ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – An outstanding five Dinos were crowned national champions in an impressive final day of action by the University of Calgary at the 2025 Wrestling Canada Lutte U SPORTS National Invitational Tournament Saturday at Canada Games Park.

A total of nine Dinos wrestlers - including six on the women's side - claimed medals on the final day of action to go with three individual awards.

Calgary's women's team finished as national runners-up, tallying 67 points on the weekend - a mere three points behind Brock for this year's team title.

The Dinos men came in tied for fourth for the second straight season, totaling 36 points this year. Alberta won this year's men's title with 68 points.

Gabriela Cross started the run for the Dinos in the gold-medal round, using a pair of big throws for a quick tech fall win at the 56kg weight class. After the meet, Cross - who was a national champion a year ago at 56kg - was named the U SPORTS Women's Outstanding Wrestler of the Year. This marks the eighth time Calgary has won the award and the first since Temitope Ogunjimi in 2018.

Annika Fines made quick work of her opponent at 62kg, and Mackenzie Cayer battled for a 15-10 tech fall win at 65kg for two more gold medals. Cayer was named the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year after the meet - marking the third time a Dino has won the award and the first since Erin Geddie in 2018.

Angelina Ellis-Toddington trailed 4-0 in her match at 72kg before seizing the perfect moment and pinning her opponent to bring home the fourth gold medal of the day for the Dinos women. That is tied for the second-most individual crowns for the Scarlet & Gold at U SPORTS in program history and the most since winning a program record six back in 2009.

Showing off their quality depth, Eve Maxwell-Nikiforuk (59kg) claimed a silver medal and Maya Johnston (53kg) added a bronze. Eilidh Wist (72kg) and Danyka LaBelle (76kg) each finished fourth, while Ankita Singh (50kg) placed sixth to round out this year's scoring.

Head coach Mitch Ostberg was named the U SPORTS Women's Coach of the Year after the meet - marking the fifth time Ostberg has won the women's top award and the first since 2009.

On the men's side, reigning national rookie of the year Nick Hooper was at it again. The second-year wrestler from nearby Cochrane, Alta., once again went a perfect 5-0 on the weekend, bringing home his second consecutive gold medal at 76kg with a 10-0 tech fall. Hooper is the Dinos' first repeat men's national champion since Michael Stitt and David Koopenberg both went back-to-back in 2002 and 03.

Fred Calingay cruised to a bronze medal at 57kg, while Jack Pye battled to a thrilling 20-17 decision at 100kg.

Joseph De Maio placed fourth in at 90kg, while Brantley Saar (82kg) and Connor Bren (125kg) both won their fifth-place bouts.

TEAM STANDINGS
WOMEN
1. Brock, 70 
2. CALGARY, 67 
3. Western, 41 
4. Alberta, 37 
5. McMaster, 34 
6. Guelph, 34 
7. Saskatchewan, 31 
8. Lakehead, 17 
9. Concordia, 13 
10. Algoma, 13 
11. Carleton, 12 
12. Queen's, 8  
13. York, 5 
14. TMU, 3 
15. UNB, 2 
16. Lethbridge, 1 
17. Toronto, 0 

MEN
1. Alberta, 68 
2. Brock, 63 
3. Western, 52 
4. Guelph, 36 
5. CALGARY, 36 
6. Saskatchewan, 34 
7. McMaster, 25 
8. TMU, 18 
9. Lakehead, 15 
10. UNB, 11 
11. Toronto, 9  
12. Concordia, 6 
13. Carleton, 5 
14. York, 5 
15. Algoma, 3 
16. Lethbridge, 3 
17. Queen's, 1 

Women
Outstanding Wrestler of the Year - Gabriela Cross (Calgary)
Rookie of the Year –  Mackenzie Cayer (Calgary)
Community Service Award – Caitlin Clatney (Saskatchewan)
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award  – Kelyn Young (Guelph)
Coach of the Year –  Mitch Ostberg (Calgary)

Men
Outstanding Wrestler of the Year – Taran Goring (Alberta)
Rookie of the Year –  Casey Harkley (Guelph)
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award – Tyler Saruwatari (Lethbridge)
Community Service Award – Drake Buechler (Saskatchewan)
Coach of the Year –  Owen Dawkins (Alberta)

DINOS WRESTLING
Women's 50 kg: Ankita Singh, 6th 
Women's 53 kg: Maya Johnston, 3rd 
Women's 56 kg: Gabriela Cross, 1st
Women's 59 kg: Eve Maxwell-Nikiforuk, 2nd
Women's 62 kg: Annika Fines, 1st
Women's 65 kg: Mackenzie Cayer, 1st
Women's 68 kg: Angelina Ellis-Toddington, 1st
Women's 72 kg: Eilidh Wist, 4th
Women's 76 kg: Danyka LaBelle, 4th 

Men's 57 kg: Fred Calingay, 3rd
Men's 68 kg: Brendan Maguire, 8th 
Men's 76 kg: Nick Hooper, 1st 
Men's 82 kg: Brantley Saar, 5th 
Men's 90 kg: Joseph De Maio, 4th 
Men's 100kg: Jack Pye, 3rd
Men's 125 kg: Connor Bren, 5th 

-UC-