WolfPack Athletes Help Usher Olympic Flame To Kamloops January 27, 2010
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Greg Stewart of Men's Basketball along with Michelle Dimond, Kayla Forsyth and Diane Schuetze of Women's Basketball
Athletes from the WolfPack Badminton, Basketball, Hockey and Soccer teams were at Hillside Stadium to help usher in the arrival of the Olympic Flame to Kamloops on Wednesday (Jan 27). The torch was brought into the stadium by NHL player and Kamloops native Mark Recchi. Here are some more photos.
Kyle Bowman and Kyle Halverson of Men's Soccer
Men's Hockey
Sean Garvey, Jeff Friesen of Men's Basketball, Alex Allen and Kaityn Widsten of Women's Basketball
Emi Ohama, Beth McNeill, Lindsey Dekoff, Karalyn Forsyth, Jen Ju and Tracy Kocs of Women's Basketball
PERRIN AND FRAYNE FULFILL DREAM BY RUNNING WITH OLYMPIC TORCH January 27, 2010
Posted by lread in Men's Volleyball, Uncategorized, WolfPack, Women's Volleyball.add a comment
Amanda Frayne, Gord Perrin and Kaitlyn Baskerville pose with torch before run
Gord Perrin and Amanda Frayne have enjoyed a fair bit of success in their young volleyball careers. Perrin (3rd year, outside hitter, Creston, BC) has been a two time member of Canada’s Junior National Team, a team captain with that club and the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack and a CIS Rookie All-star. Frayne (3rd year, outside hitter, Kamloops, BC) is not only a Canada West Academic All Canadian, but she has also been one of the leaders of her WolfPack team since she joined the program.
But today (Jan 27), both fulfilled a dream. They were able to run with the 2010 Olympic Torch. The two were chosen by Coca-Cola to represent not only their school, but Coke in the Torch Run.
“It’s an amazing experience to carry the torch,” said Perrin afterwards. “ Because of what the torch represents: the Olympics. If I ever make it there, I know I can say I carried the torch.”
“It was very exciting,” said Frayne. “ I was very, very nervous. Once we got going, it was great.”
Perrin was taken aback by the response he got from the people of Salmon Arm, an area where he and Frayne had to participate because by the time the torch got to Kamloops, the two would be on a plane bound for Saskatoon and Canada West matches with the Saskatchewan. “It was really fun, “ he said. “It felt like being a celebrity, with everyone running up to you.”
Frayne had her own special cheering section when it was time for her to run with the torch. Her parents , uncle, aunt and boyfriend Matt Loader, who plays for the WolfPack men’s soccer team and his mother were there to cheer her on. “ It was so nice to have their support,” she stated. “ Seeing how proud and happy they were of me, it was really great.”
The Fraynes, including Amanda were interviewed on CBC Radio about the torch experience.
Perrin admitted that he wasn’t nervous about running his 300 meters with the torch until just before he got off the shuttle bus taking him to his designated route. “ It was pretty heavy,” he laughed “carrying it with my one hand.’
Frayne says her lasting impression of running with the torch will be easy. “Before the run, we met with the other runners. They were telling us about their inspirational stories and we heard from officials about past torch bearers. It’s something that will stick with me forever.”
Not only will they have the track suit and the memories, but Coca Cola was generous enough to purchase the torches the WolfPack athletes carried as a momento.
One other member of the WolfPack athletic program ran with the torch near Salmon Arm. Kaitlyn Baskerville, who was chosen through RBC ran with the torch when it arrived at Canoe, BC. Baskerville actually received the flame off the back end of a train.
The Torch made it’s way to Kamloops Wednesday night (Jan 27), where WolfPack hockey, soccer, badminton and basketball athletes were a part of a human chain which greeted former Olympic Gold Medal Skiier Nancy Green Raine at Hillside Stadium. She then passed it off to the final torch bearer, NHL player Mark Recchi who lit the cauldron .
Amanda Steps Off Shuttle Ready To Run.
Gord Perrin and Amanda Frayne exchange flame
Gord Perrin poses with excited Salmon Arm residents
Amanda Interviewed by CBC Radio after her run
Amanda poses with TRU Athletic Director Ken Olynyk
WolfPack Athletes Involved in 2010 Wendy’s Dreamlift January 27, 2010
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Kelsey Callander and Jen Knopp of Women's soccer have lunch with Michelle Dimond and Kayla Forsyth of Womens Basketball after working at Dreamlift 2010
Athletes from Men’s Golf, Men’s Basketball, Men’s Soccer, Men’s Hockey, Women’s Soccer and Women’s Basketball and Sports Information Officer Larry Read participated in the 2010 Wendy’s Dreamlift. The proceeds of which went to the Sunshine Foundation to help Interior children who have a severe disability or life threatening illness go to Disneyland.
A total of $ 99,742.58 was raised throughout the Interior. That was 11 per cent higher than in 2009.
Here are some more photos:
Alex Marr of Hockey cleans tables.
Brennan Arduini, Adam Gruber and Brett Gruber of Men's Golf
David Gore and Andrew Fisher of Men's Hockey
A volunteer with Chianne Smith of Women's Soccer
Casey Cullen and Tim Unaegbu of Men's Soccer
Men's Soccer Coach Sean Wallace mans the fries
Kaitlyn Widsten and Beth McNeill of Women's Basketball do dishes
Greg Stewart and Sean Garvey of Men's Basketball
WOLFPACK LOOK TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK IN MVB January 27, 2010
Posted by lread in Men's Volleyball.add a comment
Colin Carson sets Mike Hammond (A. Snucins photo)
Pat Hennelly and the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack are looking to maintain their momentum as they pay a visit to Saskatoon to take on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The Huskies and the ‘Pack will play a pair of matches in Canada West action. The first is set for Thursday (Jan 28) with the other going on Friday (Jan 29).
The sixth ranked WolfPack are riding a four match league winning streak into the weekend.
Hennelly’s (8 and 6) squad may be nationally ranked but they aren’t taking the 5-7 Huskies for granted. “They are vastly improved over last year,” he says. “ They swept UBC and split with Alberta. And, Alberta beat us 3-0, 3-0 in the first semester. Obviously, they have a tough team.”
Hennelly points to the addition of outside hitter Alwyn Piche, the Canadian College Athletic Association Player of the year in 2008-09. Piche (4th year, left side, La Loche, Sask) leads Saskatchewan with 125 kills. “He was a top recruit and they are playing better volleyball,” Hennelly adds. “ They are in the same boat as everyone. There’s a dog fight on for those final playoff spots.”
The WolfPack are led by Junior National team member Gord Perrin (3rd year, outside hitter, Creston, BC). Perrin, who had a monster series against Brandon last weekend leads the Canada West in kills averaging 4.96 per game. First year left side Kevin Tillie (Cagnes Sur Mer, France) is making a strong case for rookie of the year. He is third in the Canada West in kills as he averages 3.84 per game. Tillie leads the league in service aces with 24 and has a team best 90 digs.
Another player enjoying some steady play of late is fellow rookie Colin Carson (setter, Prince George, BC). Carson leads the Canada West in assists .
Hennelly says his team has been in playoff mode since the beginning of the calendar year. He expects Saskatchewan to be in the same frame of mind. “They are fighting for their lives, but yet again so are we,” he says. “Eight wins is great but it doesn’t guarantee us a playoff spot. It makes a spot look pretty nice but really, we have to put some wins on the table.”
The WolfPack have only Saskatchewan and Trinity left on their plate before the season draws to a close. “We are tied directly with Trinity with the exact same schedule,” Hennelly adds. “ We each have a bye and play Saskatchewan and against each other. Saskatchewan is a team with five wins that is hot on our heels and they have two games in hand. I think everyone realizes the implications of this weekend and how big it is.”
Saskatchewan enters the weekend with the fourth best hitting percentage in the Canada West at.258.
The WolfPack will get next weekend off before hosting Trinity Western at the Tournament Capital Center February 12 th and 13 th.
SIDE OUTS: One player who has started to see more floor time down the stretch has been fourth year middle Joel Caschetto (White Rock, BC). Caschetto leads the ‘Pack in blocks with 36. “ With Behlul (Yavasgel, 5th year, Aydin, Turkey) moving into the middle, its created more of a mix,” says Hennelly. “Joel is pushing both Behlul and Mike Hammond (3rd year, middle, Barrie, Ont) for playing time. We’ve got a bit of a rotation going on similar to what we’ve done at the outside for different times. It’s one those things that guys have to prove in practice that they are ready to go. I know that Saskatchewan’s middles are tough and I think we’ll need all three guys in there to match up properly. Hopefully we can get production out of every guy. I’ve said before that you need nine or ten guys going in order to make a run in this league. We need guys who can come in and perform, and that’s what we need from a guy like Joel.”
Perrin got to experience the Olympic Torch Run first hand on Wednesday (Jan 27). He and Amanda Frayne (3rd year, outside hitter, Kamloops, BC) from the WolfPack women’s team ran with the torch in Salmon Arm before joining their teammates on the plane ride East.
WVB TO SASKATOON TO MEET HUSKIES January 27, 2010
Posted by lread in Women's Volleyball.add a comment
(A. Snucins photo)
The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s volleyball team hopes that Saskatchewan will prove to be the grounds for their first victory of the Canada West season. The WolfPack head to Saskatoon to meet the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Thursday (Jan 28) and Friday (Jan 29).
The Huskies enter the weekend at 1 and 13 while TRU is 0 and 14.
Saskatchewan comes into the matches after enjoying the bye week. TRU was at home coming out on the short end of two 3-0 decisions to the Brandon Bobcats.
“Thompson Rivers has an explosive left side attack,’ said Huskie interm head coach Austen Dyer in a press release. “If we are able to contain their left side players and control the ball on our side of the net, we should be in a position to be successful.”
WolfPack head coach Cal Wohlford said in order to be successful, they have to execute better on their side of the court and cut down on the amount of serving errors which plagued them against the Bobcats. “If we can’t pass, we can’t do the things we want to do in execution.”
The ‘Pack are led by Anna Dyakiewicz (Burnaby, BC), Amanda Frayne (Kamloops, BC) and Kelly Asleson (Richmond, BC). The three third year outside hitters dominate the offense. Dyakiewicz leads TRU with 179 kills and is first in the CanadaWest averaging 3.73 per game. Frayne has 123 kills and Asleson has 104. Dyakiewicz leads TRU with 113 digs. Vanessa Weibe (3rd year, middle, Surrey, BC) has a team high 35 blocks.
Saskatchewan is led by rookie outside hitter Candace Hueser (1st year, right side, Dalmeny, Sask) with 146 kills. Other players performing well for the Huskies are outside hitter Ashley Schurko (3rd year, left side, Archerwill, Sask) (128 kills) and veteran middle Danae Lockhart (5th year, middle, Moose Jaw, Sask) with 52 kills and 35 blocks.
After the weekend, TRU returns home to take on the SFU Clan in a pair of matches—Friday Feburary 5th and Saturday February 6 th. Both are 2 pm start times at the Tournament Capital Center. Those will be the final matches for WolfPack fifth year players Ashley Shannik (Kamloops, BC) and Lindsey Niminiken (South Slocan, BC)
NOTES: The matches this weekend will see the University of Saskatchewan partner with the Canadian Red Cross to help Haiti Earthquake survivors/victims. Huskie athletes will be in the crowd at both matches collecting for the cause.
(With assistance from Saskatchewan Sports Information)