By Lethbridge Herald on December 27, 2024.
By Justin Seward
Lethbridge Herald
University of Lethbridge Pronghorns athletics have wrapped up another calendar year feeling pleased about their fall team’s successes.
“As the calendar year wraps up, we’re really pleased obviously with our fall programs,” said Neil Langevin, Pronghorn Athletics and Horns Recreation executive director.
The Horns saw two out of three programs make the playoffs in the fall season.
The women’s rugby team were third in the standings all season long and swept both the other Alberta schools for the first time in 13 years.
“Their only losses came at the hands of the two national finalists,” said Langevin.
“We’re quite pleased with our coaches, quite pleased with our players and we forecast some really good growth continuing in that program.”
The rugby team won a Canada West bronze medal and their coach, Graeme Moffat, won coach of the year.
“Moff is truly a world class coach,” said Langevin.
“We’re lucky to have him in Lethbridge. He is the epitome of a great coach, he understands the human side, the technical side, the professional development side and the administration side.”
The men’s soccer team made the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
“The players are really resolute, they’re workouts are incredible, they’re competitive intensity at practice is unparalleled and we were lucky to have a young bright coach (Vikram Virk) that helped guide them ,” said Langevin.
“In fact, they would probably say they’re disappointed not even to go a little bit further and they pushed a lot of top teams in the country a long way and had a lot of great results.”
Horn swimmer Chris Alexander repeated as gold medallist in the 50m breaststroke at the USport Championships.
He ended is university swim career with the most medals of any Pronghorn swimmer in history with six Usport medals and 10 Canada West medals.
“We’re really proud of his accomplishments in the pool and we’ll fondly look back at him as one the best Pronghorns that have swum for our team,” said Langevin.
The Horn women’s basketball team saw former assistant coach and player Kacie Bosch and current assistant coach Paige Crozon go to the Summer Olympics as a part of Team Canada’s 3×3 women’s basketball team.
“Just getting a chance to see them on the Olympic stage is almost surreal,” said Langevin.
“It’s like OK, I know those people and they battled really hard. I thought the format of that Olympic tournament was very difficult and it didn’t obviously suit Team Canada but they kept pushing right through to the end.”
Canada finished fourth at the Olympics.
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