The weekend to come in Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

Both hockey teams will have a bye weekend and will resume game action next weekend February 17 and 18.

Lastly, starting on Friday, February 10, the Red Deer Polytechnic Student-Athlete Advisory Council will be putting on a food drive. They will be collecting food donations in support of the Red Deer Food Bank. Nonperishable food items are preferred. Feel free to bring the donation down to the games this weekend. The drive will conclude on February 18.

Volleyball

NAIT Ooks (3-15) at Queens (10-7)

• Friday, February 10 | 6 pm

Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves (2-16) at Queens (10-7)

• Saturday, February 11 | 1 pm

The Queens Volleyball will have to prepare for two opponents this weekend with their final matches of the regular season. They will be taking on two north teams that have faced their share of struggles this season and sit near the bottom of the division.

Head Coach Talbot Walton said the upcoming matches are all about building momentum for championships in a couple of weeks.

“We just got to make sure we take care of ourselves. I think playing these matches at home two weeks before the conference championships is what we want. We want to have the opportunity to build a lot of momentum as we prepare to host and compete at the championships.”

The Queens weekend will start on Friday at 6 pm as they take on the NAIT Ooks before playing in their final regular season match against the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves at 1 pm. Following the match, Walton and the coaching staff will recognize outside-hitter Sydney Rix (Bachelor of Education Middle Years) and middle-blocker Kira Weddell (Bachelor of Science in Biological Science) as they are graduating from the volleyball program. They both have won an ACAC Championship and two national bronze medals.

Rix is having a career year as a starting right-side in her fourth season in the ACAC. This year she has 125 kills, which is double the amount from last year and still has two more matches to go. Other notable statistics include 99 digs, 24 solo blocks and 173 points on the year. For her career, she is averaging 1.52 kills-perset and a .292 kill efficiency. Outside of athletics, she also is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. This council performs many tasks which include organizing community service initiatives like the food drive that is upcoming and the Bleed Green campaign.

Weddell is also having a career year in the middle slot of the Queens lineup. The fourth-year student-athlete has played in all but three matches and has 44 kills on the season to give her a 0.98 kill-per-set ratio. She is very efficient when she is set up for the kill as she sits with a .498 kill percentage on the year. She took on a bigger load this year playing 14 of the 17 matches with her career-high appearance being just five back in her rookie season in 2019-2020. In her career, she scored 68 points, and has 37 digs and 53 kills.

Congratulations Sydney and Kira on an incredible ACAC career. Good luck with the rest of the season and in your future endeavours!

NAIT Ooks (12-6) at Kings (15-2)

• Friday, February 10 | 8 pm

Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves (9-9) at Kings (15-2)

• Saturday, February 11 | 3 pm

After falling for the first time since the second match of the season, the Kings will look to get back into the win column. But they will be in tough on Friday night and Saturday afternoon with two teams that are in the playoff mix in the North Division.

Head Coach Aaron Schulha said it is going to be a good rematch against the NAIT Ooks on Friday night.

“They return the bulk of their lineup from last year’s ACAC silver-medal winning team, so they are going to be very good and hungry to try and sneak a win from us. Northwestern is a very well-rounded team that is very well coached.”

The Kings and the Ooks faced each other in the conference championships last year which saw RDP win in four sets to take home the championship. As for the Wolves, it has been years since the Kings have faced them. The matches start at 8 pm on Friday and 3 pm on Saturday. Come on out and support the Kings in their final regular season matches as they honour setter Maddux Greves, who is in his last year of eligibility.

Basketball

Queens (12-6) vs NAIT Ooks (5-11)

• Friday, February 10 | 6 pm in Edmonton

Queens (12-6) vs Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves (1-15)

• Saturday, February 11 | 4 pm in Grande Prairie

The Queens will put their impressive winning streak on the line as they head out on the road up north. With two wins against the Olds College Broncos, the Queens are now sitting on a nine-game winning streak.

Head Coach Avery Harrison is liking how the girls have turned things around and sit in second place in the South Division.

“It is huge to be peaking right near the championships. I do not think we even have peaked yet. The big turning point in our season was when we won in Lethbridge against the Kodiaks because if we dropped to 3- 7, I do not think we could be doing what we are doing right now. I thought this was a good feeling for the team to think about over the Christmas break.”

The Queens will start things off in Edmonton when they take on the NAIT Ooks at 6 pm before traveling even further north to take on the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves in Grande Prairie at 4 pm. Catch the games live on ACACTV.

Kings (11-7) vs NAIT Ooks (11-5)

• Friday, February 10 | 8 pm in Edmonton

Kings (11-7) vs Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves (4-12)

• Saturday, February 11 | 6 pm in Grande Prairie

The Kings got back into the win column with two wins against their Central Alberta rivals, the Olds College Broncos. Both wins did not come easy as they had to battle in all 40 minutes of each game.

Head Coach Darren Graham explained the guys on the team know what they are all capable of doing each and every night.

“We know who we are. We know how we can play. We showed up and did that in the second half on Friday night.”

They will be in tough again as they go into NAIT’s gym on Friday night at 8 pm, where the Ooks have only lost two games at home and are sitting in second place in the North Division.”

The following day they will head up to Grande Prairie to take on the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves at 6 pm. Catch the games live on ACACTV.

by RDP Athletics

The weekend to come in Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

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