With 12 wrestlers competing, Concordia University will send one of its largest contingents ever to the CIS championships at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Feb. 25 and 26.
From the strong group, the coaching staff is counting on several medals.
There are high hopes for David Tremblay (57 kg), a former junior national champion who joined the Stingers in January 2009. He won gold medals at nationals in 2009 and last March. He was named the outstanding CIS male wrestler in 2009.
There are more strong medal contenders on the Concordia men’s roster. Matthew Miller (82 kg) won a gold medal in 2007 and a silver medal in 2006 in the 68-kilo weight class as a member of the McMaster University wrestling team. Last year, we won his first gold medal as a member of the Concordia Stingers at 82 kilos.
Scott Schiller (65 kg) and Michael Noonan (76 kg) both finished fourth at the 2010 CIS nationals.
Olympian David Zilberman (130 kg) returns to the nationals for his fifth and final appearance. He finished 14th in the 96 kilos division of the 2008 Olympics. Zilberman has four medals in four CIS nationals – two golds, a silver and a bronze at his last appearance in 2009.
The Concordia men’s team finished in fifth place with 34 points at the 2010 championship.
On the women’s side, Nikita Chicoine (63 kg) hopes to improve on her 2009 and 2010 bronze medal performances. She also has a silver medal to her credit from the 2008 championship. She was named the outstanding women’s rookie at the 2008 competition.
As well, two accomplished second-year athletes will compete this week. Veronica Keefe (72 kg) and Elisabeth Williams (67 kg) hope to be on the podium.
Williams won a silver medal in 2010. She also won a silver medal at the World University Wrestling Championships last October and a gold medal at Pan-Am Games last May.
The wrestling team is coached by Victor Zilberman who has run the Concordia program since 1977. He has guided his athletes to 55 gold medals and six team titles at the nationals. Since 1980, Concordia has won 110 medals. In addition eight Concordia athletes have been named the outstanding wrestler at the CIS tournament, and Zilberman has been named Coach of the Year on three occasions - in 2006, 1986 and in 1984.
