CALGARY – The two-time reigning Canada West champion University of Calgary Dinos will begin defence of their conference crown on Sunday on Field 7 at the University of Calgary as they take on the Alberta Pandas.
Sunday's game will mark the Dinos' first home game on campus since October 2016 after hosting the conference playoffs last season. Action gets underway from Field 7 at 2 p.m.
DINOS ALUMNI
The Dinos will be without a trio of key seniors from a year ago who are continuing their rugby careers elsewhere this fall. Two-sport athlete
Temitope Ogunjimi has joined Rugby Canada's centralized Women's 7s program in Victoria, B.C. after a successful five years with the Dinos in rugby and wrestling. Choosing to play overseas with the Loughborough Lightning are
DaLeaka Menin and
Emily Tuttosi, who have both earned caps playing internationally for the Canadian Women's 15s team.
STILL STREAKING
The Dinos have been nearly unbeatable over the past three years, which includes three straight undefeated regular seasons and 15 consecutive regular season wins. The last Canada West team to beat the Dinos was the Lethbridge Pronghorns on Oct. 23, 2015 in the Canada West semifinal. Calgary's last loss in the regular season came back on Sept. 19, 2014 when they fell 24-19 in Vancouver to the UBC Thunderbirds.
WEARING THE MAPLE LEAF
Alyson MacDougall returns to the Dinos after representing Canada this summer at the Under-20 Tri-Nations Cup in Nova Scotia. The second-year back row had previously played for Canada at the Under-18 level. The Canadian roster also included 10 players as non-travelling reserves, which featured returning Dino
Taejah Thompson and new recruit
Holly Phillips.
SCOUTING REPORT
vs ALBERTA PANDAS
Match Info Sunday, Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. – Field 7, University of Calgary
2017 Record 0-4, 5th in Canada West
2017 Tries Leader Courtney Holtkamp (3)
NOTES
- The Pandas are coming off their worst year in program history, losing all four regular season games, but have already improved on that with a win over Lethbridge last weekend.
- Alberta received the minimum possible votes in the pre-season coaches poll, ranking last out of the five Canada West women's rugby teams.
- The Pandas handed the Dinos one of their toughest challenges last season, scoring the most points in a game against them in the regular season. Calgary won their lone meeting 34-26.
- Courtney Holtkamp returns after a fantastic freshman campaign which saw her win the Canada West Rookie of the Year in 2017. The Rimbey, AB product led the team with three tries and 15 points.
- Third-year Panda Ali Wichlum scored a pair of tries in last weekend's 17-10 win over the Pronghorns.
UP NEXT
The Dinos make their annual road swing to B.C. next weekend for a pair of games. The team will take on the Victoria Vikes in a rematch of last season's epic Canada West Final on Sept. 21 before facing the UBC Thunderbirds on Sept. 23.
