Everyone tells you that you’re going to university to learn. While that may be true, there’s also nothing wrong with getting in touch with your athletic side while at school. Carleton offers students many opportunities to be involved in the sporting community, be it on the field, court, ice, pool or in the stands.

Capital Hoops Classic
In the middle of the city’s frigid winter, Carleton and University of Ottawa students put studying aside to focus on a real issue: which school has the better basketball team.

The Carleton Ravens men's hockey team have added Brampton Battalion assistant captain Brad Albert to the fold for the 2010-11 season.

Albert, who hails from Ottawa, played his minor hockey in the Nepean Raiders system. The 6’0” defenceman will complement an already solid Ravens back end, who allowed only 87 goals against this past season, good enough for third in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East.

In addition to his play on the ice, Ravens head coach Fred Parker also speaks highly of the character he expects Albert to bring to the table.

All year long, Carleton’s head coach Dave Smart said that his team shouldn’t be considered the favourite to once again capture the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) National Basketball Championship. As it turns out, he wasn’t kidding.

The Saskatchewan Huskies proved to be too much for the Ravens, as they upset the home team 86-82 in the semifinal match-up March 20 at Scotiabank Place.

Although Smart was pleased with his team’s effort, he said their execution was lacking throughout the night.

“You have to play well to be a great basketball team,” Smart said in the post-game media scrum. “We played hard and we fought but we didn’t play well.”

In their first year without the likes of Aaron Doornekamp and Stu Turnbull, the Carleton Ravens are Ontario University Athletics (OUA) champions once again after they defeated the University of Windsor Lancers 71-52 March 13. 

A defensive performance with gritty rebounding and hustle led the Ravens to the dominating and well-deserved victory.

Both teams had defence in mind from the opening tipoff.  After the teams struggled early offensively, the Ravens went on a tear, taking a 22-11 lead heading into the second quarter. 

The Ravens set up the solid run with the defence that head coach Dave Smart has always enforced, leading to numerous fast break points. 

Off the first inbound play in the second quarter, Kevin McCleery used a combination of size and athleticism for a left hand finger roll.

The McGill University Redmen defeated the Carleton men’s hockey team 5-1 on Friday Feb. 26, forcing a third and deciding game in the Ontario University Athletics East semi-finals series Feb. 28 in which McGill ended Carleton’s season defeating the Ravens 6-2.

The Friday night game at the Carleton Ice House began in favour of the Ravens with an early goal from Mike Byrd during a power play three minutes into the first period. Unfortunately Redmen forward Andrew Wright evened out the score shortly afterward, despite Carleton’s aggressive defence. 

With about five minutes left in the period, the Ravens took advantage of a power play, taking several shots on McGill’s net. However, the Redmen countered the Raven’s assault and managed to slip in another goal giving McGill a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of intense play.  

In the second period McGill came out aggressively and took advantage of several power plays to hammer shots on Carleton goaltender Alexander Archibald. During an intense battle for the puck in Carleton’s defensive zone, Redmen forward Chris Downey’s helmet was knocked off, resulting in a high sticking penalty for the Ravens. It was in the following power play that McGill’s Francis Verreault-Paul scored his second goal of the game.

Going into their first playoff game on Feb. 27 with an impressive 20-2 record, the Carleton men’s basketball team faced the York University Lions, and eliminated them in a decisive 78-65 win in the Ravens’ Nest.

Despite losing the initial toss-up, the Ravens pulled ahead early on a foul called against York’s Stefan Hayes. The Lions battled back with a three pointer by David Tyndall, but the Ravens responded immediately with a basket by Elliot Thompson. The Lions and Ravens went back and forth until midway through the first quarter, when the Ravens came alive and ended the quarter with a strong 8-point lead.

Coming into the second quarter, the Ravens seemed too relaxed, allowing York to dominate for the first few minutes. The Lions defence pressured the Ravens, making it difficult to get a shot off.

The Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team were trampled by the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees for the second year in a row in an intense 59-54 loss in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East finals Saturday Feb. 27.

The Carleton hoopsters came out fired up and looking for revenge over last year’s OUA East Semi-finals in which the Gee-Gees defeated them 55-49 putting an end to their season. However, their spirit alone couldn’t stop the Gee-Gees from coming out stronger in the first quarter and capturing an early lead of 14-8.

The Ravens went 2-13 in the field while the Gee-Gees went 5-12.

Throughout the second quarter the Ravens were tough, but their intensity led them to a bit of foul trouble. Coupled with shots that still wouldn’t drop, the Gee-Gees were able to maintain a solid lead of 28-20. The Gee-Gees also out-rebounded the Ravens 16-11.

The Carleton varsity swim team participated in back-to-back meets at the University of Ottawa and Queen’s University Jan. 22-23.

The Ravens’ 6 a.m. practices and increased dedication appear to have been worth it as the team broke personal and school-wide records.

After two full days of competing, head coach Dale Coleman could only speak highly of her teams’ accomplishments.

 “It was a great tune-up as we head into the OUA [Ontario University Athletics’] championships.”

Coleman said the team had a number of lifetime best times.

There is never a lack of sub plots when the Queen’s University men’s basketball team comes to Carleton. 

In addition to being Raven head coach Dave Smart’s alma mater, his older brother, Rob, coaches the Golden Gaels.

But at the end of four quarters, Dave’s Ravens proved to be the victors, defeating Queens 74-58 Jan. 22 in the Ravens’ Nest.

“It’s always tough. It’s my older brother and my old school. Someone has to win and someone has to lose,” Dave said.

The win is Carleton’s sixth straight, moving them to 12-1 in the season, and retaining their sole possession of first place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) east division.