The Concordia Stingers men's and women's basketball teams open the 2005-'06 Quebec university season this Friday night by hosting the UQAM Citadins at the Concordia gym.
The Concordia men's team begins its defence of its 2005 Quebec championship. The Stingers ran up a 15-1 regular season record versus Quebec opponents last year.
The team then defeated the Bishop's Gaiters in the semifinals and the Laval Rouge et Or in the conference championship to earn a berth at the national championships.
The Stingers were silver medallists at the nationals. Concordia begins the new campaign as an unranked team in the CIS. The Stingers posted a 4-4 win-loss record versus Canadian university teams in the preseason. The team also played seven division 1 NCAA teams and recorded seven losses in November. The American opponents included the Duke University Blue Devils and the University of Connecticut Huskies, who are ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the ESPN/USA Today NCAA men's basketball preseason poll.
The Concordia women's team is in a rebuilding phase after posting a 9-7 record and reaching the conference final in 2005. The Stingers have a 1-8 record versus CIS opponents in the preseason.
The basketball doubleheader will tip off at 6 p.m. with the men's game. The women's game will follow at 8 p.m.
To celebrate the start of the season, the first 250 fans will receive a men's basketball poster and an Emilie Ruel collector's card. It will also mark the dance debut of the Concordia Stinger Spirit Squad who will perform at halftime of both games.
The Concordia gym is located at 7200 Sherbrooke St. W. For ticket information call (514) 848-2424, ext. 3898.
