Message From Athletics

By Christine Stapleton

aug22

The Western Mustangs had much to celebrate in what is usually a quiet summer season.

In June, we announced, in collaboration with U SPORTS, the City of London and Tourism London, that we would be hosting the Vanier Cup on Saturday, November 26, at Western Alumni Stadium. Tickets are on sale at VanierCup.com and I hope to see many of you there: Western will host 2022 U SPORTS Vanier Cup - Western Mustangs Sports.

In July we awarded the Honorable G. Howard Ferguson Award to Amit Sayal, of the Mustangs Men’s Volleyball team. This recognition is awarded annually at convocation to a student who has shown the highest achievement during their university career in athletics, scholarship and university life. Sayal has been with the Mustangs since 2018 and has been a leader both on and off the court: Sayal receives 2022 G. Howard Ferguson Award - Western Mustangs Sports

On August 16, Western Alumni Stadium, our Mascot JW, the Mustangs Cheerleading Team and our Western Mustang Marching Band, along with Jordyn Bryan, Women’s Basketball student-athlete were all a part of this season’s Amazing Race Canada. In addition, the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry was featured as one of the roadblocks. If you didn’t have a chance to watch these episodes, they are available for streaming on CTV and CTV Gem. The Amazing Race Canada Meets the Western Mustangs - Western Mustangs Sports

It has been a tough year for our Mustangs community, with the loss of some incredible champions of our sports program. Words can’t convey how much they will be missed, but I am so grateful for how our Alumni and London community have rallied around our teams. Thank you.

Many of our student-athletes participated in international competition over the summer months, and we are very purple and proud of how well they represented the Western Mustangs. Mustangs in action this summer - Western Mustangs Sports

  • Aryan Sharma (Mustangs Men’s Basketball) suited up for the 9th edition of The Basketball Tournament in the USA
  • Evelyn Zheng (Mustangs Fencing) represented Team Canada at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships in the UK
  • Timmia Bomberry and Fawn Porter (Women’s Lacrosse) competed at the 2022 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship & The 2022 World Games in July for Team Haudenosaunee
  • Hallee Knelsen and Chloe Coutts (Mustangs Track & Field) both competed for Team Canada at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.
  • Natalie Thirsk (Mustangs Track and Field) competed with Team Canada at the Commonwealth Games
  • Karissa Riley (Mustangs Women’s Rowing) started the summer with a trip to the World Rowing Cup 2 in Poland. She and Elisa Bolinger (Mustangs Women’s Rowing) also raced at the World Cup 3 in early July in Switzerland
  • Elisa Bolinger & Aiden Hembruff (Mustangs Rowing) competed for Canada at the U23 World Championship. Bolinger finished 2nd in the Women's Double Sculls. Hembruff finished in 3rd in the B Final with the Men's Eight boat
  • Shona Branton, Kieran Stone, Michael Bailey and Hayden Bartoch (Mustangs Swimming) competed in the Canadian Junior and Senior Championships in Montreal
  • Chloe Citron (Mustangs Women’s Tennis) and Ethan Milavsky (Mustangs Men’s Tennis) took part in the Maccabiah Games in Israel
  • Ella Doornaert (Mustangs Wrestling) competed in the Canada Cup in PEI and finished 3rd
  • A trio of Mustangs wrestlers also competed in the U20 Pan American Championships
  • As well, several of our Mustangs coaches also supported Canadian teams internationally over the summer: Busy Summer for Mustangs Coaches - Western Mustangs Sports.
  • Nate McKibbon (Head Coach Mustangs Women’s Basketball) coached with the FIBA U17 Women's World Cup 2022 in Debrecen, Hungary. The team finished fourth.
  • Martin Painter (Head Coach Mustangs Women’s & Men’s Soccer) served as Team Manager for the Open Men's division at Maccabiah. They finished 1-1-1 but didn't qualify for the playoff round.
  • Vickie Croley (Head Coach Mustangs Track & Field) was with the Team Canada coaching staff at the Commonwealth Games.
  • Melissa Bartlett (Head Coach Mustangs Women’s Volleyball) coached with Canada at the 21st Maccabiah Games in Israel July 12-26. She served as Team Manager for the Open Women team. They won the consolation final division over Chile 3-0.
  • And Madi Park, (Assistant Coach, Mustangs Wrestling and Wrestling alumni) competed at the Commonwealth Games winning a silver medal.

We are very much looking forward to the upcoming fall season for all our sports. The season kicked-off with the 2021 Vanier Cup Champions, our Mustangs Football team, winning at home on Saturday, August 27 versus the University of Guelph. Our Mustangs Women’s and Men’s Soccer teams kicked off their seasons at home on Saturday, September 3. And the next Football home game is on Homecoming weekend, Saturday, September 24 against Waterloo at 1:00 pm. Single game tickets are going fast but are still available at www.westernmustangs.ca/tickets. And don’t forget, in very exciting news - we have been announced as the host of the 2022 Vanier Cup! Tickets are now on sale.

Sports schedules for many of our varsity teams have been announced, and you can see them all at www.westernmustangs.ca. Tickets are free for all current students.

And last, but definitely not least, a pair of Mustangs will be inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame this fall. Mustangs Cheerleading Coach David-Lee ‘Trace’ Tracey and Men’s Hockey alumni Steve Rucchin are among the four individuals who are being recognized: Rucchin & Tracey to be inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame - Western Mustangs Sports. Tracey started at Western as an undergrad and has developed cheerleading at Western into a dominant program, winning over 30 National Co-Ed Cheerleading Championships since 1985. Rucchin played for the Mustangs Men’s Hockey team from 1990-94 before being drafted 2nd overall in the 1994 National Hockey League (NHL) Supplemental Draft by the Anaheim Ducks and went on to have a 13-year career in the NHL.

Our Mustangs continue to have great success, and I am very purple and proud of all their accomplishments. I am very much looking forward to our upcoming year and am hopeful that we will continue to be at full capacity for our programming. The University continues to monitor the covid situation, and updates are provided at: COVID-19 Information for the Campus Community - Western University (uwo.ca)

Thank you to our Mustangs Athletic Alumni for your continued strong support of our teams and programs. I have enjoyed seeing many of you in-person again (finally) over the past year and am super excited for this fall and winter. Wishing you a wonderful end of your summer.