Emily Kessler
getting near
the top in just
five years
Alexsandr Sofronov
Finn Higgins
By Scott Taylor, Photos by Kelly Morton/
Courtesy University of Winnipeg
When head coach Adrian Bruce started the University of
Winnipeg in June 2011, Mitch Ostberg, the head coach at
the University of Calgary and one of the best coaches in the
country, called the new boss at U of W to send his best. “He
told me, ‘Be patient,’” Bruce said recently. “He said, ‘It will
take a generation, at least 10 years, to build a successful
program.’ Well, here we are, five years later and our men are
ranked No. 4 in the country and our women are ranked No.
6. Last year, at the CIS championships, we had two national
champions. It’s all come together a little faster than we
anticipated.” This year’s Canada West finals are at the U of W
on February 12-13. The national championships are at Brock
University in St. Catherines, Ont., on February 26-27. Great
things are expected from the U of W at both meets. l
Rachel Alder
Finn Higgins of the Wesmen
Alexsandr Sofronov of the Wesmen
sportslife / 35