UM Today UM Today University of Manitoba UM Today UM Today UM Today

Wpg Free Press: Banner-raising reunites Bisons

October 9, 2018 — 

As the Winnipeg Free Press reports

Caitlin Fyten has a life without hockey now, but the memories of winning a national championship as a member of the University of Manitoba Bisons women’s hockey team this past spring won’t be forgotten any time soon.

The 23-year-old from Sundre, Alta., who served as Manitoba’s captain for two seasons, got a vivid reminder of the Bisons’ storybook road to the U Sports title in 2017-18, when teammates past and current gathered Friday night to celebrate with a banner-raising ceremony prior to the U of M’s regular-season opener at Wayne Fleming Arena.

It was a poignant day for Fyten, a blue-liner, and fellow grads Venla Hovi, Charity Price, Alana Serhan and Nicole Carswell, all forwards, and goaltender Rachel Dyck. All six were back on the ice together for the first time since beating Western Ontario 2-0 in the championship game March 18.

“I remember the atmosphere on the bench in the last couple of minutes of the game,” Fyten said. “Everyone was hugging each other and holding each other. It was just really cool to see the girls that close.”

Fyten, who has returned to live and work in Alberta after earning her environmental studies degree, remembered the pledge she made to her dad, Harvey, who was diagnosed with cancer during her rookie season at the U of M. He died two years later, and wasn’t able to see his daughter’s championship season.

“It was definitely tough, but I know when he first told me he was sick, he made me promise I would stick out my five years and play it all there in Winnipeg,” she said. “So, I think he would’ve been very happy to see that and ending it that way.”

Read the full story here

© University of Manitoba • Winnipeg, Manitoba • Canada • R3T 2N2

Emergency: 204-474-9341