There’s a surge of school spirit at the University of Windsor this week with Lancer Fever catching a wave on campus.
All the university’s winter sports teams enter playoffs, vying for provincial supremacy, beginning Wednesday night with the men’s basketball and hockey teams opening the second season.
“With all of our winter sports making playoffs, that doesn’t happen all the time. So, it’s really exciting,” said Director of Athletics Stephanie White.
The men’s basketball team tips off against Laurentian University.
“It’s an exciting time,” said men’s basketball Head Coach Chris Cheng.
“I think it speaks to the leadership of our administration providing us with the resources and the support. It’s showing with the post season and hopefully continues moving forward.”
On Thursday, women’s hockey faces off against York at the Capri Recreation Complex. Puck drop is at 7:30.
The action ramps up Friday with the OUA Track and Field Championships at the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse. The Lancers are looking strong as they prepare to host both the provincial championship this weekend and national championships in early March.
“We had a great recruiting class that came in this past year, and they’ve pushed the veteran athletes to perform at a higher level,” said Track and Field Head Coach Colin Inglis, whose team placed third overall on the men’s and women’s side at provincials a year ago.
“They’ve raised themselves, the rookies, to a good level as well, so we’re trending in the right direction as a program. They’ve got the hunger and the thirst, and they want to get back on the podium again this year.”
Meanwhile, men’s volleyball finished first in the OUA West and will host Waterloo in Friday’s quarterfinals. A year ago, the Lancers fell to Guelph in the first round.
“To get to experience a home playoff match here this weekend is something that is going to be a really good test for us, but at the same time, it’s good that we don’t have to go on the road,” James Gravelle, men’s volleyball head coach, told CTV News.
The women’s basketball team secured a first-round bye after finishing atop the OUA West with an 18-4 record. They hit the court Saturday night at 6 p.m. but in the meantime, are enjoying the chance to support their fellow Lancers.
“It’s fun,” said Women’s Basketball Head Coach Chantal Vallee.
“At the same time, we have to wait, so there’s some benefit in finishing first in the league and getting a bye, but it’s a long wait. We’re excited to get going.”
The players are hoping for a packed gym to energize them.
“When Windsor shows up and brings all the energy, the community, our student-athletes, it can be a really exciting and fun place to be part of,” Vallee added.
The St. Clair College men’s basketball team plays Lambton College Saturday afternoon for a chance to advance to the OCAA Final Four.
At the high school level, the Windsor Essex County Secondary School Athletic Association senior girls volleyball championship teams (Riverside, Holy Names and Lajeunesse) are hosting their respective South Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association regional title games this week, hoping to qualify for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championships.
