OTTAWA (CIS) – The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds climb to the top of the CIS men’s basketball rankings this week, while the University of Alberta Golden Bears make their way back to No. 1 in men’s hockey.

In other CIS sports, Windsor (women’s basketball), McGill (women’s hockey), Guelph (women’s & men’s cross country), Calgary (women’s swimming), Toronto (men’s swimming), Trinity Western (women’s volleyball) and Alberta (men’s volleyball) all keep the pole position.

In men’s hoops, the Thunderbirds (4-0), who were ranked second a week ago, received 25 of 41 first-place votes in the third coaches’ poll of the campaign, compared to 15 for the No. 2 Carleton Ravens (1-1) and one for the No. 3 Acadia Axemen (2-0).  

The reigning two-time national champion Ravens had led the last 31 weekly polls before today, including the first two this season, all 14 each of the past two years, and the last one of 2009-10. UBC was the last team to be ranked No. 1 before Carleton’s run.  

The T-Birds remained undefeated in Canada West last weekend with a pair of home wins over Thompson Rivers, 82-70 and 97-63. The Ravens, meanwhile, dropped their regular season opener last Friday, 71-67 at Windsor, before rebounding the next night with an 86-46 domination of Western. Carleton had won 44 conference games in a row since an 80-74 loss to York on Feb. 5, 2010.

In men’s hockey, the Golden Bears (9-3) move up one spot in the sixth Top 10 of the season and return to the No. 1 position they had occupy for one week in mid-October. The 17-member media panel split the first-place votes between five teams this week, including 10 to Alberta, three to No. 2 Acadia (8-2), two to No. 3 Saskatchewan (8-2) and one apiece to No. 4 UNB (7-3) and No. 5 UQTR (7-3-1).  

The Bears swept a two-game series against provincial rival Calgary over the weekend, 5-2 and 4-1. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan, which was ranked No. 1 each of the past two weeks, edged Regina 2-1 in overtime on Friday before dropping the rematch by the same score, in regulation, on Saturday.

In cross-country running, the Guelph Gryphons top the final rankings of the season following another sweep of the team banners at the CIS championships in London, on Saturday. It marked the eighth consecutive national title for the Guelph women and the seventh in a row for the Gryphon men, both record streaks in cross country.  

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous rankings)  

1. Windsor (2-0) / 489 points (39) / (1)

2. Fraser Valley (4-0) / 452 (2) / (2)

3. Regina (3-1) / 407 / (3)

4. Carleton (1-1) / 361 / (4)

5. Saint Mary’s (3-0) / 335 / (5)

6. Acadia (2-0) / 261 / (8)

7. Saskatchewan (2-2) / 220 / (6)

8. Victoria (2-2) / 194 / (7)

9. Wilfrid Laurier (1-0) / 181 / (9)

10. UBC (4-0) / 149 / (10)

Also receiving votes: Calgary (92), Concordia (16), Alberta (13).  

MEN’S BASKETBALL

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous rankings)

1. UBC (4-0) / 486 points (25) / (2)

2. Carleton (1-1) / 469 (15) / (1)

3. Acadia (2-0) / 428 (2) / (3)

4. McGill (1-0) / 354 / (6)

5. Windsor (2-0) / 316 / (9)

6. Cape Breton (2-0) / 275 / (8)

7. Lakehead (1-1) / 262 / (5)

8. Fraser Valley (2-2) / 174 / (4)

9. Saskatchewan (2-2) / 151 / (7)

10. Victoria (4-0) / 112 / (NR)

Also receiving votes: Ryerson (89), Alberta (36).

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