Three Stars: Ivicak, Leggatt, Benn earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Kayla Ivicak is MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after leading the Griffins women's basketball team to a split during a weekend road trip to Manitoba.
The fourth-year guard, who always sets an example with her sheer intensity and hustle, recorded back-to-back double-doubles, while adding nine total steals in a pair of wins.
Other athletes recognized during the past week include second star Hannah Leggatt from the Griffins cross-country team and third star Ryan Benn of the men's hockey team.
Ivicak and Benn are making her first appearances of the 2017-18 season on the three stars list, while Leggatt is making the list for the second time, having previously been named second star on Oct. 31.
1st STAR: Kayla Ivicak, G, women's basketball (St. Albert, AB, fourth-year, Commerce)
Ivicak led the Griffins with back-to-back double-doubles against the Manitoba Bisons to help MacEwan earn a weekend split on their road trip. In just six Canada West games this season, the fourth-year guard has four double-doubles, already eclipsing her entire 2016-17 output in that stat when she led the Griffins with three.
In Friday's 70-56 win, Ivicak was a warrior, all over the court in recording 20 points, 12 rebounds and a game-high four steals, while adding two assists and a block.
In Saturday's 63-54 defeat, she was still the biggest thorn in the Bisons' side with 17 points, 14 rebounds and a game-high five steals, while adding an assist and a block.
Ivicak is tied for first in Canada West with 3.3 steals per game, is fourth with 10.2 rebounds per game and sits 17th in conference scoring with an average of 14.8 points per game.
The Griffins women's basketball team heads into a bye week before next hosting UNBC on Nov. 24-25.
2nd STAR: Hannah Leggatt, cross country (Edmonton, AB, third-year, Nursing)
With the fastest 8K run in MacEwan women's cross-country history, recorded at the 2017 USPORTS championship on Sunday in Victoria, B.C., Leggatt won a conference award for the third-straight season. Her time of 30:19.33 placed her 33rd in USPORTS and ninth overall in Canada West. That was enough for her to be selected as a conference second-team all-star.
Leggatt was a Canada West first-team all-star in 2016 and was named the conference's rookie of the year in 2015.
Leggatt's result led the Griffins women's cross-country team to a 16th-place finish in the USPORTS ranks (fifth amongst nine Canada West squads in attendance).
Hannah Leggatt races to a ninth-place finish among Canada West runners competing at the USPORTS cross-country championship in Victoria, B.C. on Sunday (APShutter.com).
3rd STAR: Ryan Benn, F, men's hockey (Spruce Grove, AB, fifth-year, Science)
The veteran team captain not only inspired and led the Griffins to a pair of big weekend victories over cross-town rival Concordia, he contributed six points. In Friday's 7-2 win over the Thunder at the Bill Hunter Arena, he had a goal and an assist – one of six players on the Griffins with multi-point efforts.
On Saturday, with the Griffins languishing in a tied game through 40 minutes, Benn was key off-ice to get them back on track. They proceeded to score four times in the third period and win 6-2. The captain wound up with a goal and two assists again – one of four Griffins with multi-point efforts.
For the season, Benn now leads the Griffins in scoring with 11 points in 10 games, tied for ninth in the ACAC.
Ryan Benn battles for the puck off a faceoff against Concordia on Saturday. The Griffins captain produced two goals and four assists in a pair of weekend wins over the Thunder (Matthew Jacula photo).
