MEDIA RELEASE: 5 March 2018 – R00047

Three weekends. Three national championships. Three opportunities for athletic glory.

In case the Brock Badgers’ recent national championships by the men’s and women’s wrestling teams weren’t enough, in the next 23 days the Badgers have three more shots at winning national titles.

Last month, the Brock men’s and women’s curling teams both advanced to the USPORTS National Championships being held March 24 to 28 in Leduc, Alta.

Then last weekend, the men’s hockey team and men’s basketball team punched tickets to their respective national finals.

Saturday night, the hockey team won the third and deciding game of the OUA West Final against the York Lions, and as a result, will host the OUA Queen’s Cup championship game against McGill this Saturday, March 10 at 7:15 p.m. Regardless of the outcome of that game, the Badgers have already secured a berth in the national finals in Fredericton March 15 to 18. It’s an impressive accomplishment for the team led by coach Marty Williamson, who is in his first year behind the bench after being with the Niagara IceDogs. Brock has never won an OUA men’s hockey championship, and this marks just their second appearance at the nationals.

Also last weekend, the Badgers men’s basketball team earned a wild-card entry to the USPORTS National Championships taking place Thursday, March 8 to Sunday, March 11 in Halifax. Like the hockey team, the last time Brock went to the Nationals was in the 2007-08 season, when the underdog seventh-seed Badgers won their second-ever national title.

Coincidently, Brock again goes into the USPORTS Final 8 with the No. 7 seed, and will open the tournament Thursday at 1 p.m. EST in the quarter-final against the No. 2 seed Calgary Dinos. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday with the consolation final, bronze-medal game and championship game set for Sunday.

Living up to its claim as having the Best Fans in Canada, Brock will be sending a fan bus to Halifax for students, staff and alumni. The Badgers-wrapped highway bus typically used by the school’s varsity teams will leave Brock Wednesday morning and arrive in time for Thursday’s game. The cost is $50 including the bus trip and tickets to all Brock games. Accommodations and meals are not included. Space is limited. For more information, email alaprise@brocku.ca

For those who can’t make the road trip, a free viewing party for the quarter-final game will be held in Brock’s Market Hall Thursday at 1 p.m. Information on viewing parties for other men’s basketball and hockey national championship games will be posted as they become available. Streaming of the OUA Queen’s Cup hockey championship game is available Saturday night at OUA.TV National championship streams will be available through the USPORTS website.

Note to media: Story and photo packages will be made available before 6 p.m. each day from Wednesday, March 8 to Sunday, March 11 for men’s basketball and again from Wednesday, March 14 to Sunday, March 18 for men’s hockey. For any additional media requests including photos, video or phone interviews please contact Dan Dakin.

For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

* Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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