Highlights:
The 2017 Canada West Women's Rugby Championship is set for this weekend in Calgary, as the host Dinos, Victoria Vikes, Lethbridge Pronghorns, and UBC Thunderbirds vie for the conference title.
One team will earn the right to join the host Pronghorns at the U SPORTS national championship slated for November 2-5.
All four tournament games can be viewed on
Canada West TV by purchasing a tournament pass.
CALGARY – After claiming the program's first Canada West banner a year ago, the Calgary Dinos look to repeat this weekend, as they host the 2017 CW Women's Rugby Championship Friday through Sunday in the Stampede City.
All games will be available for viewing on Canada West TV by purchasing a tournament pass, which is on sale now for $6.99.
Following their 2016 win over the reigning CW champion Victoria Vikes, Calgary navigated another excellent regular season in 2017, running the table to finish 4-0. The Dinos capped off their perfect regular season last weekend with a pair of road wins, first with a narrow 27-22 victory over the UBC T-Birds on Friday, and then with a 34-22 win over the Vikes on Sunday.
The regular season finale wasn't only a rematch of last year's CW championship game, it was also a showdown for the regular season crown, as both teams headed into the contest with 3-0 marks.
While Calgary emerged with the win, the pair are hoping to clash once more this season, as the CW frontrunners prepare for their respective semis on Friday with hopes of advancing to Sunday's conference championship game.
The Dinos, led by Canadian senior national team player DaLeaka Menin and her team leading 35 points, take on the Thunderbirds (1-3 regular season) in the first semifinal, while the Vikes will take on the Lethbridge Pronghorns in the second semi.
Lethbridge enters the weekend after a 2-2 regular season, with their wins coming against the T-Birds and most recently the Alberta Pandas, who missed the playoffs for the first time in program history.
The 'Horns have the luxury of knowing their season will continue regardless of this weekend's outcome, as they get set to host the U SPORTS national championship tournament November 2-5, marking the second consecutive season a CW team hosts the event after Victoria welcomed the nation's best a year ago.
It's been an emotional 2017 for Lethbridge after head coach Ric Suggitt suddenly passed away in June due to a brain aneurysm. The team has rallied behind former head coach Neil Langevin and former Pronghorns star Ashley Steacy, who handled head coach and associate head coach duties respectfully this season.
Leading the way for the 'Horns this season has been Sarah Gordon, who finished fourth in conference scoring with 31 points during the regular season.
Speaking of offensive firepower, both the Vikes and Dinos have several stars to lean on, as the pair – along with UBC – compete for the conference title and the only other CW berth to nationals.
Fly half and 2015 CW outstanding player Jess Neilson led CW in scoring this season, as the fourth-year Vike tallied 59 points. Not far behind Neilson in the scoring race was Calgary native Madison Aberg, who posted 50 points for Victoria in her third season with the program. That dynamic duo was bolstered by Kara Galbraith, Emily Belchos, and Jennifer Appleby, who all finished inside the top 10 in scoring, as the Vikes a tallied a conference best 245 points in 2017.
For Calgary, Menin topped the team's scoring list, as the fifth-year prop finished with 35 points for a Dinos side that averaged 34 points during their perfect regular season.
For a full look at each competing team, click here for the full CW preview.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct. 20 - Hellard Field
1 p.m. - UBC vs. CGY
3 p.m. - LET vs. VIC
Sunday, Oct. 22 - McMahon Stadium
11 a.m. - bronze medal game
1 p.m. - CW championship game
*All games will be streamed live on Canada West TV.
About Canada West:
Canada West (CW) is the leading university athletic conference in the country and is home to champion student-athletes that excel in the classroom and their communities. Canada West and our 17 members from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba collectively carry on a legacy of competitive excellence, as our champions proudly go on to represent the conference at U SPORTS national championships.
Canada West – training leaders, building champions
