FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WESMEN WELCOME NEW RECRUITS

Winnipeg, May 29 – The University of Winnipeg is pleased to announce the newest additions to the Wesmen athletic teams.

Following an exciting season where the Wesmen Women’s basketball teamed picked up a silver medal in the CIS Championships in Hamilton, coach Tanya McKay is bolstering her lineup for a run at the gold in next season’s championships – hosted by the University of Winnipeg.

Stephanie Timmersman out of Roseau High School in Roseau, Minnesota is a 5’11 forward who averaged 13.8 points and 7 rebounds a game during her four-year high school career south of the border. The athletic Timmersman is an aggressive defender and will mesh nicely with an up-tempo Wesmen squad.

Lindsey de Leeuw comes to the Wesmen from British Columbia, where the 5’10” guard averaged 13.2 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists a contest at Stelly’s Secondary School in Victoria. A Lower Island All-star and a Vancouver Island Second Team All-star, de Leeuw is an athletic player with a keen shooting eye from the outside.

“Both recruits will help us immediately,” say McKay. “Both have a lot of playing experience, and both are very athletic – they will fit in nicely with our style of play.”

Wesmen Men’s Volleyball coach Larry McKay has wasted little time in erasing the memory of a difficult 2002-03 season. The former CIS coach of the year has added six new faces in a bid to rejuvenate the Wesmen roster. All six additions were members of the McKay coached Winnipeg Strike, recent winners of the 2003 National Juvenile Championship - a tournament boasting 32 of the top teams in the country.

Trevor Shaw is a 6’3” passer-outside hitter from Vincent Massey High School in Winnipeg and was a finalist for the Dennis Nord Award as the top high school volleyball player in the province. Shaw is also an academic scholarship recipient.
“Trevor is quick and has no weakness in his overall game,” says McKay.

Marshall Jones arrives at U of W’s Spence Street campus from Phil Hudson’s Dakota Collegiate volleyball program. The 5’11” Jones is a pressure player who scores points at key times with his serve. Another academic scholarship recipient.

Ben Schellenberg comes to the Wesmen as the Dennis Nord winner as the top volleyball player in the province. The pride of Westgate Collegiate, the 6’6” opposite hitter was selected as an All-star in the MVA Provincial Juvenile Championships.
“Ben is a strong player who is well-skilled and works very hard,” says McKay. Also an academic scholarship winner.

Joel Waldie, out of College Louis Riel, is a 6’4” middle/opposite hitter and a 2003 AAAA Provincial Finals All-star where his team captured the silver medal.
“Joel is a strong server and attacker who works very hard and loves to compete,” says McKay.

Joining his College Louis Riel teammate at the University of Winnipeg is 6’6” passer-outside hitter Martin Rochon. Selected as the number one high school volleyball player in the province in the Winnipeg Sun poll, Rochon was also a member of Team Manitoba, the 2002 Francophone Games Men’s Volleyball Champions.
Martin is one of the hardest hitters at the juvenile level and can attack well from everywhere,” says McKay.

Dustin Addison-Schneider is making the two-hour trek east down highway No. 1 to the University of Winnipeg from Vincent Massey Collegiate in Brandon. The 6’1 setter has an impressive volleyball resume including MVP of the 2003 National Juvenile Championship, MVP of the MVA Provincial Juvenile Championships and an All-star in the 2003 AAAA Provincials.
“Dustin has proven himself as a top player at the midget, high school and juvenile levels,” say McKay.

McKay is also welcoming back former Wesmen player Marc De Spielgelaere, who returns to the University of Winnipeg after a two-year hiatus. De Speilgelaere was a member of the 2002 Junior National Team and has been invited to the 2003 Selection Camp.

University of Winnipeg Men’s Basketball coach Dave Crook is entering into his third season at the helm of the Wesmen with a little bit of history on his side. Matt Opalko, son of Wesmen all time leading scorer, Ken Opalko, joins an exciting University of Winnipeg squad from Mennonite Brethren Collegiate. The sharp-shooting 6’4” Opalko can fill it up from anywhere on the court, and is coming off a season that saw him score 55 and 61 points in two games in the same week. He should fit in nicely with a Wesmen squad on the verge of a breakout season.

But although pleased to have landed Opalko, Crook isn’t too keen on being reminded of his age.
“You know you are old when you start recruiting the sons of former players,” he says.

The CIS silver medal winning Wesmen Women’s Volleyball team has yet to announce any new players for the 2003-04 season.