U SPORTS News

David Kapinga from the Calgary Dinos and Kelsey Balkwill from the Windsor Lancers are the U SPORTS Male and Female Athletes of the Week for the period ending Mar. 11, 2018.

 

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Kapinga and the University of Calgary Dinos are national champions in men's basketball. A fourth-year guard, Kapinga was named the tournament MVP at the U SPORTS Final 8 as the Dinos captured their first-ever national title in men’s basketball.

The Canada West third team all-star recorded 18 points, five rebounds, six assists, and four steals as the Dinos edged Brock in their opening game of the tournament, winning 78-76. Despite struggling in the opening half of Calgary’s national semifinal versus McGill, Kapinga finished with 19 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in a 65-43 victory, booking the Dinos’ ticket to the national championship game.

Much like he did in the Canada West championship game a week earlier, Kapinga was crucial in the Dinos’ banner night as he posted a team-high 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and one steal. The Dinos defeated Ryerson 79-77, scoring the winning basket with only two seconds remaining.

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Balkwill made her presence felt all weekend long on familiar territory, as the Windsor Lancers star left the U SPORTS Track & Field Championships with a quartet of medals and, as a result, has been named the U SPORTS Female Athlete of the Week.

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(Credit: ETam Images)

Balkwill had an outstanding weekend for the blue and gold, both individually and in her two relay races, collecting hardware across the board for her efforts. The Masters student in Human Kinetics collected three gold medals – winning the 300m, 600m, and 4x400m, respectively – while rounding out her championship performance with a silver medal in the 4x200m.

To finish off her winning ways individually, Balkwill received the nod as U SPORTS Championship Female Performer of the Meet, and for the team, she contributed 38 of the Windsor’s 79 total points to lead the Lancers to a U SPORTS bronze medal finish; their first team medal since 2012.

Male nominees:

  • CW: David Kapinga, basketball, Calgary (winner)
  • OUA: Tommy Land, track and field, Guelph
  • RSEQ: Simon Beaulieu, track and field, Laval
  • AUS: Alex Dubeau, hockey, UNB

Female nominees:

  • CW: Regan Yee, track and field, Trinity Western
  • OUA: Kelsey Balkwill, track and field, Windsor (winner)
  • RSEQ: Amélie Augé, track and field, Sherbrooke
  • AUS: Rebecca Clark, hockey, Saint Mary’s

- Player bios courtesy U SPORTS member conferences