LANGLEY, B.C. – This Week in Sparta sees men's hockey return home to face Selkirk College, men's and women's basketball teams playing host to Alberta, men's and women's volleyball teams traveling to UBC, and men's rugby 15s continuing play against the University of Oregon. 
 
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MEN'S HOCKEY (12-1-0-1)
Jan. 24 vs. Selkirk (5-8-0-3) – Langley Events Centre | 7:00 p.m. (PT) | WATCH

NOTABLE

• The Spartans men's hockey team will look to get back to their winning ways as they host fourth-place Selkirk College Friday at the Langley Events Centre. 
• TWU is coming off its first two losses of the season in a home-and-home series against Simon Fraser. The Spartans fell 5-3 at home Thursday (Jan. 16) to snap their season opening win-streak of 12 games, before a four-goal comeback on the road Saturday fell short with a 5-4 shootout loss (Jan. 18). 
• The Saints split games last weekend against Vancouver Island, but have just one win over their last 10 games (1-6-0-3).
• Spartans forward Evan Last (Surrey, B.C.) leads TWU in scoring and sits second in the BCIHL with 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) through 14 games. A point Friday would move him past former Clan forward Jaime Laprise (2007-11) for ninth all-time in league scoring. 
• Rookie Tristan Cross leads the Saints in scoring with 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 14 games. He is currently riding a nine-game point streak (four goals, eight assists). 
• TWU is 4-0 against Selkirk this season, winning all four games on the road. 

 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (3-11)
Jan. 24 vs Alberta (12-2) – Langley Events Centre | 6 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
Jan. 25 vs Alberta (12-2) – Langley Events Centre | 5 p.m. (PT) | WATCH

NOTABLE

• Women's basketball returns home this weekend, as the Spartans play host to the Alberta Pandas Friday and Saturday at the Langley Events Centre. 
• The Spartans are looking to halt a six-game losing skid, as they currently sit in 14^th place in the conference standings.
• The Pandas meanwhile have won eight games in a row and sit in sole possession of third place. 
• Spartans second-year forward Nicole Fransson (Edmonton) will look to keep rolling, averaging (16.3) points-per game and coming off a pair of double-doubles last weekend. Fransson has now totaled five double-doubles this season, just two back of Kayla Gordon (2017-18) for the program record in a single season. 
• TWU will look to contain Alberta guard Vanessa Wild, as she sits fifth in conference points-per game (18.2). 
• The Spartans won their previous two games against Alberta, which came at home during the 2017-18 Canada West quarter-finals (Feb. 15-16, 2018). 

 
MEN'S BASKETBALL (2-12)
Jan. 24 vs Alberta (13-1) – Langley Events Centre | 8 p.m. (PT) | WATCH
Jan. 25 vs Alberta (13-1) – Langley Events Centre | 7 p.m. (PT) | WATCH

NOTABLE

• Trinity Western's men's basketball team returns home to host the Alberta Golden Bears Friday and Saturday at the Langley Events Centre.
• Alberta comes to town having won eight games in a row, recently sweeping last weekend's games against MacEwan.
• The Spartans meanwhile are still searching for their first win of the new year, having lost both its games in a home-and-home against Fraser Valley last weekend.
• Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath (Amarillo, Tex.) will be a player to watch for the Spartans, as he currently leads both Canada West and U SPORTS in scoring (27.0 PPG). If he maintains his current pace, Gilbreath would finish in the top-10 in conference all-time single season points-per game. 
• The Golden Bears have a very balanced attack, with six players currently averaging double-digit points, with forward Adam Paige leading the way (12.7 PPG). 
• TWU currently ranks fifth in points-per game (88.0), while Alberta ranks one spot ahead in fourth (89.3). 
• The Spartans have lost seven consecutive games against Alberta, with its last win coming at home Jan. 11, 2013 (90-85). 

 

AWAY
 

#1 MEN'S VOLLEYBALL (15-1)
Jan. 24 at UBC (13-3) – War Memorial Gym | 7:30 p.m. (PT) WATCH
Jan. 25 at UBC (13-3) – War Memorial Gym | 6:30 p.m. (PT) WATCH
 
NOTABLE

• The No. 1 ranked Spartans hit the road to take on No. 4 ranked UBC in a battle of the conference's top two teams Friday and Saturday at the War Memorial Gym. 
• The Spartans are coming off a record-setting home sweep over UBC Okanagan. In Saturday 3-0 win, TWU achieved a program record for a 3-set match with 17 service aces.  
• TWU has won 14 consecutive games dating back to Oct. 25, 2019 and have lost just five sets all season. 
• UBC meanwhile has won 12 consecutive games, including the last seven in straight sets. Its last loss came Oct. 26, 2019 in Saskatchewan (3-1). 
• Spartans outside hitter Eric Loeppky (Steinbach, Man.) enters the weekend one ace shy of Paul Sanderson's (2007-11) career conference record of 144, set with Brandon. 
• TWU split its games against UBC last year, falling 3-2 before winning in straight sets at home (Feb. 22-23, 2019). 

#1 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL (16-2)
Jan. 24 at UBC (8-8) – War Memorial Gym | 6 p.m. (PT) WATCH
Jan. 25 at UBC (8-8) – War Memorial Gym | 5 p.m. (PT) WATCH

NOTABLE

• In a rematch of last season's U SPORTS quarter-finals, the Spartans travel to UBC to take on the Thunderbirds Friday and Saturday at the War Memorial Gym. 
• The No. 1 ranked Spartans will look to avenge its five-set loss to UBC at nationals last season (Mar. 15, 2019). 
• TWU is coming off a pair of pair of home victories over UBC Okanagan in straight-sets, and sit first in conference standings at 16-2.
• UBC meanwhile sit in 7^th, having won a pair of games at Manitoba last weekend (3-0, 3-1). 
• Spartans middle Avery Heppell (Langley) ranks first in conference hitting percentage (.387), while Mikaelyn Sych (Airdrie, Alta.) ranks first in blocks-per set (1.28). 
• TWU is 13-41 all-time against UBC through the regular season and playoffs, with its last conference win coming at home Nov. 26, 2016 (3-1). 

 
MEN'S RUGBY
Jan. 25 at University of Oregon – Riverfront Field, Eugene | 1 p.m. (PT)

NOTABLE

• Coming off a big win last weekend, the Spartans men's 15s rugby team continues play this weekend to take on the University of Oregon Saturday at Riverfront Field in Eugene.
• TWU picked up a win in its fourth 15s match in program history last week, with Daniel Clement (Edmonton) scoring a late try to vault the Spartans to a 36-31 win over the University of Washington (Jan. 18). 
• The win pushes the Spartans 15s record to 2-2 on the season, with its other win coming earlier in the season in a 43-20 win against UBC Okanagan (Nov. 2, 2019).  
• The Ducks will try to contain Trinity Western's Ethan Bernardin (Langley, B.C.), with the back-three picking up three tries in last Saturday's win.

 

About TWU
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in CIS sports. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men's hockey and as an independent team in men's rugby. The men's and women's hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.
 
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