The University of Victoria women’s rugby 15s team has already made history this fall, but they’re hoping their run isn’t done yet. After a perfect season and a Canada West title, the top-ranked Vikes opened their U Sports championship run with a 41-8 victory over the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium on Oct. 29. It’s the first time in program history UVic has entered nationals as the number one seed. The Vikes came in confident after winning all seven of their games this year, including an 18-17 victory over UBC in the Canada West final on Oct. 19—redemption after losing to the same team in last year’s championship. Head coach Brittany Waters said the team’s success comes down to a new mindset and years of steady building. “We knew going into the season that we were going to have a really strong squad,” Waters told Saanich News. “We’ve had back-to-back silvers at nationals, so there were a lot of hungry players coming back who were going for that gold. We also had some new players join who’ve really stepped up. It’s a great, well-rounded group.” Waters, recently named Canada West Coach of the Year for the second time, said her team is focused on itself heading into the tournament. “We have a really hungry group here,” Waters said. “Our attack is tried and true, but I feel like we have a really balanced group. We’re just focusing on what we do and how we can do it best.” Throughout the regular season and the Canada West championships, the Vikes outscored their opponents 325-64. One of the driving forces behind that was fourth-year fullback Carissa Norsten, named Canada West Most Valuable Player after leading UVic with seven tries and 35 points. “She comes to practice early, she works as hard as anyone in this league,” Waters said. “You often see the superstars get the recognition, and with this one, it really is so well-deserved. She’s a leader for our group in more ways than one.” The 2024 Olympic silver medalist was one of six Vikes named conference all-stars, along with Sierra Gillis, Faith Tilley, Justine Blatt-Janmaat, Maggie MacKinnon, and Ella O’Regan. The tournament is being played at the home of their biggest rivals, UBC, but Waters knows her team will have support as the week goes on. “We’re going to be playing for each other out there. Regardless of whether people are cheering for or against us, we have such a strong group,” she said. “We’ve done a really good job of building a positive team culture here, and our players really thrive in these moments.” Waters has led the program to a medal in every season since taking over in 2015. “This isn’t just a job, it’s my passion,” she said. “I get to work with incredible athletes and staff who love the game and each other, and that’s what makes this so special.” The other quarter-finals will see STFX face Guelph, UBC meet Laval, and Queen’s take on Acadia later on Oct. 29. UVic’s next test comes on Oct. 31 against the winner of Guelph and STFX. All 11 games of the U Sports championship are being streamed live on CBC’s digital platforms.
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