REDS Ready For National Championship
(FREDERICTON, NB) The 2024 U SPORTS Curling Championships begin at UNB’s Aitken Centre March 12th. They’ll run alongside those of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association.
Action takes place from March 12-16 at the Aitken Centre and Fredericton’s Capital Winter Club.
The university and college championships are part of a two-week curling extravaganza in Fredericton, which includes the 2024 Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship. Those run March 17-22.
The UNB men, led by skip Jamie Stewart, play their first game at 9:00pm Tuesday, on the ice at the Capital Winter Club.
“Playing for a national championship at home is a once in a lifetime experience,” said Stewart, now in his second season as UNB’s skip.
“Our goal for this week is to stay in the moment, take each game one step at a time and trust in our abilities to play our best to advance to the playoffs this weekend.”
UNB is joined in the national championship bonspiel by Guelph, Regina, Brock, Alberta, Laurier, Saint Mary’s, and Dalhousie.
They’ll play a round-robin schedule which wraps up Friday.
On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, there are draws at 8:30am, 12:30pm, 4:30pm, and 8:30pm, at both UNB and the CWC.
The top four teams will play semi-finals, at the Aitken Centre, at 9:30am on Saturday. Gold and bronze medal games will be played at 2:30pm.
“Every player on the team has had experience at national championship events and we feel this is a huge advantage for us,” said REDS’ head coach Lindsey MacKnight. “Having to play four of our games at the CWC will help us to be in familiar surroundings, where we played regular league games twice a week throughout this season.”
UNB earned the bronze medal at the 2024 Atlantic University Sport Championships.
“We’re honoured to be able to represent UNB here on campus at the Aitken Centre,” said Stewart. “We’re going to be making the best of every single minute on and off the ice.”
“The Aitken Centre is such a historic building for the university and we’re so fortunate to be able to compete on this ice.”
The REDS face the Brock Badgers, the OUA silver medallists, in their tournament opener.
“Make one more shot than our opponent in each and every game and we will secure our spot in the final four on Saturday,” said Coach MacKnight.
STORY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
FILE PHOTO: UPEI Athletics