CALGARY – Fresh off their first ever Canada West championship, and program-best bronze medal finish at the National championship, the University of Calgary Dinos women's rugby team kicks off their season Thursday night as they take on the Lethbridge Pronghorns.

Game time is 7:30 p.m. at University Community Stadium in Lethbridge. CanadaWest.tv will have live streaming coverage.

The Dinos' entire regular season schedule will be played on the road, leading up to the Canada West championship which they will host Oct. 20-22 in Calgary.
 
Despite graduating 2016 co-captain Natasha Loucks and losing two other fifth-year players due to graduation, the Dinos retain much of the core that led them to last year's program-best finish. DaLeaka Menin, a fifth-year Law and Society student, was a critical part of the Dinos success last season. Her outstanding performances earned her the honors of 2016 U SPORTS player of the year, 2016 Canada West player of the year, and the 2016 UCalgary female athlete of the year – the first rugby player to earn this honour. Calgary was ranked No. 1 in the Canada West pre-season coaches poll and holds the No. 4 ranking in U SPORTS.

Menin recently returned from her summer with Team Canada at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland. As she notes, this experience was invaluable.

"I had the opportunity to play with some amazing athletes and women who displayed great leadership and perseverance that I hope to be able to emulate within my role as a leader on this team," Menin said.

"It is bittersweet to think that this is my last year with the team that I have come to see as my home away from home. I am excited to see what this team will accomplish and believe that with hard work and dedication we will be able build off the success from last season."
 
Along with Menin, the Dinos will look to rely heavily on dual-sport phenom Temitope Ogunjimi, who also wrestles for the Dinos, and 2016 co-captain Emily Tuttosi. All three players enter their final year of eligibility with the program, looking to lead the team to even greater heights than last year.
 
The Dinos will also have a lot of youth on the field, as 20 players are either in their first year of the program, or using their first year of eligibility with the team after redshirting. One player who looks forward to mentoring these athletes is fourth-year scrum half Shannon Chisholm.

"I am looking forward to improving on last year's performance with the integration of new players and skillsets," said Chisholm. "I'm excited about playing the game that I love with the girls that have grown to be my second family." 

The quest for another Canada West championship will begin this weekend on the road, against a familiar foe of the Dinos, the Lethbridge Pronghorns. Despite losing to the Dinos in last year's Canada West semi-final, the Pronghorns defeated the Dinos in the 2015 Canada West semi-final.

As Menin explains, "It's going to be a hard-fought battle from both sides. Canada West is a very strong conference and it is going to be an unpredictable season. In this first match we are looking forward to working to find a balance between the veterans and new players to propel ourselves into a strong and aggressive season."
 
After their match with the Pronghorns, the Dinos will have nine days to rest before they travel next to Edmonton for a 1 p.m. match on Sunday, Oct. 1, against the University of Alberta Pandas.

-UC-