ACC’S COUGARS SET FOR NATIONAL COLLEGES CHAMPIONSHIP

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The Assiniboine College Cougars curling teams will be in Fredericton, New Brunswick next week to represent ACC and the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference at the CCAA/Curling Canada College Championships.

Members of the Cougars curling teams showed off their new jackets after a recent practice session at Brandon Curling Club. (l-r) Kristen Carlson, Robyn Newsome, Neveah Witherspoon, Avery Smart, Coach Maureen Bonar

The ACC teams will be the first teams to compete for Manitoba since the inception of the event in 2012 but they will be trying to live up to a proud ACC tradition of national curling excellence dating back to the 1980’s.

In 1986, the Cougars won two national silver (Men, Women) and a bronze medal (Mixed). In 1987, three more medals included gold (Men), silver (Mixed), and bronze (Women). Before the national curling program was suspended, the ACC Men won one more medal – gold in 1989.

In the 2024 competition, ACC will have a team in both the Men’s and Women’s competitions, March 12-16 at the Aitken University Centre at the University of New Brunswick and the Capital Winter Club, Fredericton, N.B.

Coach Bonar with some ‘set-up’ tips for Robyn Newsome

To prepare for the championships, the two teams have played in Brandon leagues throughout the season while practicing each week out of the Brandon Curling Club, under the guidance of coach Maureen Bonar. They have also competed in Brandon, Carberry and Neepawa bonspiels to prepare for the National competition.

The teams include students in a wide range of the ACC program offering.

The Men’s team roster is:
Lead Mateo Otto, Gladstone (Heavy Duty Equipment Technician)
Second: Ryder Chetrybuk, Dauphin (Power Engineering)
Third: Avery Smart, Brandon (Geographic Information Systems)
Skip: Brendan Chubaty, Brandon (Business Administration)

The Women’s team roster is:
Lead: Jada Ricard, Baldur (Business Administration)
Second: Neveah Witherspoon, Carberry (Agribusiness)
Third: Ashlie Jewar, Elkhorn (Social Service Worker)
Skip: Kristen Carlson, Estevan (Agribusiness)
Alternate: Robyn Newsome, Brandon (Agribusiness)

ACC Athletic Director Lindsay McLaughlin acknowledges with appreciation the willingness of local sponsors to support the renewal of the curling program at the college. These include BMO Nesbitt Burns/Parobec Wealth Advisory Group, Brandon Source for Sports, and Steelworkers Union Local 7916.

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