CIS TOP TEN TUESDAY (#7)
Montreal, Alberta, UBC-O, McMaster open at No. 1 in hockey, volleyball

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Montreal Carabins (women) and Alberta Golden Bears (men) top the first national rankings of the season in CIS hockey, while the UBC Okanagan Heat (women) and McMaster Marauders open at No. 1 in volleyball.

Montreal, UBC Okanagan and McMaster all debut at No. 1 for the first time in program history.

In other CIS sports, the only change at No. 1 sees the Guelph Gryphons move past the Ottawa Gee-Gees in women’s rugby. For their part, the Laval Rouge et Or (women’s soccer), UQAM Citadins (men’s soccer) and Guelph (women’s and men’s cross country) maintain their pole position.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

(points) / (previous ranking)

1. Guelph 96 points / (1)
T2. Trinity Western 86 / (2)
T2. Toronto 86 / (3)
4. Laval 64 / (5)
5. Queen’s 52 / (4)
6. Victoria 42 / (6)
7. McMaster 33 / (8)
8. Dalhousie 32 / (7)
9. McGill 24 / (NR)
10. Laurentian 22 / (9) 

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

(points) / (previous ranking)

1. Guelph 100 points / (1)
2. Windsor 80 / (4)
3. Laval 70 / (2)
4. Trinity Western 64 / (3)
5. Victoria 54 / (6)
6. McMaster 48 / (5)
7. Queen’s 46 / (7)
8. StFX 36 / (8)
9. Lakehead 22 / (9)
10. Calgary 16 / (10) 

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

1. Montreal (0-0-0) / - / (-)
2. Western (2-1-0) / - / (-)
3. Guelph (2-1-0) / - / (-)
4. McGill (0-0-0) / - / (-)
5. Lethbridge (4-0-0) / - / (-)
6. Toronto (2-0-0) / - / (-)
7. StFX (0-0-0) / - / (-)
8. Alberta (1-3-0) / - / (-)
9. Moncton (0-0-0) / - / (-)
10. Laurentian (3-0-0) / - / (-) 

MEN’S HOCKEY

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)

1. Alberta (1-0-1) / 150 points (9) / (-) *
2. UNB (1-0-0) / 150 (6) / (-)
3. Saint Mary’s (1-0-0) / 88 / (-)
4. McGill (2-0-0) / 84 / (-)
5. Saskatchewan (2-0-0) / 78 (1) / (-)
6. Windsor (2-0-0) / 63 / (-)
7. Acadia (0-1-0) / 56 / (-)
8. UQTR (1-1-0) / 53 / (-)
9. Calgary (0-1-1) / 26 / (-)
10. StFX (1-0-0) / 25 / (-) 

* Alberta (over UNB) was awarded the higher ranking based on number of higher place votes.

Other teams receiving votes: Western (20), Guelph (19), Carleton (19), Lethbridge (15), UBC (10), Manitoba (8), Moncton (7), UPEI (6), Queen’s (3).

WOMEN’S RUGBY

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)

1. Guelph (5-0) / 203 points (7) / (2)
2. Ottawa (6-0) / 200 (12) / (1)
3. McMaster (4-1) / 138 (1) / (4)
4. Acadia (5-0) / 135 (1) / (5)
5. Queen’s (4-1) / 134 / (3)
6. StFX (3-1) / 103 / (6)
7. Calgary (3-0) / 93 / (7)
8. Concordia (5-1) / 73 / (8)
9. Laval (4-2) / 38 / (9)
10. Alberta (1-1) / 30 / (10) 

Other teams receiving votes: Victoria (18), Western (11).

WOMEN’S SOCCER

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

1. Laval (6-0-2) / 57 points / (1)
2. York (11-0-1) / 53 / (3)
3. Ottawa (9-0-3) / 52 / (2)
4. UBC (8-1-1) / 40 / (5)
5. Laurier (9-2-1) / 30 / (4)
6. Western (9-1-3) / 26 / (7)
7. Sherbrooke (6-1-1) / 19 / (8) *
8. Victoria (6-2-2) / 19 / (9)
9. Trinity Western (6-1-2) / 11 / (NR)
10. Fraser Valley (6-2-1) / 9 / (6) 

* Sherbrooke edged Victoria for No. 8 based on a higher ranking the previous week.

Other teams receiving votes: Calgary (6), StFX (6), Cape Breton (1), Montreal (1).

MEN’S SOCCER

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

1. UQAM (6-0-1) / 58 points / (1)
2. UBC (7-0-1) / 56 / (2)
T3. Windsor (10-2-1) / 40 / (3)
T3. York (9-1-2) / 40 / (5)
5. Alberta (7-1-0) / 38 / (6)
6. Ryerson (8-1-3) / 35 / (4)
7. Cape Breton (5-1-2) / 26 / (7)
8. UQTR (5-1-1) / 23 / (8)
9. McMaster (10-3-0) / 11 / (NR)
10. Toronto (8-3-1) / 7 / (10) 

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

1. UBC Okanagan (0-0) / 58.5 points / (-)
2. Alberta (0-0) / 55.5 / (-)
3. Trinity Western (0-0) / 51 / (-)
4. McGill (0-0) / 47.5 / (-)
5. Toronto (0-0) / 40 / (-)
6. Montreal (0-0) / 39 / (-)
7. McMaster (0-0) / 34.5 / (-)
8. Sherbrooke (0-0) / 22 / (-)
T9. Calgary (0-0) / 21 / (-)
T9. UBC (0-0) / 21 / (-)

Next highest votes: Dalhousie (18), Winnipeg (13), Manitoba (9), Mount Royal (8), Brandon (7).

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

1. McMaster (0-0) / 215 points / (-)
2. Alberta (0-0) / 204 / (-)
3. Trinity Western (0-0) / 136 / (-)
4. Calgary (0-0) / 127 / (-)
5. Manitoba (0-0) / 113 / (-)
6. UBC (0-0) / 87 / (-)
7. Western (0-0) / 70 / (-)
8. Mount Royal (0-0) / 61 / (-)
9. Winnipeg (0-0) / 58 / (-)
10. Dalhousie (0-0) / 56 / (-)

CIS Men’s Hockey Top 10 (#1)
University Cup champ Alberta opens at No. 1 for third straight year

OTTAWA (CIS) – Seven months after capturing their second straight national championship, the University of Alberta Golden Bears (1-0-1) top the first CIS men’s hockey rankings of the season for the third consecutive year.

In the closest inaugural poll in recent memory, the reigning CIS champs and the New Brunswick Varsity Reds (1-0-0) both received 150 points from the 16-member media panel but the Bears merited No. 1 status thanks to a greater number of higher place votes, including nine first-place nods for Alberta compared to six for UNB.

Rounding out the first Top 10 of the campaign are the third-ranked Saint Mary’s Huskies (1-0-0 / 88 points), No. 4 McGill Redmen (2-0-0 / 84), No. 5 Saskatchewan Huskies (2-0-0 / 78), No. 6 Windsor Lancers (2-0-0 / 63), No. 7 Acadia Axemen (0-1-0 / 56), No. 8 UQTR Patriotes (1-1-0 / 53), No. 9 Calgary Dinos (0-1-1 / 26) and No. 10 St. Francis Xavier X-Men (1-0-0 / 25).

Saskatchewan earned the remaining vote for first place.

The top-ranked Golden Bears, who last March defeated UNB 6-3 in the CIS championship final in Halifax to add a 15^th University Cup title to their record collection, opened the new Canada West schedule this past weekend with a two-game set at Lethbridge, winning the opener 2-0 on Friday before dropping the rematch 3-2 in double overtime the following night.

Alberta, which had maintained a 5-3 overall mark in preseason action including a 3-0 record versus CIS competition, hits the road again this week for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader at Regina (1-1-0). Both games are slated for 7 pm CT, live on CanadaWest.TV.

For its part, second-ranked UNB has been as dominant as ever so far this fall. The V-Reds kicked off their AUS schedule on Saturday with an 8-2 rout over visiting UPEI after going 5-1 overall in the preseason (3-0 vs. CIS), including a 5-3 victory against the AHL’s Portland Pirates on Oct. 1^st.

The Varsity Reds will be featured in the lone Top-10 matchup of the coming weekend as they host No. 10 StFX Friday at 7 p.m. AT, live on AUStv.ca.

CIS MEN’S HOCKEY TOP 10 (#1)

Voting is based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, with a 1^st place vote worth 10 points. The CIS Men’s Ice Hockey Top Ten Committee is made up of media members from across Canada.

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)

1. Alberta (1-0-1) / 150 points (9) / (-) *
2. UNB (1-0-0) / 150 (6) / (-)
3. Saint Mary’s (1-0-0) / 88 / (-)
4. McGill (2-0-0) / 84 / (-)
5. Saskatchewan (2-0-0) / 78 (1) / (-)
6. Windsor (2-0-0) / 63 / (-)
7. Acadia (0-1-0) / 56 / (-)
8. UQTR (1-1-0) / 53 / (-)
9. Calgary (0-1-1) / 26 / (-)
10. StFX (1-0-0) / 25 / (-) 

* Alberta (over UNB) was awarded the higher ranking based on number of higher place votes.

Other teams receiving votes: Western (20), Guelph (19), Carleton (19), Lethbridge (15), UBC (10), Manitoba (8), Moncton (7), UPEI (6), Queen’s (3).


FRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#7)
No changes in Top 10, Dinos No. 1 for fifth straight week 

OTTAWA (CIS) – The University of Calgary Dinos are the top-ranked team in CIS football for the fifth consecutive week. 

For the fourth straight week, the Dinos (5-0) were a near-unanimous choice for No. 1 in the national media poll as they received all but two of the 30 first-place votes and 298 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel. Calgary had earned 26, 28 and 29 first-place nods, respectively, in the previous three polls.

Following in order in the seventh poll of the campaign are the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (5-0 / 259 points), No. 3 Western Mustangs (6-0 / 250), No. 4 Montreal Carabins (3-2 / 164), No. 5 Sherbrooke Vert & Or (3-2 / 150), No. 6 McMaster Marauders (5-1 / 149), No. 7 Guelph Gryphons (5-1 / 129), No. 8 Manitoba Bisons (3-2 / 129), No. 9 UBC Thunderbirds (3-2 / 77) and No. 10 Queen’s Gaels (4-2 / 29).

Laval and Western split the remaining first-place votes, with one apiece.

Only two Top-10 teams took the field this past week as only six games were scheduled across the country on Thanksgiving weekend, including four in Ontario and two in the Maritimes. Western and McMaster both continued to roll last Thursday, dominating Toronto 58-2 and Waterloo 55-7, respectively.

McMaster quarterback Asher Hastings threw four touchdown passes in the Marauders’ win to set a single-season OUA record with 25. With two league games remaining, he is within striking distance of the CIS mark of 30 established by three-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner Chris Flynn, who accomplished the feat in seven contests with Saint Mary’s in 1989.

The lone Top-10 matchup on the Week 8 schedule takes place Saturday in Montreal where the visiting Rouge et Or will try to remain undefeated against the reigning Vanier Cup champion Carabins, live on TVA Sports at 2 p.m. In the first head-to-head contest of the season, back on Sept. 5 in Quebec City, Laval prevailed 12-9 thanks to a 39-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

For their part, the top-ranked Dinos are back in action Friday at 7 p.m. CT when they visit Saskatchewan (2-3), live on Shaw TV, Access and CanadaWest.TV.

NOTES: The ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl (RSEQ at OUA) and Uteck Bowl (Canada West at AUS) are set for Nov. 21 at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern Time, respectively... The Vanier Cup follows on Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. ET in Quebec City... For all the information on the 51^st Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#7)

                                                Pts (1^st place)  Last week

1. Calgary (5-0)           298 (28)           1
2. Laval (5-0)               259 (1)             2
3. Western (6-0)           250 (1)            3
4. Montreal (3-2)         164                  4
5. Sherbrooke (3-2)     150                  5
6. McMaster (5-1)        149                  6
7. Guelph (5-1)            129                  7 *
8. Manitoba (3-2)         129                  8
9. UBC (3-2)                77                    9
10. Queen’s (4-2)        29                    10 

* Guelph edged Manitoba for seventh place based on number of higher place votes

Other teams receiving votes: Carleton (8), Saskatchewan (2), Alberta (1).

WEEK 7 RESULTS

October 8
Western 58, Toronto 2 (at Toronto)
McMaster 55, Waterloo 7 (at McMaster) 

October 9 
Acadia 47, Saint Mary’s 9 (at Saint Mary’s)
Laurier 65, Ottawa 30 (at Laurier)
Carleton 52, York 0 (at Carleton) 

October 10 
Mount Allison 27, StFX 17 (at StFX) 

WEEK 8 SCHEDULE (all times local)

NOTE: Click HERE for the complete 2015 regular season schedule & results.

October 16
19:00   No. 1 Calgary (5-0) at Saskatchewan (2-3) (Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV) 

October 17
13:00   Toronto (2-4) at Waterloo (0-6) (OUA.TV)
13:00   Ottawa (2-4) at No. 3 Western (6-0) (OUA.TV)
13:00   No. 6 McMaster (5-1) at Laurier (3-3) (OUA.TV)
13:00   No. 10 Queen’s (4-2) at York (1-6) (OUA.TV)
13:00   Windsor (1-5) at No. 7 Guelph (5-1) (OUA.TV)
14:00   StFX (2-3) at Saint Mary’s (0-5) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
14:00   Mount Allison (3-2) at Acadia (3-2) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
14:00   No. 2 Laval (5-0) at No. 4 Montreal (3-2) (TVA Sports)
14:00   Bishop’s (1-4) at Concordia (3-2) (StretchTV)
14:00   McGill (3-2) at No. 5 Sherbrooke (3-2)
14:00   No. 8 Manitoba (3-2) at Regina (0-5) (Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV)
16:00   Alberta (2-3) at No. 9 UBC (3-2) (CanadaWest.TV)