Bisons football
Bison offensive lineman Mark Rauhaus has been honoured with the Russ Jackson Award. The national honour is awarded to a Canadian U Sports football player for their achievement in academics and athletics. The Bison centre is just the fourth member of the herd to win the award.
Fresh off their CanWest honours, Bison receiver AK Gassama and offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro have received U Sports First Team All-Canadian honours. This is the second year in a row Gassama has received All-Canadian honours and a first for Vaccaro.
Bison offensive co-ordinator Vaughan Mitchell has also been nationally honoured, winning the Gino Fracas Award in his third-straight season being nominated. Mitchell has been a volunteer coach for the past 25 seasons.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed Bison defensive tackle Collin Kornelson back to the roster. A Bombers national draft pick, Kornelson previously played for the Bombers in the 2023 pre-season.
Finally, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed Bison linebacker Nick Thomas back to the roster. A Roughriders national draft pick, Thomas played for Saskatchewan in the 2023 pre-season, taking on his teammate Kornelson in the June pre-season match-up at IG Field.
Bisons track and field
Track and field held its annual Brown and Gold Intersquad competition Nov. 24.
The top Bisons at the event on the women’s side of the team were Donnae Gordon, who took first in the 60-metre dash, Kendall Marriott, who took first in the 300-metre dash, Dana Poulton, who won the 800-metre run and Lena Klassen, who finished first in the 3,000-metre run.
In high jump, Jaylyn Deurbrouck claimed first, while Arianna Pilat took fourth in pole vault, Eniola Odeleye took first in long jump and Eniola Adepoju took first in triple jump.
Anna McConnell started the season right where she left it — having won gold in women’s shot put at last season’s nationals — claiming first in both the shot put and weight throw.
Top finishers on the men’s side were Tyrell Davis, Roy Tambal Musa and Dawson Mann, who claimed first in the 60-metre dash, 300-metre dash and 800-metre run, respectively. Justin Kroeker finished second in the 3,000-metre run.
John Olukoju tied for first in high jump, Max Speiser claimed first in pole vault — picking up where he left off at last season’s nationals — and Daxx Turner claimed first in both long and triple jump.
Finally, Joshua Suelzle won first in shot put and Graham Wright won first in weight throw.
Thompson Rivers University WolfPack
On Nov. 29, three members of the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) men’s volleyball team were involved in a fatal car crash near TRU’s campus in Kamloops, B.C. One member was killed in the crash, while two others are in critical condition.
Owyn McInnis, a fourth-year outside hitter for the WolfPack from Guelph, Ont., was identified on Friday by his family as the volleyballer killed in the crash.
McInnis and his two teammates, who both remain in hospital, were struck by a pickup truck while waiting at a red light and pushed into traffic. An RCMP investigation remains ongoing.
Both Bisons volleyball teams held a moment of silence before Friday’s games against the University of British Columbia-Okanagan Heat, and Canada West has cancelled all remaining TRU games before the winter break.
The Bisons and Heat players wore WolfPack-orange ribbons, tape and socks in memoriam.
