Fifth-year men’s basketball guard Ritchie Kanza Mata set a new Atlantic University Sport (AUS) career assists record on January 15, 2017. The previous record was set by Cape Breton Capers guard John Ryan 1995.

Ryan had 535 total regular season assists in his five years with the Capers. Kanza Mata went into Sunday’s game versus Saint Mary’s with 531. He collected five assists in the Tigers 75-71 loss to Saint Mary’s, surpassing Ryan’s record by one.

An AUS first team all-star last season, Kanza Mata was fifth in the rankings to start the season with a total of 488 assists. He passed Saint Mary’s Mark Ross and Jonah Taussig and Cape Breton’s Stephen Nelson earlier in the season before earning his new title. He is also one of only three AUS players to reach the 500 mark.

Kanza Mata was selected to the AUS all-rookie team in the 2011-12 season and was the AUS defensive player of the year in 2014-15. A two-time Tigers men’s basketball MVP, he received the Climo Award last season as Dalhousie’s top male athlete.

A Toronto, ON native, Kanza Mata is also in the top 10 for most assists in a single season, sitting at number 6 after earning 140 during the 2014-15 season.