McGill varsity teams back in gear over the holdays
MONTREAL - A number of McGill University varsity sports teams will be in action over the holidays.
The only local events will be in basketball, with the Redmen suiting up for the Classique des Citadins tournament at UQAM. They open against Ottawa on Dec. 28 (6:30 p.m.) in a game that will feature Redmen head coach Dave DeAveiro's first confrontation against his alma mater since he left the Gee-Gees after a 19-year stint as player and coach to take over the helm of the Redmen last summer. McGill, which owns a 7-6 overall record against CIS opponents, will also play Guelph (Dec. 29, 4 p.m.) and Memorial (Dec. 30, 2 p.m.). All three Redmen games will be webcast live at www.ssncanada.ca.
The Martlets hoopsters, who went 11-3 overall during the first semester under head coach Ryan Thorne, are slated to take on UBC on Dec. 29 (2 p.m.) in the opener of the Concordia-Reebok Invitational tourney, which runs Dec. 29-31.
In hockey, head coach Peter Smith and his No.1-ranked Martlets are flying out to Winnipeg for the Bison Holiday Classic. The team will put their unblemished 13-0 record versus CIS opponents on the line when they skate against No.4-ranked Manitoba on Dec. 29. They also have contests against Saskatchewan (Dec. 30) and No.5-Alberta (Dec. 31). The opening game against the Bisons will be audiocast at www.umfm.com
The No.3-ranked hockey Redmen are 21-0-2 overall under new head coach Kelly Nobes and will bus out to the Maritimes on Dec. 28. They take on the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Antigonish, N.S., Dec. 29, for in the Keating Cup Challenge, which is scheduled to be webcast live at 6 p.m. (Eastern) on www.ssncanada.ca. After that game, the Redmen travel to Fredericton to play the No.2-ranked UNB Varsity Reds on Dec. 30.
The volleyball Martlets, who are 16-13 overall under head coach Rachele Beliveau, will be travelling to Toronto to compete at U of T's 20th annual National Invitational, Dec. 28-30. The seven-team tourney will involve a series of exhibition matches and the school with the best winning percentage will be crowned champions. The Martlets open against McMaster on Dec. 28, then play St.FX and Brock on Dec. 29 and will close out the tourney against Toronto, Dec. 30.
The McGill track & field team will be holding a training camp in San Diego, Dec. 27 to Jan. 4, while the swim team will hold a nine-day training session in Boynton Beach, Fla., Dec. 28 to Jan. 6.
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
McGill Athletics & Recreation
514-398-7012
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)