TRU WolfPack news and notes
Tom McManus is the best of the bunch.
Guiding his team to the playoffs, despite having four regulars suffer serious injuries, has resulted in McManus, head coach of the TRU WolfPack women’s soccer team, being named the Pacific Western Athletic Association’s women’s soccer coach of the year.
“It has been a tough season with all of the injuries, but all of the players and coaching staff bought into what I have been trying to do and without them supporting my decisions it could have been disastrous,” said McManus, who led the Pack to a 5-5-1 record and a berth in the playoffs.
“I have been very lucky to have excellent coaching staff and excellent support staff from the WolfPack office and my thanks goes out to all of them.”
TRU finished second in Group B of the PacWest women’s soccer standings.
The Pack meet the Quest Kermodes in a quarter-final matchup at 1 p.m. on Friday in Kelowna.
If TRU beats Quest, which finished third in Group A, they will play the Langara Falcons in a semifinal tilt on Saturday.
Three of McManus’ players have been chosen to the PacWest first all-star team.
Alanna Bekkering, a third-year midfielder from Kamloops, Blair MacKay, a fourth-year defender from Kamloops, and Ashley Piggot, a fifth-year midfielder from Prince George, were all chosen in a vote by PacWest coaches.
“I am very happy that Alanna, Blair and Ashley have been recognized,” McManus said.
“They have had a brilliant season once again.”
Three TRU men earn all-star status
A trio of TRU WolfPack men’s soccer players have been selected to PacWest all-star teams.
Braeden Burrows, a third-year midfielder from Kamloops, is a first-team all-star, while Adam Dodgson and Conor Doherty, both fifth-year players from Kamloops, are second-team all-stars.
“Braeden has always been one of the better players,” WolfPack co-head coach Sean Wallace said.
“Conor was consistent as he has been his entire career here. Adam would have been a first-team all-star again this year if he weren’t injured for most of the season.”
TRU’s men finished 4-2-5 and missed the playoffs.
WolfPack volleyball season is here
The TRU WolfPack men’s and women’s volleyball teams open their Canada West regular-season schedules at home this weekend against the Calgary Dinos.
TRU’s women host Calgary at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28, and at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The WolfPack men and the Dinos get underway at 7:45 p.m. on Friday and 6:45 p.m. on Saturday.
Keith Lundgren, coach of the TRU women, is entering his second year in charge.
“I am pretty stoked,” Lundgren said.
“I thought we had a good exhibition season against some ranked opponents and we improved along the way.”
The Pack women posted a 3-6 record in the pre-season and have not won a home opener since 2005, when they beat Simon Fraser University.
Pat Hennelly’s men fared better than the women in the pre-season, finishing the seven-game schedule with a 5-2 record.
TRU will be wearing pink shirts in warm-up on Friday to show support for the CIBC Run for the Cure.
The shirts will be on sale $10, with proceeds going toward the cause.
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