Pandas Rugby adds five top recruits for 2023

Adding depth and speed to both the forwards and backs, Pandas Rugby will look to improve on their third-place finish in Canada West this Fall with the addition of five local recruits.

Akina Ng, Mikayla Gibbon, Helena Linklater, Audrey Sutton, and Avery Melnyk will suit up in the Evergreen and Gold starting in the fall as a center, prop, scrum half, flanker, and No. 8, respectively.

The five rookies will join the likes of Shelby Pierce, Cassie Jorgenson, and Melina Ioannides on the field as the Pandas celebrate their milestone 25th season.

Both Gibbon and Sutton join a growing list of Pandas to join the team through the Jr. Panda Rugby program pathway.

Last season the team went 2-6 during the 15s season, upsetting the Calgary Dinos 15-14 in the Canada West third-place match. In the winter the Pandas went 7-13 in 7's play, en route to finishing fifth at both the Canada West and National levels. 

Position: Centre
Previous Team: M.E. Lazerte High School
High School: M.E. Lazerte High School

Head coach Matt Parrish: 
"Akina is a special one for me just because she is the first M.E. Lazerte recruit we have had. A phenomenal athlete who unfortunately wasn't able to play high school rugby this year, due to injury. But from what I saw last year, she will bring strength and power to our squad this season."
 

Position: Prop
Previous team: Nor'Westers Rugby Club
High School: Strathcona High School

Head coach Matt Parrish: 
"I've known Mikayla for a long time as she came up through the Jr. Pandas Program. I am looking forward to seeing how she progresses into the senior game. Obviously, she has great size and strength and she just needs to put that into the senior game, which I think she will do."

Position: Scrum Half
Previous team: Strathcona Druids
High School: McNally High School

Head coach Matt Parrish: 
"I've known Helena for a while with her older sister, Fiona, being on the Pandas team. She has been playing for a long time and is skilled, has great vision, and can play anywhere in the backs. I think she will make an impact pretty quickly."

Position: Flanker
Previous team: St. Alberta RFC
High School: Bellerose Composite High School

Head coach Matt Parrish: 
"Audrey has managed to spend some time with the senior girls following her time with the Jr. Pandas after she signed a letter of intent. I think she plays above her size and is all over the field."

Position: #8
Previous team: Bellerose Composite High School
High School: St. Albert Catholic High School

Head coach Matt Parrish: 
"Avery is brand new to rugby. She played one high school season and transferred from basketball. She is a physical beast, which will obviously transfer to the Rugby pitch. 

She was really just learning the game, but I saw her at the start of the season and the end and her learning curve was very high. I am excited about how quickly she can learn and she just has the physical capabilities of a basketball player that transfer well."