(Image Credit: RDP Athletics/Supplied)

By RDP Athletics

Top performers

RDP Athletes of the Week: Feb. 27 – March 1

Mar 5, 2026 | 9:37 AM

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Athletics is very proud to announce Tora Ward (Queens Hockey) and Colby Nemeth (Kings Volleyball) as the Boston Pizza RDP Athletes of the Week:

Tora Ward – Queens Hockey

Program – Bachelor of Education (3rd)

Hometown – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Tora Ward, a third-year goaltender, was the backbone of the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Hockey team’s success in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s Hockey best-of-three semi-finals against the NAIT Ooks.

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Over two games, Ward impressively stopped 95.1 per cent of the Ooks’ shots, helping the RDP Queens advance to the finals.

In the Queens’ 2-1 victory in the opening game, Saskatoon’s Ward was solid between the pipes, making 27 saves (0.964).

The NAIT Ooks led 2-1 late in the second period of game two, but Ward’s brilliant play sparked an RDP Queens’ comeback. Teammate Rylee Mepham scored twice in the third period to solidify a 3-2 win and the series victory.

Ward, a Bachelor of Education student, stopped 31 shots (0.939).

Next, Ward and the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens will face off against the Lakeland College Rustlers on the road on Friday, March 6, in the best-of-five ACAC Championship. The RDP Queens will host the Rustlers in game two on Saturday, March 7, at 5 pm at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.

Colby Nemeth – Kings Volleyball

Program – Bachelor of Commerce (5th)

Hometown – Red Deer, Alberta

Colby Nemeth delivered a dominant performance when it mattered most.

Nemeth, the ACAC Men’s Volleyball South Player of the Year, helped lead the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings to gold at the ACAC Men’s Volleyball Championship held at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.

He was named the ACAC Men’s Volleyball Championship MVP.

In the Kings’ opening match sweep of the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings (25-20, 25-18 and 25-16), Nemeth led both squads with 14 kills. He added six digs, two service aces and one stuff block in the win.

Nemeth powered the Kings’ offence in their victory over the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks (25-13, 25-18 and 25-22). He recorded a match-high 19 kills and added one assist and one ace.

In the gold medal win over the Keyano College Huskies (26-24, 20-25, 25-19 and 25-22), Nemeth, a Bachelor of Commerce student, took his game to another level. He remarkably accumulated a game-high 25 kills, along with two digs, two assists and one service ace.

Nemeth and the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings will participate in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men’s Volleyball National Championship held from March 11-14 at NAIT.