CIS football could be getting a major redesign in the new year.

Saskatoon businessman David Dube and broadcaster Jim Mullin are partnering to pitch the idea of an interlocking conference football schedule to the CIS and its conferences. The idea is that those games would be attractive enough for a TV broadcaster to air.

Dube is willing to pay the television production costs and universities would pick up the tab for travel and accommodations. Dube is the CEO of Concorde Group Corporation, a major development company in Saskatoon.

He is a supporter of the University of Saskatchewan football program, regularly donating cash to the Huskies.

Mullin’s ties to CIS football run deep. A play-by-play broadcaster for 20 years, Mullin also has a weekly CIS football show, Krown Countdown U, which Dube sponsors.

The news about the interlock schedule comes from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, who gave a more detailed report on the proposal on Dec. 26 after Le Journal de Quebec published a story hinting at the possibility of an out-of-conference schedule happening in 2015.

Here is what the interlock group wants, in simple terms: eight teams (four from Ontario, two from the West, two from Quebec) would play two out-of-conference teams each season.

Those games would be put on national television, which is not currently the case for regular season CIS football. The only time that the entire country can catch a game is in late November, during the national semi-finals and the Vanier Cup.

Details are scarce, but the interlock group wants to make this happen by 2015 in order to entice broadcasters. Mullin told the Star-Phoenix that they are targeting Sportsnet, TSN and CBC to pick up the property. Sportsnet owns the Vanier Cup as well as the national semifinal bowl games, but their acquisition of NHL rights ties up a lot of their resources.

TSN has been buying television properties recently, suggesting that they are looking to acquire more products. However, in airing regular season football but not the Vanier, TSN would essentially be marketing for Sportsnet.

CBC’s new strategic plan states that they are looking to promote amateur sport. They could be the best fit for CIS football, especially since costs would be low because Dube would fund the broadcast.

The idea is still in its infancy, so the number of loose ends to tie up should be expected. As CanWest executive director Diane St-Denis said, there are more questions than answers at this point, but in order to have a 2015 season launch, answers need to be coming quickly. Dube and Mullin are supposed to meet with CIS executives later in January.

Interlock would drastically change CIS football as we know it. More information should become available throughout the winter and spring.

Holiday tournaments are not about the wins and losses, but the McMaster women’s basketball picked up three big wins in the Concordia Invitational this winter break.

The results of those games can influence CIS top ten rankings, which in turn influences the seeding at the national tournament. Head coach Theresa Burns was satisfied with the results, but was more impressed with the team’s growth.

“I thought we took some real steps forward, individually and as a team,” said Burns. “We had five people at any given time, whoever was on the court, we operated at as a five player unit.”

While McMaster finished the 2014 portion of their season atop the OUA Central division, the team’s play was not consistent. For example, Mac opened up the first game against Lakehead with strong play before losing by 15.

The road game against Brock saw the Marauders jump out to a 19-5 lead, yet the Badgers came back and took the lead in the second quarter. Mac would steady and win convincingly, but it will take a full 40-minute performance to beat other elite teams.

The Marauders showed the ability to perform at that level with their sweep over the winter break: they beat Concordia 85-72, bested Bishop’s 84-33 before beating Queen’s 75-48.

Topping the Gaels, who started the year ranked before dropping out of the top-ten in late November, is the most impressive win of the break.

“We got better every night. I thought we came out pretty strong given that we are coming off Christmas break, we had only one one-hour practice under our belts. There was a little bit of rust in the first game, but the next night we shook the rust right off and then against Queen’s, even better again,” Burns said.

“From a consistency standpoint, we were very good. Our key players did what we rely on them to do.”

Now, the team heads into a critical stretch of their season. They lost to Laurier, 62-48 and now have to bounce back to take on Ryerson on Jan. 10. Before the game, Burns said she thought the Golden Hawks haven’t gotten enough credit for their early-season wins.

Ryerson is an up-and-coming team too; the Rams started the season unranked and have climbed to No. 8, right behind McMaster.

A first-round playoff bye is a goal for the team, and the month of January will heavily influence Mac’s chances. In a deep conference, Mac wants to play as few games as it can.

January is a road-heavy month, with five of the seven games away from Burridge.

If McMaster can get through the month with only a couple losses, they will set themselves up nicely for a playoff run and a shot at the OUA championship.

The offseason was technically not as long as in previous years, but few breaks will have felt longer for the McMaster men’s basketball team. After finishing fifth at the CIS Final 8 last March, Mac has regrouped and retooled to make another running at capturing the schools first W.P. McGee trophy.

In the first national men’s basketball top 10 list released by the CIS earlier this week, McMaster was ranked an impressive no. 4 with Carleton, Ottawa and Ryerson as the top three (in that order). After finishing last season ranked no. 5 in the country with a 23-7 overall record and an impressive 18-4 regular record, McMaster Basketball is back and hungrier than ever to return to the national spotlight.

Fifth-year centre Taylor Black has sky-high expectations for arguably the deepest team in the country.

“I think this is the best chance we’ve had in many, many years. I’m so glad to be part of a team that’s so talented but also willing to put in the work to get to the national championship level. I think our program has the highest number of guys that stay over the summer to train together and live together,” said Black.

The Marauders on and off-court dynamic is something special and translates positively in practices and games. It is encouraging to hear that the Marauders basketball team has a positive, family-like bond off the court because it definitely plays a role in how these guys will perform together as a unit.

“I’m going to miss this family that I’ve become a part of and that has become a part of me a lot. I’m going to make the most out of this year no matter what. So whether or not the team is playing for me, if you want to put it in those words, I feel like we’re just playing for each other and playing for the coaches. It’s a 12-month process. It’s a 15, 16-man effort. However many people we have on the team is what we need to compete for a national championship,” explained Black.

As a leader on this team, Black values the unity of the team and believes it has its advantages on the court. In terms of team camaraderie Taylor paints an encouraging picture.

“It’s like you don’t even have to look at each other to know what you’re thinking on the court in terms of reads, defensive rotations, all that stuff. You might need eye contact or a finger point and we all know what we’re talking about. I don’t know any other program that’s tighter than we are. You go into our change-room and everyone is smiling. It’s the best place to be here on campus,” said Black.
The optimism and confidence that Black displays in this year’s team is contagious, and should provide Mac fans with credible assurance entering this season. McMaster Men’s Basketball is a force to be reckoned with.

With only one senior, Nathan Pelech, departing last year, Mac has retained much of the same group of guys along with the welcome and notable additions of guard David McCullough, forward Connor Gilmore and Long Island University transfer Troy Joseph. The additions strengthen what was already a strong bench unit.

Mac finished an impressive 7-0 in fall preseason play with wins over Mohawk, Laval, Memorial, Manitoba, St. Francis Xavier, Acadia and Cape Breton.

But now the real action starts.

Mac opens up their 2014-15 season with two tough back-to-back games in the nation’s capital. The Marauders take on the No. 2 Ottawa Gee-Gees on Nov. 7, followed by a date at the Raven’s Nest on Nov. 8 to take on the defending national champions, the No.1 Carleton Ravens. Both games should be worthy tests for this ambitious Marauders squad to kick off the new campaign.

McMaster men’s basketball plays their home opener in Burridge Gym at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 where they host the Lakehead Thunderwolves.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of savouring ćevapi adorned with ajvar knows that good things come out of the Balkans. But for some time, a problem has been threatening the favourite sport of the southeastern European nations.

Soccer has always been plagued by organized fan violence, but it is in former Yugoslav nations like Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, and Albania that a bevy of right-wing nationalistic hooligans have been wreaking havoc.

If you’re any of the aforementioned nationalities, you’ll know about the 1990 riot that occurred at Zagreb’s Stadion Maksimir between not just the players of Dinamo Zagreb and Crvena Zvezda, but the thousands of Croatian and Serbian supporters there. Tensions had been rising to a boiling point, with Croatia electing a president favouring independence from the Yugoslavian communist state and the riot — which saw Dinamo’s Zvonomir Boban rise to the defence of a fan and kick a police officer in the chest — marked the turning point that saw Yugoslavia enter into a brutal war.

Being Croatian and a Dinamo Zagreb supporter myself, I’ve heard laudatory talk of Boban’s kick at family gatherings after everyone’s had a few shots of rakija. I never thought anything of it until recently when I’ve begun to grow increasingly disgusted with such nationalism. As I’m sure other Serbians, Bosnians, and Albanians raised in Canada by diaspora parents can attest to, they’ve been conditioned by their family to, if not hate, then dislike their former neighbour.

What happened at the match last week was avoidable and shouldn’t have happened. I had grimaced upon hearing that the two had been drawn in the same group, but having seen the Croatia-Serbia World Cup qualification matches go off without a hitch — with the exception of Josip Šimunić’s cynical clattering of Sulejmani — I was optimistic about the chances of these two nations sharing the same luck. UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, took no chances and allowed no away fans into the match held in Belgdrade. But all that did was create an even more toxic atmosphere in which flares were numerous and laser pointers where shone at Albanian players.

Near the end of the first half, a drone was flown over the field with a flag bearing the Greater Albania insignia. When it dipped towards the players, Serbia’s Stefan Mitrovic pulled down the flag, eager to restart play. He was subsequently rushed by several Albanian players who objected to his actions. From there, both benches erupted, and dozens of hardcore fans took to the field to throw chairs at the Albanian players and get punches in where they could.

One of the fans present on the field was Ivan Bogdanov, a Serbian member of Crvena Zvezda’s hooligan firm, the Deljie. Bogdanov is notorious for leading a massive riot in Serbia’s Euro qualification match against Italy in Genoa, and the question remains as to how such a volatile figure was allowed into the stadium let alone onto the pitch.

While the hooligans and even some of the stadium stewards were assaulting the Albanian players, most of the Serbian players gathered round the Albanians to shield them from the violence, and others like Serbian fullback Aleksander Kolarov voiced their displeasure directly to the fans who were infiltrating the field.

Despite how admirable the Serbian team’s reaction was, it should not have been needed. Allegations against Olif Rama, the Albanian prime minister’s brother, have surfaced, claiming that he controlled the drone. While nothing concrete has been established, whoever flew the drone should be ashamed of themselves. There is a place for political statements, and a soccer pitch is not one of them. The act was a rash one that endangered both sets of players and will ultimately lead to heavy fines being levied against both federations.

It is time for the Balkans to look inwards instead of finger-pointing any longer. While each nation romanticizes their past, all of their histories have been built on a dangerous brand of nationalism that is no longer needed and should be stifled at whatever cost. Although there was a heavy police presence at the match, the hooligans were able to take the field all too easily, which raises questions of corruption that may answer how Bogdanov got into the stadium.

My reaction toward the riot was similar to the one that Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matić had as he lingered on the field after both teams had disappeared down the tunnel — one of disbelief and disappointment at what had just happened. Ethnic tensions will probably always be there, but it’s the responsibility of the more levelheaded members of each Balkan country to take the moral high road and attempt to separate soccer from state feuds.

By: John Bauer

When the CIS released their preliminary top 10 women's volleyball rankings for the year, noticeably absent amongst the contenders was last year's OUA champion McMaster Marauders. The team responded to being left off the rankings, winning both of their weekend matches in straight sets.

The Marauders began their title defence Friday with their home opener against the Western Mustangs. The game was never really in doubt, as the Marauders won in straight sets 25-17, 25-20, 25-16. Returning outside hitters Joanna Jedrzejewska and Lauren Mastroluisi carried the bulk of the offensive load for McMaster, more often than not set up by Caitlin Genovy. Taylor Brisebois and Maicee Sorensen pitched in with 10 and 9.5 points from the middle court, respectively. To top off the evening, rookie Katie Zutautas got into her first OUA game and made her mark with a service ace.

It was more of the same Saturday when the Windsor Lancers visited Burridge gymnasium.  Jedrzejewska exploded for 20 points, and the trio of Jedrzejewska,  Brisebois, and Mastroluisi ravaged the Lancers defence for four service aces each. The Maroon and Grey cruised to a 25-23, 25-9, 25-12 victory, holding Windsor to a 0 percent conversion efficiency in the final two sets of the game.

The Marauders face their first real test on Oct. 25 in Ottawa versus the no. 4-ranked Gee-Gees, no doubt looking to rebound from a 0-2 start. Volleyball fans can catch the action via live stream on OUA.tv starting at 2:00 p.m.

By: John Bauer

Talk to any member of McMaster's baseball team about the past season and you will probably hear the same two words uttered: “turnover season.” The campaign started off better than anyone on the team could have imagined with an 18-2 demolition of the York Lions. The Lions would win the next game in extra innings in a sort of preview for what lay ahead for the Marauders. The team lost close game after close game, finishing a lowly 1-17.

“Baseball's a funny game,” said infielder Eric Telford. “Sometimes the bounces don't go your way. That first game everything was going right for us and then the second game we lost in extra innings and since then it's been a tough road. It's tough to keep your morale up. We've had a couple games where the bounces just haven't been going our way.”

Normally a 1-17 season would be reason to take a good, hard look at a sports program. But a glance at the Marauders' roster shows that a whopping 15 of the team's 24 players are in their first or second year of eligibility.

Telford agreed. “We're a young team. Lots of guys don't have much experience in the OUA.  I think it's just learning every game and trying to get better.”

The biggest steps toward future success may have actually been made this past off-season. McMaster aligned its baseball program with that of the Hamilton Cardinals.

“We've been using the clubhouse and the change rooms and the speakers in the stadium,” said outfielder Mike Campagnolo. “It definitely does feel a lot more like a baseball team this year. We have noticed the difference and it's a lot better for the program.”

Catcher Brandon da Silva notices another big difference this year. “There's definitely more people [in the crowd]. Not just parents,” he said.

The agreement also means that McMaster's players can play summer ball for the Cardinals, instead of having to return to their hometowns to play. Several of the players have already taken advantage of this opportunity. But the most significant change might have been the installation of former NCAA player, Intercounty all-star, and Ancaster native Adam Strongman as the new head coach.

“I like the style of coaching that he brings to the table,” said da Silva. “He brings a lot of knowledge and experience. Being a player himself, it's been a good change for the team.”

Head coach Strongman likes the squad he has inherited.

“The team that I have assembled this year and that we have had in the past, have had the same amount of talent as all the other schools in our league ... For me, the overall record doesn’t really show the development of the team. We did many things right this year and the team continually did everything that I asked of them,” said Strongman.

“We are a very young team who learned what the OUA is all about and the players will be able to prepare with more intensity knowing what will be expected next year.”

All and all, the team has taken its down year in stride. They feel that this year was a necessary step in their ascension back into the realm of OUA contenders. With the season done, they will start their off-season training regimen, and return to their club teams or play for the Cardinals over the summer. But they are excited for next season to start, to prove that this year was not indicative of what McMaster baseball is.

“It starts with recruits, it starts with bringing the right people in,” said Telford. “If we start to do that, we brought the right coaching staff in. We have people here that can coach us. Now it's about getting the players and coming together as a team. It's about building young guys that are going to be here for years to come and guys that are going to compete in the OUA. That's what it's all about.”

By: Tom Lewis

For Mark Reilly, back in the fold of the McMaster men’s soccer team after a year away, it’s good to be home.

The striker has found the net six times in nine games this season, helping his side to third in the OUA West standings, with a game in hand on second-placed Guelph, and two on runaway leaders York.

They face McMaster this weekend in a six-pointer having now won nine games on the bounce.

Reilly is enjoying his return to university soccer, after a year working as a kinesiologist.

“I’ve returned home. I love playing with these guys. We know how each other play on the field and have a blast off the field as well,” said Reilly.

He was quick to credit his fine run of form to the efforts of his fellow players.

“Scoring feels great, but I’m just the last one to touch the ball, my teammates create all the opportunities and without them I wouldn’t notch any goals. I owe them a lot,” said the Hamilton native.

But Reilly’s 12-month hiatus from the Marauder program was not always easy. The striker could be found in the stands and on the sidelines for many games as Mac looked to continue their run of raising championship banners.

“Watching the boys play from the stands was enjoyable. They played excellently and finished second in the table. They were a little unfortunate to fall out of the playoffs early last year, and really stung me. I wanted to be out there and help them win that OUA title for the fourth time in five years,” said Reilly.

His personal sporting journey took an exciting turn last year, as he was selected to play for Canada in the 2013 FISU games in Kazan, Russia.

“There is no greater feeling than representing your country on an international stage. We had a great bunch of guys travel to Russia and we performed very well, losing to Russia in the quarterfinals. Playing in front of 10,000 people that day gave me the chills, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything,” said Reilly.

Mac have made a convincing showing so far in their push for the OUA title, winning six games and drawing two others, suffering just one defeat in a tight game away to neighbouring Guelph.

Reilly and his teammates are targeting big things this season, and hope of silverware could be in the offing. “Medalling at Nationals is the top of our list this year. With the OUA having two berths, reaching the OUA finals will give us a chance to play in the CIS National Championships. However, we need to return the Blackwood trophy back to its rightful home - our changing room,” said Reilly.

Head coach Dino Perri was effusive in his praise for the forward.

“Mark has and will continue to have huge positive implications for our team on and off the field. His leadership, maturity, and experience have helped take the pressure off of other players while raising their level play. He adds another scoring threat and garners a great deal of attention from the opposition, freeing up other players to succeed.

“He has been a role model to the younger players, setting a great example of how to go about the daily training and preparation to be a successful varsity athlete,” said Perri.

Mac stumbled in their efforts to regain the Blackwood trophy last weekend with the loss at Guelph, but beat Waterloo 3-1 at Ron Joyce Stadium to set up an exciting second half of the OUA season.

They face York at home this Sunday, Oct. 5 in a fixture crucial to their hopes of gaining top spot.

The McMaster women’s basketball team is entering this upcoming season in full force. With key veterans returning, but also with an influx of hungry first-year talent, the ceiling for the squad is high, but the learning curve is steep.

Mac has six first-year players in the lineup, meaning the expectations for this upcoming season are to establish an identity early on and build a winning culture that can carry the program for years to come.

Head coach Theresa Burns believes that a strong work ethic, high levels of fitness, and the amount of depth the team possess will be key to their success as a unit this year.

“We want to push the pace as much as possible but while at the same time maintaining discipline and making smart basketball decisions. We give up a bit of size, but what we lack in size we make up for with endurance and depth,” said Burns.

With the graduation of star centre Hailey Milligan, who will be representing McMaster overseas professionally, guard Danielle Boiago will be expected to maintain her excellent play from last season and lead this team as the expected number one option on offense.

Boiago, a former OUA West Rookie of the Year and third-year starting guard, averaged 16 points while chipping in four rebounds and two assists per game last season.

Burns believes that this class of recruits is one of the strongest McMaster has had in recent years. Throughout the pre-season, the team has shown considerable signs of cohesion and chemistry. According to Burns, the team was a bit too predictable in 2013-14.

“The game plan to play us was really simple. It was face-guard Boiago, limit her touches, pack it in on Milligan, force her to kick the ball out to someone else and we just didn’t have the ability to generate enough offence to win games,” explained Burns.

This year, however, the team has diverse scoring options. With six first-year players in the lineup, one might expect a bit of growing pains to begin the season but coach Burns feels confident that these rookies will be able to contribute significantly and will be able to take the scoring load off of the team veterans. Players of note that coach Burns believes are ready to make a big impact this year are Hilary Hanaka, Linnaea Harper and Allyson Schweitzer.

Hanaka, who had originally accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Vermont, but ultimately chose McMaster, is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year, according to coach Burns. Harper is another young addition to this roster that could have a significant impact. Having been named to Canada Basketball’s Junior National Team, Harper looks to bring that experience and passion for the game to this upcoming season. The junior national team won silver at the FIBA Americas tournament and Harper averaged nearly 20 minutes a contest.

When asked who she feels could be the breakout player to watch out for this season, coach Burns said that Allyson Schweitzer is a player to watch out for. Despite an accident that sidelined Schweitzer for a majority of her grade 12 year, coach Burns believes that Schweitzer shows tremendous potential as a strong force in the post.

“Coming off of a less experienced high school background, we thought it would take a little while for her to adjust to the game, but through six preseason games, she has been outstanding,” says Burns. “Seeing her develop so quickly is really exciting for not just this season but for the future as well”.

Top recruit Jelena Mamic will have to wait another year to make her university debut.  Mamic last year was sidelined for the entire season by tearing her ACL and has re-torn that same ligament. Burns feels that while this is a major setback, Mamic is committed to the rehabilitation and intends to come back even stronger next year.

“She is one of, if not the most mentally and physically tough players I have ever coached, so if anyone can overcome that hurdle again, it’s her,” says Burns. “We believe that she has the potential to be a starting point guard in this league and can bring so many different things to the team.”

This is the first year since 2008 that McMaster has been ranked in the CIS top ten for women’s basketball, currently ranked number seven. Having fallen out of the top ten the past couple of years and finally being ranked is a confidence boost for the team, but that also comes with added pressure. Coach Burns will not let this team rest on their laurels and forget that their ultimate goal is the national championship.

“It’s something you have to come to practice every night and live up to that billing and prove to everyone and yourself that we are deserving of that ranking,” said Burns.

With such a young, talented team from top to bottom, the future is indeed bright for the McMaster women’s basketball team. With a strong nucleus that will be able to grow and develop with each other, this young group has all the makings to be something special.