York was well represented at the 2006 Canadian Beach Volleyball Championships, Aug. 26-27 in Toronto, as York Lions athletes, alumni and children of alumni won six different age divisions.
Lions third-year power hitter Paul Podstawka captured the under-24 national championship with partner Chris Simek in a tough three-set match. Podstawka was the under-20 champion last year and represented Canada at the World Under-21 Beach Volleyball Championships in September.
Right: Brothers Adam Podstawka (left) and Paul Paul Podstawka (centre) with Lions teammate, Reid Hall
In the under-20 championship, second-year York teammates Adam Podstawka and Reid Hall defeated an Alberta tandem to take the gold. Adam was selected to the Ontario University Athletics all-rookie team last season. With Hall last year, they claimed the 2005 under-18 championship.
York recruit Jonathan Turalinski, along with Erik Kuld, won the 2006 under-18 championship. Turalinski, a 6-foot-3-inch setter/right side, enters his first year at York this fall and will study kinesiology.
Children of York alumni also won gold in the under-14 division. Garrett May, son of John May, teamed with Richard Mackay to capture the boy’s title. John played for York from 1979-1983 and was an integral part of York’s three-year run of OUA titles from 1980-1982. On the girl’s side, Melissa Humana, daughter of York alumnus and current Lions women’s volleyball coach Hernan Humana (BA ’92), teamed with Julia Cerbo for the title.
On the senior side, York alumnus Rich van Huizen (BA ’98) teamed with Olympian Mark Heese to capture his first national senior crown. Van Huizen is the Lions record holder in career attack kills.
Hockey Lions take on NHL rookies at Ricoh Coliseum
The York Lions men’s hockey team will participate in the 2006 Toronto Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament, Sept. 8-12 at the Ricoh Coliseum. Joining York and the Toronto Maple Leafs rookies in the tournament are the Florida Panthers rookies and Montreal Canadiens rookies.
The Lions open the tournament on Friday, Sept. 8, at 4pm, against the Florida Panthers rookies. This will mark the beginning of head coach Bill Maguire’s tenure behind the York bench. Maguire was named the Lions new head coach earlier this month.
Key returnees for this year’s Lions squad include Phoenix Coyotes draft pick defenceman Marcus Smith, centres Tyler Harrison and Sean Langdon, wingers Matt Passfield and Blair Grennier, and goaltender Kevin Druce. Harrison, Druce, and Smith were among four Lions last year to practise with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the Olympic break.
Tournament Schedule
- Friday, Sept. 8
4pm – York Lions vs. Florida
7pm – Montreal vs. Toronto
- Saturday, Sept. 9
4pm – Montreal vs. Florida
7pm – York Lions vs. Toronto
- Monday, Sept. 11
4pm – Florida vs. Toronto
7pm – York Lions vs. Montreal
- Tuesday, Sept. 12
1pm – 3rd place vs. 4th place
4pm – 1st place vs. 2nd place
Tickets prices are $8 for a single game or $10 for a day pass (which includes both games). To purchase tickets visit Ticketmaster online, call 416-870-8000 or go to the ticket office at Ricoh Coliseum or Air Canada Centre. York students receive $2 off each ticket by logging onto Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca and entering the password: YLIONS.
For more information on York’s interuniversity sports teams, visit the Sport York Web site.