CIS Men's Hockey Top 10 (#12)
Saskatchewan returns to No. 1
OTTAWA (CIS) – For the second time this season, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies are the top-ranked team in CIS men's hockey.
The Huskies (19-3-0), who previously topped the Nov. 24 poll, move up one position this week after receiving 12 first-place votes and 155 points from the 16-member media panel.
The remaining first-place nods were split between the second-ranked UNB Varsity Reds (16-3-2 / 142 points), who earned a pair, as well as the No. 3 Acadia Axemen (16-4-2 / 122) and No. 4 UQTR Patriotes (19-3-1 / 112), who merited one apiece. UNB is up two spots in the new poll, UQTR is up one, while Acadia is down two after spending the last three ranking periods at No. 1.
Rounding out the new Top 10 are the No. 5 Alberta Golden Bears (15-5-2 / 89 / up one), No. 6 McGill Redmen (19-4-1 / 84 / down three), No. 7 St. Francis Xavier X-Men (15-3-3 / 73 / no change), No. 8 Carleton Ravens (17-5-0 / 44 / up one), No. 9 Western Mustangs (15-8-0 / 23 / up one) and No. 10 Mount Royal Cougars (13-6-3 / 21 / down two).
Top-ranked Saskatchewan extended its conference winning streak to seven games this past weekend – including a perfect six-for-six in 2016 – with a two-game sweep against UBC in Vancouver, 2-0 and 6-2. The Huskies, who lead the Canada West standings by six points with six contests remaining in the regular season, host Manitoba (10-10-2) on Friday and Saturday.
After dropping all the way down to seventh in the national rankings in December, UNB is back in a more familiar position following a pair of crucial road victories over Saint Mary's, 6-5, and Acadia, 4-0. The V-Reds, who are also riding a seven-game winning streak, are now tied with the Axemen atop the AUS standings, with one game in hand.
Acadia started the past week by defeating Dalhousie 5-2 last Wednesday but then suffered back-to-back losses on home ice over the weekend, dropping a 3-1 decision to UPEI before being blanked by UNB.
In the only other Top-10 confrontation of the past week, Saturday in Montreal, Western used three power-play goals to double McGill 4-2.
This week's schedule includes a pair of Top-10 battles, both on Wednesday at 7 p.m. local time. StFX visits Acadia in Wolfville, N.S., live on AUStv.ca, while McGill and UQTR square off in Trois-Rivières, Que., live on OUA.tv and patriotes.tv.
CIS MEN'S HOCKEY TOP 10 (#12)
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 ranking)
1. Saskatchewan (19-3-0) / 155 points (12) / (2)
2. UNB (16-3-2) / 142 (2) / (4)
3. Acadia (16-4-2) / 122 (1) / (1)
4. UQTR (19-3-1) / 112 (1) / (5)
5. Alberta (15-5-2) / 89 / (6)
6. McGill (19-4-1) / 84 / (3)
7. StFX (15-3-3) / 73 / (7)
8. Carleton (17-5-0) / 44 / (9)
9. Western (15-8-0) / 23 / (10)
10. Mount Royal (13-6-3) / 21 / (8)
Other teams receiving votes: York (12), Saint Mary's (3).
CIS TOP TEN TUESDAY (#18)
Five new teams reach No. 1
OTTAWA (CIS) – There is a lot of movement this week atop the CIS national rankings with five new teams meriting No. 1 status.
The new national leaders include the Ryerson Rams in men's basketball, Saskatchewan Huskies in men's hockey, Toronto Varsity Blues in both women's swimming and women's track and field, as well as the Trinity Western Spartans, who moved into a tie with the UBC Okanagan Heat in women's volleyball.
In other CIS sports, Saskatchewan (women's basketball), Guelph (women's hockey), Toronto (men's swimming), Windsor (men's track and field), McMaster (men's volleyball) and Brock (women's & men's wrestling) all hold on to their pole position.
The Ryerson men's basketball team made the biggest splash this past week, sweeping a two-game set on home court against powerhouses Ottawa (87-80) and Carleton (79-61), who were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country going into the weekend. The Rams became the first program since Windsor in November of 2012 – and only the second squad since February of 2002 – to sweep a doubleheader against the Gee-Gees and Ravens.
The Rams hoopsters are also the first team in school history to reach the top of the CIS rankings, in any sport.
In men's hockey, Saskatchewan, now sporting a sparkling 19-3 league record, replaces Acadia atop the rankings. The Huskies had spent one week at No. 1 in late November.
Toronto – in women's swimming and track and field – and Trinity Western - in women's volleyball - reach No. 1 for the first time this season.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. Saskatchewan (12-0) / 563 points (46) / (1)
2. McGill (7-1) / 515 (1) / (2)
3. Regina (11-1) / 471 / (3)
4. Saint Mary's (10-1) / 411 / (5)
5. Ryerson (7-3) / 357 / (4)
6. Alberta (12-1) / 349 / (7)
7. Laval (7-3) / 251 / (8)
8. McMaster (8-3) / 239 / (6)
9. Ottawa (9-1) / 192 / (10)
10. Queen's (9-1) / 176 / (9)
Other teams receiving votes: Acadia (58), Windsor (38).
MEN'S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. Ryerson (8-1) / 461 points (43) / (5)
2. Ottawa (9-1) / 427 (4) / (1)
3. Carleton (8-2) / 366 / (2)
4. McMaster (9-2) / 316 / (6)
5. Brock (8-2) / 262 / (3)
6. Calgary (12-3) / 240 / (7)
7. McGill (5-3) / 180 / (4)
8. Thompson Rivers (12-2) / 129 / (9)
9. UBC (10-4) / 105 / (8)
10. Dalhousie (9-4) / 74 / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: UPEI (15), Concordia (7).
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / (previous ranking)
1. Guelph (15-2-1) / (1)
2. Montreal (10-3-1) / (2)
3. McGill (9-4-1) / (3)
4. Saint Mary's (13-5-0) / (5)
5. Western (11-6-0) / (4)
6. Toronto (9-4-3) / (6)
7. St. Thomas (11-6-1) / (7)
8. Ottawa (9-4-1) / (9)
9. UBC (14-6-2) / (10)
10. Saskatchewan (11-8-3) / (8)
MEN'S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. Saskatchewan (19-3-0) / 155 points (12) / (2)
2. UNB (16-3-2) / 142 (2) / (4)
3. Acadia (16-4-2) / 122 (1) / (1)
4. UQTR (19-3-1) / 112 (1) / (5)
5. Alberta (15-5-2) / 89 / (6)
6. McGill (19-4-1) / 84 / (3)
7. StFX (15-3-3) / 73 / (7)
8. Carleton (17-5-0) / 44 / (9)
9. Western (15-8-0) / 23 / (10)
10. Mount Royal (13-6-3) / 21 / (8)
Other teams receiving votes: York (12), Saint Mary's (3).
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
(points) / (previous ranking)
1. Toronto 614 points / (2)
2. UBC 596 / (1)
3. Laval 267 / (3)
4. Calgary 227 / (4)
5. Dalhousie 212 / (6)
6. Montreal 186 / (5)
7. Western 153 / (7)
8. McGill 127 / (8)
9. Victoria 81 / (10)
10. UQAM 80 / (9)
MEN'S SWIMMING
(points) / (previous ranking)
1. Toronto 524 points / (1)
2. UBC 423 / (2)
3. Calgary 333 / (3)
4. Alberta 298 / (4)
5. Dalhousie 173 / (6)
6. Ottawa 160 / (5)
7. Guelph 121 / (8)
8. Laval 120 / (7)
9. Western 117 / (9)
10. Victoria 111 / (10)
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
(points) / (previous ranking)
1. Toronto 100 points / (5)
T2. Western 73 / (1)
T2. Alberta 73 / (6)
4. Guelph 58.5 / (4)
5. Windsor 58 / (2)
6. York 55.5 / (3)
7. Dalhousie 45 / (7)
8. Calgary 44.5 / (9)
9. Saskatchewan 36 / (NR)
10. Sherbrooke 21 / (8)
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
(points) / (previous ranking)
1. Windsor 79.58 points / (1)
2. Guelph 76.83 / (2)
3. Toronto 76.33 / (5)
T4. Saskatchewan 49 / (NR)
T4. Laval 49 / (6)
6. York 47 / (4)
7. Dalhousie 44 / (7)
8. Western 43.25 / (3)
9. Alberta 29.75 / (NR)
10. Lethbridge 26 / (NR)
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)
T1. UBC Okanagan (15-1) / 58 points / (1)
T1. Trinity Western (17-1) / 58 / (2)
3. Toronto (12-0) / 51.5 / (4)
4. Alberta (14-4) / 48.5 / (3)
5. Montreal (15-3) / 44 / (5)
6. McMaster (11-1) / 35.5 / (6)
7. UBC (12-4) / 34 / (9)
8. Dalhousie (9-2) / 32.5 / (7)
9. Sherbrooke (12-5) / 32 / (8)
10. McGill (12-5) / 25 / (10)
Next highest votes: Ryerson (20), Brandon (16), Western (10), Memorial (7), Thompson Rivers (6).
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. McMaster (14-0) / 234 points (17) / (1)
2. Alberta (18-0) / 223 (7) / (2)
3. Calgary (15-3) / 178 / (4)
4. Manitoba (13-3) / 170 / (3)
5. Winnipeg (11-5) / 128 / (6)
T6. UBC (10-6) / 116 / (5)
T6. Laval (12-1) / 116 / (7)
8. Queen's (10-3) / 83 / (8)
9. Trinity Western (9-9) / 36 / (NR)
10. Saskatchewan (9-9) / 27 / (9)
WOMEN'S WRESTLING
(previous ranking)
1. Brock (1)
2. Saskatchewan (2)
3. Regina (3)
4. Calgary (5)
5. Guelph (7)
6. Alberta (4)
7. Winnipeg (6)
8. Concordia (8)
9. Western (9)
10. Lakehead (10)
MEN'S WRESTLING
(previous ranking)
1. Brock (1)
2. McMaster (3)
3. Alberta (2)
4. Calgary (5)
5. Saskatchewan (6)
6. Winnipeg (4)
7. Guelph (7)
8. Regina (8)
9. Concordia (9)
10. Western (10)