VICTORIA – Ranked seventh in the nation to open the season, the University of Victoria women's rugby team is filled with optimism as they begin their Canada West campaign this Saturday, Sept. 9th, at 1:00 p.m. on Wallace Field, against the University of British Columbia.
The Vikes finished second in the conference in 2022 before hosting the U SPORTS National Championship, where they landed sixth overall after losing a heartbreaking opening match to the top-seeded Queen's University.
"We're coming off a great year with a group of very experienced athletes," said head coach
Brittany Waters. "Our goal is to get into the top four in the country and take a step forward, but we know it won't be easy. We've got a lot of strong returning athletes and talented rookies who are primed from playing all summer. Keys to our success this year will be our speed, fitness, organization, and ability to play a fast paced game."
The summer was a busy time for Vikes student-athletes who represented BC and Canada at the U18, U20, U23 and senior national levels, while others headed overseas to play in various pro leagues.
Key Returners
Zoe Williams (prop),
Maelle Reed (back 3),
Justine Blatt-Janmaat (scrum-half) and
Madison Jumeau (back row) make up a robust senior contingent who are all coming off a busy summer representing Canada's U23 team on tour in Boston.
Joining them on tour was
Maggie MacKinnon (centre), who spent the first half of last year sidelined with an injury but returned for the Canada West sevens season as an immediate contributor.
Williams, who earned a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian and Canada West All-Star accolades last season, is prepared and ready to make waves, having also attended a 40-athlete pre-tournament camp with Canada's senior national team ahead of the Pacific Four Series this summer.
Last year's U SPORTS Rookie of the Year,
Carissa Norsten, is also back, having recently spent time on the Canadian senior women's sevens team roster that qualified for the Paris Olympics. Norsten is a multi-talented back 3 who will be hard to stop, especially alongside her speedy second-year teammate,
Lucie Romeo (back 3), a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian who led the Vikes in points and tries in 2022-23.
Players to watch
Piper Walsh of Luskville, QC, joins the Vikes as a highly athletic player, adding size and skill to the back row. Waters is excited by what she's seen so far and says Walsh looks promising coming into this season.
Another experienced newcomer is
Elle Douglas (fly half), who represented Canada this summer with Vikes teammate
Olivia Newsome (centre) at the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. Originally from Saskatoon, SK, Douglas moved to BC in 2021 to play with the McDowell Rugby Academy.
Not only is this year's Vikes squad overflowing with talent, but what they've lacked in experience in the past is no longer the case with a very deep roster of athletes who are ready to make a splash.
On the bench
On the sidelines with Waters, who enters her ninth season as head coach, are returning assistant coaches Chanelle Edwards-Challenger and Jess Dovanne. Joining the all-alumni bench boss crew is Oliver Winser, a former Vikes men's rugby player who is a coach with the BC age-grade program and various other clubs, including the BC Bears and Castaway Wanderers RFC.
Saturday's match also marks the opening day for the UVic men's rugby team who take on Victoria's Pacific Pride following the women's match at 3:00 p.m. on Wallace Field.
Tickets are available online.
