2015 PACWEST badminton awards announced, three KPU Eagles receive honours

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

Metro Vancouver.....The KPU Eagles are exceptionally proud of our women’s badminton program as the 2015 PACWEST season awards were announced this week. The Eagles congratulate Willine Kwee, Richmond, BC of women’s singles, and Rosalynn Chong, Vancouver, BC and Veronica Yeung, Vancouver, BC of women’s doubles on being named PACWEST Conference All-Stars. Kwee, Chong, and Yeung will represent PACWEST at the 2015 CCAA Badminton Nationals in Halifax, NS March 4-7, 2015. The championship will be hosted by the University of King’s College (ACAA).

Eagles second-year Kwee defeated Langara College Falcons first-year Jacinda Yeung, Hong Kong (G1: 24-22, G2: 15-21, G3: 22-20) and Mariners’ first-year Helen Cheung, Winnipeg, MB (G1: 21-15, G2: 21-9) to win 2015 PACWEST gold and advance to the CCAA Badminton Nationals in Halifax, NS. The second-year KPU business student started off strong with Yeung and led in the second game until a misstep on the court caused Kwee to have to adjust her game. Kwee would lose the second game but fought hard and came back to clinch the third game and overall set, before she dispatched Cheung in two quick games.

This will be Kwee’s second consecutive CCAA Nationals appearance, but the first in women’s singles. Last year in the 2014 Championships in Edmonton, AB Kwee competed in women’s doubles. For her hard work at this year’s 2015 PACWEST Provincials, Kwee has been named ‘Athlete of the Week’ in three separate honours; the KPU Eagles/Sheraton Vancouver Guildford, PACWEST, and CCAA.

“Willine is a fighter. Even when she is down during a game, she has great control and discipline to stay focused to get the job done,” said Eagles head coach Morgan van Heukelom, “She played an unbelievable game against Jacinda. She came through in a very hard-fought three games and we are very proud that she will be representing KPU at Nationals.”

KPU’s third-year Chong, Vancouver, BC and second-year Yeung, Vancouver, BC defeated VIU’s second-year Darby Walker, Nanaimo, BC and fourth-year Lucy Bonar, Nanaimo, BC (G1: 21-8, 21-9) in the first round and went on to claim gold over Falcons first-year’s Jamie Shum and Karina Shum, both from Vancouver, BC (G1: 22-20, G2: 16-21, 21-19).

Chong will also make her second consecutive CCAA Nationals appearance in Halifax, but in women’s doubles. Chong, along with mixed doubles partner Chris Chung, Hong Kong, earned silver in the 2014 PACWEST Provincials and PACWEST All-Star honours. Chong and Chung competed in the 2014 CCAA badminton Nationals in Edmonton, AB hosted by NAIT and added a CCAA bronze medal to their hardware.

This will be Yeung’s first trip to Nationals, as well as her first All-Star nod.“Rosalynn and Veronica had to fight against Langara and beat them in three games in a close, hard-fought battle,” stated Coach van Heuklom, “They had to adjust their game plan and play a more mixed-doubles style but their tenacity and strength won out in the end. We are so proud of the fight they gave and are excited to see them compete at Nationals.”

Photo Credit: Tree Frog Imaging

For more information on the 2015 CCAA Badminton National Championships hosted by the University of King's College in Halifax, please visit: http://www.ccaa.ca/national-championship-s15075.

For more information on the Department of Athletics & Recreation, please contact Junelle Mah, sports information and marketing, at 604-786-0804 or at junelle.mah@kpu.ca.

The KPU Eagles Department of Athletics & Recreation enters its 14th season of interuniversity competition. The Eagles are members of the PACWEST conference and play in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with 100 student-athletes participating on eight varsity teams in men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, badminton and golf. KPU athletics plays its home games at the Eagles’ Nest (Surrey Campus), Northview Golf & Country Club, Newton Athletic Park, all located in Surrey, BC and the Ace Badminton Centre in Richmond, BC. The Eagles are active in the conference with staff members on various advisory committees and competing to host both provincial and national championships. The student-athletes are mainly from the lower mainland but KPU’s rosters have included student-athletes from North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

Follow the Eagles on Twitter @KPU Eagles, on Facebook www.facebook.com/KPUEagles, or on our website www.kpu.ca/eagles.