Three Stars: Walisser, Osunde, Kilbreath earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Men's volleyball student-athlete Alexei Walisser is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after his prolific kill count against the Calgary Dinos on the weekend.
Walisser had 35 kills over two matches, including 23 on Friday, a performance which cracked the all-time top-10 list for kills by a Griffin in a Canada West match.
Men's basketball student-athlete Matthew Osunde and women's basketball student-athlete Noelle Kilbreath are the second and third stars, respectively.
Both Walisser and Kilbreath are appearing on the Three Stars list for the second time this season (Walisser was previously first star on Nov. 8 and Kilbreath was first star on Nov. 15). Osunde cracks the list for the first time in 2022-23.
1st STAR: Alexei Walisser, OH, men's volleyball
Peace River, AB, fifth-year, Commerce
Walisser earns his second first star of the week award this month after a terrific weekend against the Calgary Dinos.
In Friday's narrow 3-2 loss, he produced 23 kills, which landed him in the top-10 for most kills in a Canada West match by Griffin.
He joins Shane Kerrison (who reached 23 kills twice – in 2016 and 2018) and Ryan Zachary (in 2017) in a tie for the seventh-most all-time.
Only Max Vriend and current assistant coach Lee Iverson have ever had more in a match with Vriend holding the program record of 32 set in 2020.
Walisser added 12 kills in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Dinos and now has a team-leading 103 kills in eight matches. Only eight players in Canada West have more.
Walisser will lead the Griffins as they head out on the road this weekend, visiting Brandon on Friday (6:45 p.m. MT) and Saturday (5:45 MT, both Canada West TV).
2nd STAR: Matthew Osunde, PG, men's basketball
Morinville, AB, second-year, Science
Matthew Osunde produced a combined 30 points and 12 rebounds in two games against the Calgary Dinos on the weekend (David Moll photo).
The Griffins' most consistent player in a weekend series at Calgary, Osunde led the team in scoring and rebounding as he continues to grow at the Canada West level.
In Friday's 80-69 loss, he had a team-high 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in a marathon game-high 38 minutes on the court.
In Saturday's 89-65 defeat, Osunde again led the Griffins with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists in a game-high 34 minutes as he continues to get better at the point guard position.
Beyond the offensive production, the Morinville, Alta. product is also tasked with guarding the opposition's best guards and is getting it done at both ends of the floor.
For the season, Osunde is second on the Griffins with 10.7 points per game, leads the team in rebounding (6.8/game) and is also tops in assists (4.5/game).
Osunde will lead MacEwan into weekend home action vs. Winnipeg on Friday (8 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m., both David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).
3rd STAR: Noelle Kilbreath, G, women's basketball
Calgary, AB, third-year, Science
Noelle Kilbreath led the Griffins with 35 points in two games against the Calgary Dinos over the weekend (David Moll photo).
Kilbreath cracks the Three Stars list for the second-straight week after another huge performance in her hometown.
After a big series against Mount Royal University on Nov. 11-12, she returned to Calgary to face the Dinos last weekend, producing 35 points in two games.
In Friday's 73-57 loss, Kilbreath led the Griffins with 18 points, three rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes on the court.
In Saturday's 80-54 loss to the Dinos, she again led MacEwan with 17 points, four rebounds and five assists in 28 minutes of action.
For the season, Kilbreath is leading the Griffins with 16.0 points/game (tied for 14th in Canada West) and is also tops in steals (1.3) and shares the lead in assists (2.5).
Kilbreath will lead the Griffins into home action vs. Winnipeg on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (6 p.m., both David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).
