Men’s Basketball, AUS Champs, 4th in CIS
It was another tremendous year for head coach Rick Plato and his squad. They were able to defend their AUS championship and win back-to-back for the first time in the programs history.
The team fought to a fourth place finish in the country, falling to the Carleton Ravens in the semifinal. The Ravens went on to win their sixth consecutive championship and the Tigers played by far the closest game against them in the tournament.
The team cruised to a first place finish in the AUS regular season and then won two thrilling, down-to-the-last-shot games against the SMU Huskies in the semifinal and the U.P.E.I. Panthers in the final.
These Tigers will host the CIS men’s basketball championships next year and coach Plato has his sights set on winning the whole thing.
Ritchie Kanza Mata was named a first team AUS all-star and Kashrell Lawrence a second team AUS all-star
Jordan Aquino-Serjue was named AUS rookie of the year.
Plato won AUS coach of the year.
Only William Yengue graduates from the team going into next year, which will make the Tigers favourite to three-peat as AUS champs and make a solid run at the CIS title.
Stars Ritchie Kanza Mata and Kashrell Lawrence will be back for their fifth years and will be putting everything into leading the team to the ship.
Women’s Basketball, 6th in AUS
It was a good year for head coach Anna Stammberger’s squad. The other head coaches picked them to finish last in the AUS in a preseason poll and the Tigers exceeded those expectations to make the playoffs.
Losing star player Tessa Stammberger with a month left in the season put a major dent in the teams aspirations come playoff time. Without their premier ball-handler the Cape Breton Capers pressed the Tigers into a rash of turnovers in their quarterfinal game to end the team’s season.
The team played stellar defense all year but was unable to find a way to score consistently.
Tessa was named a first team AUS all-star. Megan Thompson and Sophie Gaube were named to the AUS all-rookie team.
Ainsley MacIntyre won both the AUS and CIS community service awards.
With Tessa and MacIntyre graduating (MacIntyre has one year of eligibility left but is unsure if she will use it) the team will need other players to assume leadership roles next year. The experience that the young players gained in their playoff game this year should give them a boost going into next season.
Shalyn Field going into her fourth year Diedre Alexander going into her third year and Sophie Gaube going into her second will need to take control and play bigger scoring roles.
The main goal for Anna this offseason is to find a go-to point guard that can move the ball up-court and run the offense.
If the team can find a way to score consistently they should absolutely be back in the AUS playoffs next season.
Men’s Cross Country, 2nd in AUS, 16th in CIS
It was a solid season for the men’s cross country Tigers finishing second behind the powerhouse St FX X-Men.
AUS men’s cross country athlete of the year Matt McNeil was outstanding for the Tigers winning every AUS race he participated in and running to a seventh place finish at nationals.
The Tigers will lose McNeil to graduation next year and will have their hands full with the ridiculously deep X-Men team at the top of the AUS standings.
Will Russell and Jake Wing are going to have to try to fill McNeil’s shoes next year.
The Tigers will likely find themselves in second to the X-Men again next year but are the best bet to dethrone the AUS champs.
Women’s Cross Country, AUS Champs, 5th in CIS
The women’s cross country Tigers picked up their third consecutive AUS championship. Colleen Wilson, Michelle Reddy, Jenna MacDonald ran to a podium sweep for the Tigers.
Wilson won the AUS women’s cross country athlete of the year and was the top finisher for the Tigers at the CIS championships, placing twelfth.
Rich Lehman won another AUS coach of the year award and led the team to a fifth place team finish in the CIS.
Wilson has one more year of eligibility left, if she uses it she will have a chance to break into the top-10 in the nation next year.
Even if Wilson does not return Reddy and MacDonald are more than capable of leading the Tigers to another AUS championship.
Men’s Hockey
The Dalhousie Tigers’ men’s hockey team missed the playoffs by four points this season. Lead by AUS rookie of the year Phil Gadoury, first team all-star goalie Corbin Boes and leading scorer Fabian Walsh the team battled for a playoff spot but were officially eliminated in the third last game of the season with a 2-0 loss to L’Universite de Moncton.
In the first half of the season, the Tigers had four wins, nine losses and two overtime losses (4-9-2). They finished off the last month before the holiday break only winning two of their last eight games.
However, the season turned around for the Tigers’ in the second half. They had a record of 5-6-2 ended the season winning 5 out for their final 10 games; beating the eventual AUS champions the StFX X-Men twice.
The exciting thing is the Tigers’ should be able to make the playoffs next season. Last season, 68% of their team was made up of players in their first or second year in the league. More experience will definitely be a benefit for the team next year. They only lost two players this season, defenseman Matt English and back-up goaltender Wendell Vye. Therefore the team should have no problem finding chemistry at the start of the year. That could have been one of the reasons why the team struggled at the start of last season; the team was so young and unfamiliar with each other.
Offensively, this team should be good next year. Phil Gadoury led the league in goal scoring as a rookie last season. With one year now under his belt, he will be a force to be reckoned with. For the second straight year Fabian Walsh lead the Tigers in scoring with 24 points in 28 games. Tanner Williams (17 points) and Andrew Wiggington (13 points) had strong second half’s. Williams scored 10 points in the final 10 games while Wiggington scored 12 points in the last 13 games once being put in a more offensive role. Rookie Felix Page scored 14 points in 22 games. If all of those players play to their capabilities next season, the team will be fine offensively.
Their defense will have to improve if they are serious about making the playoffs. They gave up a horrendous 37.7 shots per game last year. Tigers’ goaltenders Corbin Boes (.918 save percentage) and Wendell Vye (.908 save percentage) were outstanding for the Tigers. They can’t rely on their goaltending as heavily as they did this season and expect to make the playoffs.
With more experience, familiarity and a good offense, the Tigers’ have the potential to be a playoff team next year. However, they are going to need to play the way they did in the second half of last season for an entire season and will have to drastically improve their defensive play if they are going to guarantee themselves a playoff spot.
Women’s Hockey
The 2015-2016 season for the Dalhousie Tigers women’s hockey team was full of adversity. If you add up time lost due to individual injuries, it would total 107 games. That is a high number considering the team only played 24 games. This caused a lot of problems for the Tigers. They couldn’t have any consistent lines throughout the season and it forced younger players to play in unfamiliar positions and situations.
The team finished second last in the seven-team AUS women’s hockey league. They had a tough start to the season losing their first four games. However, they finished the first half winning six out of their last nine games.
In the second half of the season the team suffered serious injury problems. Ten players were injured in the second half of the regular season. Four players missed the entire second half and two players missed the majority of it including one of their top offensive players, Lisa Maclean. The team lost nine of their last 12 games. They made it into the last playoff spot but were swept by St. Thomas in two games.
It would be unlikely for the team to have as many injuries next season. With fewer injuries, they will have a more consistent line-up every night. Because they only lost they will have a veteran team next year. The line-up consistency combined with the experience should mean that this team will finish higher than their sixth place showing last year.
This team has the potential to be a good defensive team next season. Even with all the changes to defensive pairings because of injuries the Tigers prevented other teams from scoring more than three goals 17 times last year. Head Coach Sean Fraser believes his team needs to be more consistent to improve.
“Game in and game out, we are expecting more consistency if we want to push for a AUS title.”
However, they will need to have a superb offensive team if they want to be a contender for the championship next year. Saint Mary’s, L’Université de Moncton and St. Thomas were the three best teams in the league last year and both had at least two players with over 20 points. The Tigers had no players with 20 points or higher last season. If Lisa Maclean played the entire season she would be on pace to score 23 points but that still gives the Tigers only one 20-point scorer.
The Tigers’ potential to be a good defensive team, along with their maturity, should set them up for a better season next year. If they want to be contenders for the AUS championship, they are going to have to step up their offensive game.
Men’s Soccer, 6th in AUS
The men’s soccer Tigers had a quality year. The team hovered near the top of the AUS standings throughout the regular season and ended up with the final playoff spot in a very tight league.
The Tigers fell 2-0 to the Acadia Axemen at Acadia in the quarterfinals to end their season.
Head coach Pat Nearing will have his hands full next season as the team will lose at least six players to graduation.
Striker Bezick Evraire was named both a first team AUS all-star and a second team CIS all-Canadian.
Defenders Mark Hagen and Jonathan Doucett were each named second team AUS all-stars.
Sangmuk Choi won the AUS community service award.
Core players: Evraire, Hagan, Zack Mbolekwa, Zack Shaffelburg, Choi and starting keeper Jason Ross will not be returning next year.
With so much turnover within the roster, it’s tough to predict what this Tigers team will look like on the pitch next season.
Jonathan Doucett, Jack Schembri and James Nearing will be relied upon to provide leadership for the squad next year, as they try to return to the AUS playoffs.
Women’s Soccer, tied 6th in AUS missed playoffs
It was a difficult season for the women’s soccer Tigers as they failed to make the playoffs, finishing tied for sixth but losing out because last place Moncton was the tournament host.
The Tigers were a tremendous possession team but could not find a way to translate ball control into goals.
Defender Kristy McGregor-Bales and Midfielder Victoria Parkinson were named second team AUS all-stars.
The team will lose McGregor-Bales to graduation and will have a new head coach, as well.
With the yet to be named coach at the helm, this team has enough ability to improve upon their 4-6-3 record of last year and make a playoff push.
If the team can find a way to turn their stellar ball control into offense they should be exciting to watch next year.
Men’s Swimming, AUS Champs, 6th in CIS
It was another stellar year in the pool for the men’s Tigers swim team. They swept every event through the regular season and AUS championship and grabbed a sixth place finish in the CIS.
AUS male swimmer of the year Gavin Dyke led the charge, while Kyle Watson, Peter Inches and Tony Liew among others all had stellar seasons.
Watson was swimming in his final year of eligibility but the rest of the team is able to return next year.
They are the clear favourites in the AUS again next year.
Women’s Swimming, AUS Champs, 5th in CIS
The Tigers women’s swim team shredded the competition in the AUS all season, winning every event on their way to another AUS championship.
AUS female swimmer of the year Phoebe Lenderyou was dominant all season leading the Tigers squad. She was able to pick up a bronze medal in the 50m back at nationals.
Kat Webster put in a brilliant performance of her own at nationals winning two bronze medals in the 400m free and the 800m free, helping the team lock down fifth place in the CIS.
The team will lose Webster and Rachel Shin to graduation but are still poised to win another AUS championship next year.
Men’s Track and Field, AUS Champs, 8th in CIS
The men’s track and field team ripped up the AUS this season on their way to another AUS championship.
Matt Coolen was named the AUS rookie of the year and track athlete of the year and
Jake Wing was the male track AUS championship MVP. Head coach Rich Lehman was AUS coach of the year.
At the CIS championships the team worked its way to an eighth place finish. Jordan Bruce won a bronze medal in the triple jump. Coolen finished fourth in the 60m, Adam Karakolis fourth in shot put and Chas Smith nabbed fifth in triple jump.
A handful of other Tigers finished with top-10 performances. Wing was eighth in the 1000m, Bruce ninth in long jump, Mike van der Poel ninth in the 300m, Will Russell, Wing, Shiloh Johnson, Adam Manuel eighth in the 4x800m relay and Russell 10th in the 1500m.
Only long distance runner Matt McNeil has run out of eligibility so the team is poised to be back on top of the AUS and should make a run at improving their national finish as well.
Women’s Track and Field, AUS Champs, 11th in CIS
The sun came up today, we all need oxygen to survive and the Tigers women’s track and field team won an AUS championship. It was the 27th consecutive title for the team and 32nd overall.
Sarah Taplin was the AUS field athlete of the year Morgan Hawkes won the AUS student-athlete community service award. Head coach Rich Lehman was AUS coach of the year.
The team finished just outside the top-10 in the CIS with an 11th place performance. Shannay Beals won a bronze medal in the 60m. Celia Peters and Chantelle Robbertse placed fifth in the 1000m and long jump respectively.
There were several Tigers with top-10 performances. Sarah Taplin was sixth in triple jump, Macayla Cullen sixth in high jump, Robbertse, Peters, Jessica Shannon, Heather Beaton sixth in the 4x400m relay, Shannon 10th in 60m hurdles and Robbertse 10th in high jump.
Robbertse and Peters will not be back next year after each used their fifth year of eligibility. The rest of the team should be back and are the runaway favourites to win another AUS championship.
Men’s Volleyball, 2nd in AUS
It was a disappointing finish to the season for head coach Dan Ota’s team. After finishing first in the AUS in the regular season to gain home court advantage in the playoffs, the Tigers dropped both games at the Dalplex to the UNB Varsity Reds and were unable to three-peat as AUS champs.
Ota was named AUS coach of the year for the 14th time. The Tigers had four AUS all-stars with Setter Jonathan Macdonald, Middle Matthew Donovan, Libero Adam Sandeson, and Outside Hitter Kristen O’Brien all making the team.
Harrison Callaghan became a central figure in the rotation in his rookie season and will be called upon to deliver again next year.
The team will lose the services of Macdonald, Connor Maesson, Logan Baillie and Justin Lynch to graduation. The loss of the immensely talented Macdonald will hurt the most.
Women’s Volleyball, AUS Champs, 6th in CIS
Head coach Rick Scott was able to lead his squad to a fourth consecutive AUS championship this year.
The team steamrolled through the competition throughout the regular season and AUS championships and went 1-2 at nationals for a sixth place finish.
Setter Abby Czenze, Middle Jessica Josenhans and Outside Hitter Anna Dunn-Suen were named first team AUS all-stars
Libero: Marisa Mota and Outside Hitter Mieke DuMont second team AUS all-stars
Courtney Baker was named to both the AUS and CIS all-rookie teams.
The team will lose Josenhans to graduation, but Amy Appelby is returning to Dal for another year. The team is set up very well to make it five AUS championships in a row
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