VICTORIA - Three current and former University of Victoria Vikes will represent Canada on the international stage next month, as Ivy Poetker, ShonDreya Smardon and recent graduate Ella O'Regan have been named to Canada's women's team for the 2026 FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens.

The championship will take place Sept. 4-6 in Stellenbosch, South Africa, with Canada looking to build on its silver-medal performance at the 2024 championship in Aix-en-Provence, France.

The Canadian women have a strong history at the event, winning three world university titles since rugby sevens joined the FISU World University Championship program in 2004.

The 2026 Canadian squad features student-athletes from 10 universities across Canada and the United States, including three representatives from UVic.

Third-year Vike Poetker brings senior international experience to the Canadian lineup after touring with Canada's senior women's sevens program during the opening stops of the 2025-26 HSBC SVNS season in Dubai and Cape Town.

Joining Poetker is second-year Vike Smardon, who represented Canada on its U21 tour of the United Kingdom earlier this year. Both players will bring their power and speed to the Canadian squad before returning to Victoria for the 2026 U SPORTS season, where the Vikes will once again pursue a national championship.

Recent graduate O'Regan adds extensive university and international experience to the Canadian roster. During her time at UVic, O'Regan earned U SPORTS All-Canadian and Canada West All-Star honours and was named to the Canada West Sevens Dream Team, while also helping the Vikes to a Canada West championship in 2025. She has also represented Canada internationally, including experience on the HSBC SVNS circuit.

The University Sport South Africa will host the championship, and Maties Sport at Stellenbosch University will organize it.
 
Team Canada roster
 

Number	Name	Position	University	Hometown
1	Ivy Poetker	Forward	Victoria	Calgary, Alta.
2	Jaime Dickson	Forward	UBC	Kamloops, B.C.
3	Sam Reid	Forward	Acadia	River John, N.S.
4	Ava Ference	Back	Harvard	Shawnigan Lake, B.C.
5	Ella O'Regan	Back	Victoria	Victoria, B.C.
6	Rachel Cullum	Back	Queen's	Ottawa, Ont.
7	Ava van Santen	Back	Trinity Western	Aldergrove, B.C.
8	Corine Bellavance	Forward	Laval	Quebec, Que.
9	Mistura Are	Forward	York	Barrie, Ont.
10	Megan Allard	Back	Concordia	St-Lazare, Que.
11	Grace Dingwall	Back	Ottawa	Ottawa, Ont.
12	ShonDreya Smardon	Back	Victoria	Ottawa, Ont.

 
Team staff
 

Name	Role	University	Hometown
Robin MacDowell	Coach	Victoria	Cowichan Bay, B.C.
Chelsea Ross	Coach	Alberta	Edmonton, Alta.
Clarence Gay	Team official	—	Ajax, Ont.
Emily Hickson	Medical personnel	—	Ottawa, Ont.