Alumni Stories
Are you a former varsity athlete? Please submit your story for our book project!
The nest will be rocking, while Volleyballers make X the spot for an early climb up the standings
The Sea~Hawks women's volleyball team continues its whirlwind fall in Antigonish, NS as the young team looks to pull themselves up to and ahead of the X-women. Meanwhile, at home in the Hawks Nest, the Field House should be a rolling, thundering Sea of Red as the Sea~Hawks basketball teams look to blow the doors off their home court in two exciting home openers against the Saint Mary's Huskies this Saturday and Sunday.
Women's Volleyball
The road warrior women's volleyball team continues its early season trek through eastern Canada as Coach Thistle and the Sea~Hawks (1-2) hit the road to Antigonish for a quick yet very important two game set versus the St. Francis Xavier X-Women (2-1).
This quick road trip is fairly important to the team's quest for the AUS playoffs. The X-women are coming off a successful 2-1 start at the SMU side of the AUS season opening tournament, while the Sea~Hawks finished the Dalhousie portion of the tournament 1-2 as they played without injured captain Erin Bursey. The games were close and not all the news was bad as 4th year Psychology major Chantel Jones is leading the conference in hitting percentage with 48.3 % average on her kills. In fact the technically sound Sea~Hawks can be found at the top of most statistical categories early this year. The challenge so far this season has been finding the winning formula as the rotation includes mostly first and second year players, all of whom are rounding into form quite nicely. However, the early season is typically a chance for most players to watch and learn, instead they are gaining valuable game experience and providing Coach Thistle the opportunity to exhibit his ability to draw the best out of his team.
The Sea~Hawks can bring themselves to the 500 mark for the first time since the opening weekend last season and the return to regular league play should help matters. Memorial has had to rely on an inexperienced rotation while attacking things have been fine but the overall lack of experience right now mean the defence is not digging in and getting the results it is used too. The two game set should allow Thistle to attack and defend the way he deems necessary. Fans should be excited for what the weekend may bring and they can follow along at home on webcast on both days.
Women's Volleyball @ St. Francis Xavier X-Women
Saturday November 5, 8:30pm (NL Time)
Sunday November 6, 1:30pm (NL time)
Webcast on www.ssncanada.ca
The Sea~Hawks will play their lone home games this fall hosting CBU next weekend, November 12th and 13th at the Nest in the Field house.
Women's Basketball
Five new faces will be wearing the red and white of the Sea~Hawks as they tip off against Saint Mary's Huskies and 1s team all-star Justine Colley at the Field house this Saturday and Sunday. The team is faster, they are defensive minded and they can run. Familiar faces and second team all-stars Grace Fishbein and Ally Forsey will lead the way. Joining Forsey in the paint is Maryland native Tiffany McMillion who provide the Sea~Hawks with a frightening twosome in the low block. At the point this year will be a dynamic rookie duo of Rebecca Amos-Mensah of Toronto and Megan Robinson of Waterloo as both players have a game speed that should keep fans on their feet all season long. Included in the batch of new faces is forward Marika Vanden Elzen and St. John's own Kelli Linehan fill out this roster of talented, hard working young women. Leading this new group of players is a hardworking core of Sea~Hawk veterans, Emily Jameson, the aforementioned Fishbein and Forsey and sharpshooting Pharmacy Student Robyn O'Rielly. Samantha Kavanagh recently gave the coaching staff a boost has she has begun to workout with the team and will give Doug Partridge a Point Guard who is familiar with the physical play associated with an AUS playoff run.
Fans can expect a very fast paced and aggressive approach from the Sea~Hawks women in 2011-2012. A very aggressive training regiment this off-season by all players including second years Cassidy Brothers and Amanda Martret should bode well for the women as they look to get back to the top of the very physical women's division. For the first time in over a decade the women's team will not have a member of the athletically gifted and basketball savvy Dalton clan as Brittany Dalton decided to forgo her fifth year of eligibility as she has begun her career following her studies in Business Administration. Brittany was the 2010-2011Tracey Macleod Award Nominee for the AUS. The award which honours heart talent and unwavering spirit was appropriate as the only thing perhaps bigger than any of the Dalton's talent was their heart. Brittany left a great example for her teammates who collectively look to fill her shoes as they move towards their team goals in 2011-12.
Women's Basketball vs. Saint Mary's Huskies
Saturday November 5, 6:00pm
Sunday November 6, 11:00am
Tipoff is at 6pm in the Field House be sure to wear your red and get out to the Home nest at the Field House in 2011-2012.
Men's Basketball
The Sea~Hawks will look to make a statement on Saturday night as they open the season versus the Saint Mary's Huskies. Peter Benoite will be back for his fourth season at the helm, and despite no true big man he strongly feels the team has improved. The Improvements will be attributed to a core of strong veterans focussed on putting the team first. The men will be led by fifth years Jason Shepherd and Mark Woodland. Following up on a 2010-11 breakout season Robbie Habib has hopes of improving upon his team leading 18.2 points per game. Mississauga native Justin Alliman had a solid first year with Memorial where he led the team in rebounds per game and will be relied on to continue to take care of the ball and generate turnovers for a Sea~Hawks defence that has struggled at times.
After battling with injuries throughout last season, 2009 AUS All-Rookie team member, Mike Helsby will be back in the lineup. Second year players Theo Stanoev, Marcus Dolliver and Tyree Haley will also be suiting up for the red and white again this season and should be ready to make significant contributions when called upon.
Joining the team this season are six-foot-five Caleb Gould from Aurora, Ontario, and D'Avontai Moore, a long 17 year old athletic forward out of Toronto. Other fresh faces include former Gonzaga high school standout Ryan Wood, and forward Noel Moffatt; both St. John's natives. Also new to the team this year is Timo Sargent, a guard from Kamloops, British Columbia.
After earning a split at home against the Huskies last season, the Sea~Hawks will be looking to feed off the energy from the home crowd Saturday night as they tip off the season. The series should be an interesting one, as Saint Mary's will be without their top player from last season, 2011 CIS scoring champion Joey Haywood. Haywood opted out of his final year of eligibility with the Huskies, and made the rare jump from the CIS to the NBA D-League.
Men's Basketball vs. Saint Mary's Huskies
Saturday November 5, 8:00pm
Sunday November 6, 1:00pm
Tip off gets underway at 8pm on Saturday night at the Field House.