Sports Briefs: U of S wrestlers top podium at Huskie Open

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Six University of Saskatchewan wrestlers claimed gold in front of a hometown crowd last weekend as the team hosted the Huskie Open on Nov. 30.

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The men’s team finished first overall with Drake Beuchler (61-kilogram division), Cole Sanderson (76-kg) and Iulius Cojocaru (100-kg) each capturing gold, while Judah Arthurs (82-kg), Matthew Yong (90-kg), George Ren (90-kg) and Wyatt Newsham (125-kg) earned bronze.

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Over on the women’s side, the team finished third in the standings, as Sierra Mullin (53-kg), Kayley Clarke (62-kg) and Mya Phillips (83-kg) each secured a spot atop the podium and Aida-Lyn Jones won bronze in the 69-kg division.

The day before, the U of S also hosted the Huskie Duals, taking on wrestlers from the Guelph Gryphons and Calgary Dinos, as well as the Lethbridge Pronghorns in specific weight categories.

Saskatchewan won the event 54-34.

In other Huskies news, third-year business student Liam Keeler has been selected to represent Canada in men’s hockey at the 2025 World University Games Jan. 12-22 in Torino, Italy.

During his three years with the Dogs, the Edmonton product has tallied 18 goals and 31 assists in 58 regular season games, while adding another six points in nine playoff games.

Joining Keeler at the Games will be Huskie Athletics Jessica Pawlik, who was announced as one of eight personnel for the medical team. Pawlik, who serves as the head physiotherapist for Huskie Health, will travel to Italy to work as a multi-sport therapist.

Saskatoon swimmers making a national splash

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Saskatoon’s Blake Tierney was announced earlier on Friday as Swimming Canada’s Breakout Swimmer of the Year (Olympic Program).

Tierney, who swims also swims with the UBC Thunderbirds, captured five medals — four team relay and one individual — as he made his Canadian senior team debut at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games, before competing at the 2024 World Aquatics Championship.

At the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Swimming Trials in May, Tierney set a national record in the men’s 200-metre backstroke and earned himself a spot on Canada’s Olympic roster for the first time.

While in Paris, Tierney competed in the men’s 100-m and 200-m backstroke events, finishing 16th overall in the former, and also helped Canada to finish fifth in a pair of relays.

Also in the pool, Paralympic swimmers Shelby Newkirk and Hannah Ouellette set Canadian records at the Ken Demchuk International Invitational in Markham, Ont. last week.

Newkirk, who captured Paralympic bronze in Paris in the women’s S6 100-m backstroke, set a pair of records at the event, finishing the S6 400-m freestyle with a time of six minutes and 6.15 seconds, as well as the 200-m individual medley with a time of 3:30.92 seconds.

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Meanwhile, Ouellette, who made her Paralympic debut in Paris, set a new record in the women’s S5 50-m backstroke with a time of 54.97 seconds.

Four Sask. players to compete for Team Canada West

The Canadian rosters for the Junior A World Hockey Championship were announced this week and four Saskatchewan players have made the roster for Team Canada West.

Regina’s Koen Senft, Waldheim’s Jaxon Herchak, Lipton’s Connor Miller and Lumsden’s Ellis Mieyette will compete in the tournament that runs Dec. 9-15 in Camrose, AB.

Along with Canada West, there will also be a Canada East team, as well as teams from Sweden and the United States.

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