the other conferences, results of regular season finales involving Top-10 squads were Laval 32, Concordia 19; Calgary 78, Manitoba 54; Montreal 37, Bishop’s 7; Regina 19, Alberta 0; Acadia 45, Mount Allison 24; Sherbrooke 30, McGill 17.

Like McMaster, Laval (RSEQ), Calgary (Canada West) and Acadia (AUS) finished first in their respective league.

Seven conference semifinals are on the schedule this week.

The action kicks off Friday night in Canada West with Saskatchewan (5-3) visiting Regina (7 p.m. CT, Shaw TV / CanadaWest.tv web). The provincial rivals met only once this season, on Sept. 21 in Saskatoon, with the Rams prevailing 35-26. Saskatchewan hopes to advance to the Canada West final for the first time since 2009, while Regina has played in the Hardy Cup game since 2007.

In the second Canada West semi, Manitoba (4-4) visits Calgary on Saturday (5 p.m. MT, Shaw TV / CanadaWest.tv web). The Dinos won both head-to-head duels in conference play, 33-12 on Sept. 15 in Winnipeg, and then the wild 78-54 affair at home last Saturday in a game that didn’t have much significance for either team. Calgary is looking to capture a record-setting fifth straight Canada West banner, while Manitoba is making its first playoff appearance since its Vanier Cup triumph in 2007.

The first OUA second-round matchup sees Queen’s travel to Guelph to battle the Gryphons (Saturday 1 p.m., theScore TV & web). In the only face-to-face meeting this fall, on Oct. 13, the Gryphons overcame a 28-3 deficit to prevail 33-28 on home turf. Queen’s last played in the Yates Cup in 2009, when the Gaels went on to claim the third Vanier Cup title in school history, while Guelph hopes to advance to the OUA final for the first time since 2007 – and then win a first conference banner since 1996.

In the second OUA semifinal, Western travels to Hamilton and hopes to prevent undefeated McMaster from tying Laval’s all-time CIS record of 19 consecutive overall wins (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., theScore TV & web). The Mustangs gave the Marauders their closest game of the season on Sept. 29 in London when they scored nine points in the final minute of regulation to make it a 33-27 final. McMaster is looking to become the first team since the 2008 Mustangs to successfully defend the Yates Cup on Nov. 10, while Western wants to avenge a 41-19 loss to the Marauders in last year’s conference final.

In Quebec, Saturday’s RSEQ semis will see Laval host McGill (2-7) in Quebec City (1 p.m., Radio-Canada web) and Montreal host Sherbrooke (1 p.m., Radio-Canada TV & web).

Laval went 2-0 against McGill in league play, including a 33-15 season-opening win at home on Sept. 2 and a crushing 69-0 road victory in the rematch on Sept. 21. Should the Rouge et Or extend their CIS-record streak with a 56th consecutive overall win on home turf on Saturday, they will have a chance to claim a 10th straight conference title on Nov. 10, another national mark.

Montreal also kept a 2-0 record against its semifinal opponent in the regular season, including a 38-14 schedule-opening win at Sherbrooke on Sept. 1st and a 15-6 home victory on Sept. 22. The Carabins made it to the RSEQ final a year ago, losing 30-7 to Laval, while the Vert & Or reached the Dunsmore Cup championship match for the first time in program history in 2010, dropping a 22-17 decision against the Rouge et Or.

In the AUS conference, Mount Allison (3-5) travels to Halifax to face Saint Mary’s (3-5) on Saturday (1 p.m. AT, Eastlink TV & web / AUStv.ca web). Acadia will host the winners in the Loney Bowl final on Nov. 10.

The Huskies and Mounties split their regular season series with Saint Mary’s dominating 43-7 at home on Oct. 5 and Mount Allison rebounding a week later (Oct. 13) with a 25-12 home victory. Saint Mary’s has played in the last six AUS finals, winning four of them but losing 39-20 to Acadia a year ago, while Mount Allison is looking to advance to the title match for the first time since 1998.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#10)

                                                Pts (1st place) Last week

1. McMaster (8-0)        300 (30)           1
2. Laval (8-1)               266                  2
3. Calgary (7-1)           229                  3
4. Montreal (8-1)         219                  4
5. Guelph (7-1)                        167                  5
6. Queen’s (6-2 / 1-0) 146                  6
7. Regina (6-2)                         138                  7
8. Western (5-3 / 1-0) 88                    8
9. Acadia (7-1)                        48                    9
10. Sherbrooke (6-3)   33                    NR

Other teams receiving votes: Saskatchewan (9), Manitoba (7).

No. 1 McMaster (8-0): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: Bye in first round of OUA playoffs... This week: Host No. 8 Western (5-3 / 1-0) in OUA semifinal Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET...

No. 2 Laval (8-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 32-19 win at Concordia (1-8)... This week: Host McGill (2-7) in RSEQ semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...

No. 3 Calgary (7-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 78-54 home win over then-No. 10 Manitoba (4-4)... This week: Host Manitoba (4-4) in Canada West semifinal Saturday at 5 p.m. MT...

No. 4 Montreal (8-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 37-7 win at Bishop’s (2-7)... This week: Host No. 10 Sherbrooke (6-3) in RSEQ semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...

No. 5 Guelph (7-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: Bye in first round of OUA playoffs... This week: Host No. 6 Queen’s (6-2 / 1-0) in OUA semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...

No. 6 Queen’s (6-2 / 1-0): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 34-0 home win over Laurier (3-5 / 0-1) in OUA quarter-final... This week: Visit No. 5 Guelph (7-1) in OUA semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...

No. 7 Regina (6-2): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 19-0 home win over Alberta (0-8)... This week: Host Saskatchewan (5-3) in Canada West semifinal Friday at 7 p.m. CT...

No. 8 Western (5-3 / 1-0): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 56-35 home win over Windsor (3-5 / 0-1) in OUA quarter-final... This week: Visit No. 1 McMaster (8-0) in OUA semifinal Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET...

No. 9 Acadia (7-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 45-24 win at Mount Allison (3-5)... This week: Bye in first round of AUS playoffs... Next game: Will host Mount Allison (3-5) or Saint Mary’s (3-5) in AUS final (Loney Bowl) on Nov. 10...

No. 10 Sherbrooke (6-3): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week... Last week: 30-17 home win over McGill (2-7)... This week: Visit No. 4 Montreal (8-1) in RSEQ semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...

WEEK 10 SCHEDULE: CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS (all times local)

November 2
19:00 CW: Saskatchewan (5-3) at No. 7 Regina (6-2), Shaw (TV) & CanadaWest.tv (web)

November 3
13:00   AUS: Mount Allison (3-5) at Saint Mary’s (3-5), Eastlink (TV & web) & AUStv.ca (web)
13:00   RSEQ: McGill (2-7) at No. 2 Laval (8-1), Radio-Canada (web)
13:00   RSEQ: No. 10 Sherbrooke (6-3) at No. 4 Montreal (8-1), Radio-Canada (TV & web)
13:00   OUA: No. 6 Queen’s (6-2 / 1-0) at No. 5 Guelph (7-1), theScore (TV & web)
16:30   OUA: No. 8 Western (5-3 / 1-0) at No. 1 McMaster (8-0), theScore (TV & web)
17:00   CW: Manitoba (4-4) at No. 3 Calgary (7-1), Shaw (TV) & CanadaWest.tv (web)

SCHEDULE WEEKS 11-13 (all times local)

November 10
13:00   AUS final (Loney Bowl): TBD at Acadia, Eastlink (TV & web) & AUStv.ca (web)
13:00   OUA final (Yates Cup): theScore (TV & web)
13:00   CW final (Hardy Cup): TSN (TV)
13:15   RSEQ final (Dunsmore Cup): Radio-Canada (TV & web)

November 17
13:00 Uteck Bowl: AUS at RSEQ, TSN & RDS
16:00 Mitchell Bowl: CW at OUA, TSN & RDS

November 23
19:30 48th Vanier Cup: Rogers Centre, Toronto, TSN & RDS