By Alex Penz When the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) opened the door for Canadian Hockey League (CHL) athletes to compete south of the border, it didn’t just rewrite the definition of amateur status — it sent shockwaves through U Sports hockey. In 2024, the NCAA ruled that players from the CHL’s three leagues (QMJHL, WHL and OHL) will be permitted to play NCAA hockey beginning August 1, 2025. According to Sportsnet, 158 players are expected to join American

By Alex Penz It’s often said that bigger is better — and in this case, that might be true. In July 2022, the University of Windsor opened its brand new Toldo Lancer Centre (TLC), a $73-million project. The facility drew major attention, even earning the National Intramural and Recreation Sport Association’s 2023 Outstanding Facility Award. Part of the development was the new pool: eight lanes, 25 metres long. Looking back on the process of building the TLC, it surprises me th

I. Forging A Way Out Alijah Metz is a man caught between two worlds. In one, the lights of the stadium are bright, the roar of the crowd is a promise, and his uniform, a Canadian university shield, is the hard-won armour of an athlete preparing for the OUA semi-finals. In this world, Metz is a commanding defensive lineman, a master in explosive movement, fuelled by a philosophy he carries into every practice: to be “one percent better every day.” He is living the dream he fir