RUGBY: Reigning champion T-Birds favourites in coaches poll

September 16, 2021

VANCOUVER - Canada West coaches pegged the UBC Thunderbirds as the team to beat in 2021, as the women's rugby 15s preseason poll was released Thursday.

UBC received the maximum 16 points in the annual preseason coaches poll. The Thunderbirds are coming off of their first conference championship in 2019.

The Victoria Vikes came in second in the poll with 13 points followed by the Calgary Dinos (10 points) in third. The Dinos finished the 2019 regular season on top of the conference standings with 24 points.

The Lethbridge Pronghorns (6 points) and Alberta Pandas (5 points) rounded out the poll in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

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The Pronghorns and Pandas will get the 2021 season underway on Saturday night with a 7:00 p.m MDT meeting in Lethbridge.

In Victoria, the top two teams in the preseason poll kick off their schedules on opening weekend with the Thunderbirds visiting the Vikes on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. PDT.

2021 CW RUGBY 15s PRESEASON COACHES POLL

Team - Points (First-place votes)

  1. UBC Thunderbirds - 16 (4)
  2. Victoria Vikes - 13 (1)
  3. Calgary Dinos - 10
  4. Lethbridge Pronghorns - 6
  5. Alberta Pandas - 5

NOTE: Coaches ranked all opponents 1-4. First-place votes worth 4 points, second-place worth 3 points etc.

RUGBY 15s ON CANADA WEST TV PRESENTED BY CO-OP

Select women's rugby 15s games will be available live and on demand this season on Canada West TV Presented by Co-op - the official streaming home of the conference. To purchase your pass and view the schedule, click here.

2021 TEAM PREVIEWS



ALBERTA PANDAS

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2019 CW regular season record: /0-6/, 5th
2019 post-season record: /0-0/, DNQ

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2014 / 10
Last CIS championship / total CIS championships: 2013 / 6

2019 CW regular season ranks:
  • Offence: 41 points, 5th
  • Defence: 193, 5th

2019 CW regular season leaders:
  • Points: 12 - Shelby Pierce, Position
  • Tries: 2 - Shelby Pierce, Position
  • Converts: 1 - Three players tied (Bella Adatia, Kate Manning, Shelby Pierce)

Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
  • Bronwyn Dormaar / Back Three / 1st / Millet, AB / Nor'Westers
  • Amelia Bolton / Back Row / 1st / Leduc, AB / Leduc Crude
  • Molly Stetsko / Back Row / 1st / Edmonton, AB / Nor'Westers

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
  • Courtney Holtkamp / Back Row / Rimbey, AB / 3
  • Savannah Dubien / Back Three / Edmonton, AB / 4
  • Heidi Farley / Back Three / Beaumont, AB / 4
  • Cara Park / Scrum Half / Parkland County, AB / 4

Key performer:
  • Bella Adatia
  • Back Row
  • 3rd Year
  • Edmonton, AB

With a handful of key contributors graduating from the Pandas program following the 2019 season, there will be a larger emphasis placed on returning student-athletes.

One such athlete is third-year Pandas Back Row Bella Adatia. Without former CW All-Star Courtney Holtkamp at that position, head coach Matt Parrish will look to Adatia to replace some of that scoring punch.

Adatia recorded a convert in 15's play in 2019, as well as two tries and one convert in the Rugby 7's season in 2020. The young Pandas will also look to Adatia for her leadership both on and off the field.



CALGARY DINOS

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2019 CW regular season record: 5-1, 1st in CW
2019 post-season record: 1-1, CW silver medal (U SPORTS - T-7th)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2018 / 3
Last CIS championship / total CIS championships: None

2019 CW regular season ranks:
  • Offence: 126 points, 2nd in CW
  • Defence: 78 points against, 1st rank in CW

2019 CW regular season leaders: (returning)
  • Points: 15 - Julia Omokhuale, BR
  • Tries: 3 - Julia Omokhuale, BR
  • Converts: 1 - Alyson MacDougall, BR

Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
  • Leah Brunner / BR / 1 / Red Deer, Alta. / Red Deer Titans
  • Taylor Price / BR / 5 / Caledon, Ont. / McMaster Univ.
  • Ashlynn Smith / L / 2 / Victoria, B.C. / Univ. of Victoria

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
  • Kasselle Menin / P / Vulcan, Alta. / 5
  • Isla Shill / W / Calgary, Alta. / 5
  • Laura Petrillo / C / Calgary, Alta. / 5

Key performer:
  • Berlyn Seselja
  • Scrum Half
  • 4th
  • Surrey, BC

As one of two team captains, Berlyn Seselja brings experience and leadership to the Dinos' lineup and is one of the most effective scrum halves in Canada West.

Seselja, who scored the game-winning try at the death of the 2017 Canada West championship game, is a two-time conference all-star and was a U SPORTS All-Canadian in 2018.



LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS

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2019 CW regular season record: /2-4/, 4th
2019 post-season record: /0-2-/, 4th


Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2011 / 6
Last CIS championship / total CIS championships: 2009 / 3

2019 CW regular season ranks:
  • Offence: 113 points, 4th in CW
  • Defence: 127 points against, 4th in CW

2019 CW regular season leaders: (returning)
  • Points: 18 - Caitlin Sears, Scrumhalf/ Flyhalf
  • Tries: 7 - Nine players
  • Converts: 5 - Caitlin Sears, Scrumhalf/ Flyhalf

Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
  • Taylor Graves / Hooker/Backrow/ 1st year/ Raymond, AB/ Raymond Comets
  • Ruby McRae / Fullback/ Scrumhalf/ 1st year/ Fort MacLeod, AB/ Lethbridge Rugby Club

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
  • Sydney De La Mare/ Number 8/ St. Albert, AB/ 4
  • Carolyn McKee/ Backrow/ Stirling, AB/ 4
  • Stephanie Chan-Dunford/ Edmonton, AB/ 2

Key performer:
  • Name: Abby Duguid
  • Position: Lock
  • Year: 5th
  • Hometown: Edmonton, AB
Returning to finish of her Education degree, fifth-year Lock Abby Duguid will be the key on both sides of the ball for the Pronghorns this season. During the cancelled season, Duguid further enhanced her development, playing in the English Premier division with the Loughborough Lightning. She is also on the Canadian National team radar for the World Cup, having just participated in the Canada Top 50 camp. Her physical presence will be noticeable for the Pronghorns this fall.


UBC THUNDERBIRDS

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2019 CW regular season record: 3-2, 3rd
2019 post-season record: 2-2, CW Champions
Head coach: Dean Murten (5th) / 6-8 Career CW reg. season record

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2019 / 1
Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: none

2019 CW regular season ranks:
  • Offence: 192 points, 1st
  • Defence: 85 points against, 3rd

2019 CW regular season leaders: (returning)
  • Points: 57 - Soshanah Seumanutafa, Centre
  • Tries: 7 - Soshanah Seumanutafa, Centre
  • Converts: 11 - Soshanah Seumanutafa, Centre

Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
  • Mackenzie Carson / Hooker / 1 / Chilliwack, B.C. / Saracens Women
  • Florence Symonds / Centre / 1 / Vancouver, B.C. / Canada National Senior Women's 7s
  • Mia Bullock / Wing / 1 / White Rock, B.C. / UBC Rugby Club
  • Sadie Gluvic / Centre / 1 / Vancouver, B.C. / BC Rugby

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
  • Isabel St. Pierre / Prop / Red Deer, AB / 4
  • Rachel Choboter / Hooker / Langley, BC / 5

Key performer:
  • Shoshanah Seumanutafa
  • 4th
  • White Rock, BC

Seumanutafa was named 2019 Canada West Player of the Year after a dominant season that saw the centre lead the Canada West in tries, points, and scoring. The first Thunderbird to earn the award, Seumanutafa was a consistent contributor to the T-Birds' conference-leading offence and UBC's first Canada West title.







VICTORIA VIKES

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2019 CW regular season record: 4-1, 2nd
2019 post-season record: 1-1, 3rd

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2015 / 1
Last CIS championship / total CIS championships: N/A

2019 CW regular season ranks:
  • Offence: 114 points for
  • Defence: 103 points against

2019 CW regular season leaders: (returning)
  • Points: 10 - Emerald Maze, Hooker & Renee Gonzalez, Back 3
  • Tries: 2 - Emerald Maze, Hooker & Renee Gonzalez, Back 3
  • Converts: N/A (players with converts have graduated)

Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
  • Larah Wright / Centre / 1 / Calgary, AB / Canada Maple Leafs Women's Rugby 7's
  • Chloe Hill-Huse / Hooker / 1 / Victoria, BC / Rugby Canada U18 XV
  • Marina Skakun / Back Row / 1 / Brentwood Bay, BC / Rugby Canada Dev. Academy 7's
  • Soleil Brooks / Prop / 1 / Pitt Meadows, BC / BC Rugby Elite 7s
  • Sara Kaljuvee / Centre / 3* / Victoria, BC / Rugby Canada

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
  • Madison Aberg / Centre/Wing / Calgary, AB / 5
  • Paige Farries / Centre/Back 3 / Red Deer, AB / 5
  • Jenn Appleby / Hooker/Prop / Regina, SK / 4

Key performer:
  • Renee Gonzalez - Second Team All-Canadian in 2019
  • Flanker/Wing
  • 4
  • Plymouth, Minn.

The Vikes women's rugby team will be looking to fourth-year Renee Gonzalez to step up as a leader on the offence this season. Losing key point-getters from the 2019 squad, the young Vikes side will need to look the small group of seniors to guide them through the season. After losing key parts to its Canada West bronze medal-winning 2019 squad, the 2019 Second Team All-Canadian and Canada West All-Star will look to make up some point-scoring ground from her fourth-place finish on the team in 2019.