VICTORIA – Having qualified for the U SPORTS national championship tournament for the past two years, the UVic Vikes women's rugby team comes into the 2017 season looking to take the next step and capture a national medal.
CANADA WEST PREVIEW
The Vikes season gets underway with a game against the Alberta Pandas on Sep. 17 at 11:30 a.m., on the grass at Wallace Field.
"They always have a strong pack with some good size," said Vikes head coach
Brittany Waters of the Pandas. "They also have some very quick backs, we saw that in the sevens season and that will definitely add something to their team this year."
A strong core remains from those Vikes teams that got a taste of the national stage and with an influx of young players that hold impressive résumés, this iteration of the Vikes is poised to once again challenge for both the Canada West and National titles.
"We have an experienced team this year, a lot of the girls have been working together for three or four years now," said Waters. "Plus we have added some exciting players to the team this year as well."
Fourth-years
Julia Folk,
Madeleine Graham and
Jess Neilson all return to the Vikes after being named to the Canada West All-Star Team one year ago. Nine other players on the roster have played in two national championship tournaments, making this one of the most battle-tested Vikes teams in program history.
"Since making the championships two years ago, our goal every single year is to make it back to the national championship tournament," said Waters. "This year we are setting our sights even higher, we weren't happy with the way we finished last year and this team is even stronger than last year."
The Vikes get the added benefit of playing all four of their regular season games on the friendly confines of Wallace Field; playing the Pandas, UBC T-Birds, Lethbridge Pronghorns and Calgary Dinos before heading to Calgary for the Canada West conference tournament on Oct. 20-22.
Canada West UVic Vikes Season Preview
2016 CW regular season record: 3-1, 2nd
2016 post-season record: 1-3, 8th U SPORTS
Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2015 / 1
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 2015, 5th (highest finish)
2016 CW regular season ranks:
Offence: 157 points, 2nd
Defence: 73 points against, 2nd
2016 CW regular season leaders:
Points: 42 –
Jess Neilson, Fly Half
Tries: 6 –
Madeleine Graham, Back 3
Converts: 10 –
Jess Neilson, Fly Half
Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
Shaye Tudor / Flanker / 1 / Victoria, BC / Canadian U18 team
Renee Gonzales / Flanker / 1 / Toronto, ON / Lindenwood University
Sasha Guedes / Scrumhalf / 1 / Gatineau, QC / John Abbott College
Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
Shannon Fitzpatrick / Lock / Calgary, AB / 5
Chelsey Minter / Prop / Sidney, BC / 5
Key performer:
Madeleine Graham
Back 3
4th-year
Edmonton, AB
Madeleine Graham enters her fourth-year with the Vikes having led the team in tries for the past two seasons. The Back 3 player was named to the Canada West All-Star team last season after scoring six tries in four games.
