Swim Team Strokes To the top at Conference Championships

The Canada West swimming championships came and went this weekend, with the Thunderbirds finishing first in women’s swimming and second in the men’s division.

Last year saw the Canada West record book be rewritten in Victoria, but as of Saturday, only one record had fallen through two days this year, with T-Bird Martha McCabe coming from behind to clip teammate and previous record holder Hanna Pierse in the 400 individual medley. McCabe had a time of 4:42.97, which bettered Pierse’s 2009 winning time by nearly two seconds. McCabe went on to also win the 100m breast stroke.

Strong weekend for ‘Birds Basketball

The Thunderbirds crossed over the prairies, and while it didn’t affect the men’s perfect play this year, the women’s six-game winning streak snapped in Calgary.

The women (10–4) lost to the Dinos (7–8) 66–71 Saturday night, getting only 5 of 31 shots in the second half. Alex Vieweg had a T-Bird best 21 points, on 8-of-12 shooting, but she was the only T-Bird to have any success on the road Saturday, as the rest of the team went 12 for 50.

The men, on the other hand, kept on winning, defeating Lethbridge 88–78 and Calgary 79–71 to keep their perfect record intact at 13–0. Calgary was ranked fifth in the country—the highest-rate team that UBC has faced all year.

Players give thumbs up to Olson

Despite what one player described as “shock” after Shawn Olson was hired as head coach of the football program, Thunderbird players are reacting positively to the news.

Kevin Kraft, a third-year fullback with the team, said, “I’m excited for the coaching change. I’ve heard they are bringing in a lot of alums from the ‘97 Vanier team to help out with assisting duties,” referring to the national championship 1997 team when Olson was quarterback. “I’m hoping that we can have a new pride instilled in our program. All of us in the locker room want to win.”

Fourth-year linebacker Nathan Kanya echoed Kraft’s sentiments. “Hopefully change can translate into wins.”

Convicted criminal and former NHL forward to play in CIS

Former NHL player Mike Danton, who plead guilty in 2004 to attempting to hire a hitman to kill his agent, is close to lacing up in the CIS. Danton, who was released on parole in September 2009 after 63 months in jail, has started attending classes at St. Mary’s University, and has begun practicing with the school’s hockey team.

Danton last played hockey in 2004 for the St Louis Blues, before he was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

As Danton has begun practicing with the team, a media storm has surrounded the university, questioning whether Danton, who is now 29, should be on the team. “I’ve learned to expect the worst and hope for the best,” he told The Globe and Mail.

“We’ve all made mistakes,” he added. “The severity of those mistakes is what differs. But when it comes down to it, I think that everybody deserves a second chance.”