University of Calgary Athletics

Heidi Erdle’s transfer west paid off...eventually.

In her first year with the Calgary Dinos after transferring from UNB, Erdle was crowned CIS champion in the women’s 59 kg weight class at the CIS Wrestling Championships over the weekend – and she did it in spectacular fashion. In her first-round match-up against two-time defending champion Michelle Fazzari of Brock, it looked as if her gold medal hopes had been snuffed out. After losing the first round she appeared to have lost the second as well, until a protest was upheld and a third round called for. Again Fazzari was initially awarded the victory, but video review reversed the call to give Erdle the match.

That was all on Day 1.

After sweeping through the rest of her matches Friday, Erdle was paired with Saskatchewan’s Amy Dyck in the gold medal final. Dyck, a three-time CIS medallist, had defeated Erdle at the Canada West championship only two weeks previous, but it was the Calgary wrestler that got the upper hand on the national stage to win her first CIS title in straight rounds.

Erdle was named the CIS Outstanding Wrestler for her efforts and was part of the dominant Dinos women’s team that won six of the eight weight classes en route to the school’s fifth women’s wrestling team championship.