SEASON PREVIEW: Women’s rugby eyes another conference title
The Gee-Gees women's rugby program set their sights on a record-tying seventh consecutive RSEQ Championship when they take the field for the 2021 season.
Ottawa has medaled at the U SPORTS National Championship in each of the last five seasons, including a gold medal in 2017. They have won the RSEQ crown every season since 2014 and are looking to equal McGill's run of seven straight titles from 1999-06
The regular season opens at home with a match against Sherbrooke on Saturday, Sept. 11 (kickoff 3:00 p.m.). The match with the Vert & Or at Matt Anthony Field will represent the first University of Ottawa varsity game in 18 months.
Despite the lack of matches, the women's rugby program has been busy. Between the vast majority of players staying in Ottawa to prepare for their return to the field, the program has put particular emphasis on social justice initiatives on the University of Ottawa campus and beyond.
"It's been important to create a safer space for everyone on the team," said senior Alexandra Ondo. "We're having conversations we've never had before. Personally I feel, having these conversations on injustices and inequalities makes it more comfortable being on the team."
Ondo (Gatineau, Que. – General Studies) headlines a group of veterans returning for their senior year. A three-time conference First Team All-Star, Ondo was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian in 2019.
"Everyone's pretty excited and ready to go," said Ondo. "It's been such a long preparation period. Surprisingly, it's been really consistent throughout. We're just ready to make this our best season yet."
"We're playing a collision sport, so you want to make sure the players don't come out too excited," said head coach Jen Boyd of her team's first few matches. "But that's hard. We've talked a lot about balance. As a team we have to figure out how to get to the best place to perform."
Stalwart scrum-half Taylor Donato (Ottawa – Accounting) is also back for her fifth season, while Maya Montiel (Dieppe, N.B. – General Studies) is fresh off representing Canada at the U20 level against England on Aug. 18. Montiel accounted for four tries in 2019 and was named to the U SPORTS National Championship All-Star Team.
The forward group is anchored by 2019 RSEQ Rookie of the Year Madison Grant (Cornwall, Ont. – Geography). Grant's seven tries were second on the team in her rookie season, while her strong showing at the U SPORTS National Championship merited a spot on the Championship All-Star team.
Other key returnees include centre Claire Gallagher (Caledon East, Ont. – Health Sciences), flyhalf Aurora Bowie (Stouffville, Ont. – Psychology) and front row Anna Dodge (Moncton, N.B. – Health Sciences). The senior players will be tasked with filling in for Michaela Haley, who led the team with 11 tries in her final year of eligibility in 2019.
The 2021 campaign will be a unique one, with two recruiting classes commencing their Gee-Gees careers at the same time. Around 15 rookies will be on the roster of roughly 40 total players.
Boyd also added to her coaching staff in the offseason. Patrick Thompson moves from the Carleton Ravens to become the Assistant Coach and Assistant Program Manager with the Gee-Gees. Thompson was honoured as the 2018 RSEQ and U SPORTS Coach of the Year for his efforts with the Carleton women's program.
"We really have two head coaches and two educators with 40 years of teaching combined," said Boyd. "He's our attack coach, so our attacking systems will be much more sophisticated. He's taken a huge chunk off my shoulders on-field, and he's done a tremendous job off field with as well."
Ottawa's regular season schedule sees them face each of Sherbrooke, Laval and Concordia twice, before playoffs are set to begin Oct. 30. All regular season and playoff home games will be webcast on the Gee-Gees YouTube channel.
This year's U SPORTS National Championship tournament is set for Nov. 10-14 at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont.