Dinos Women's Basketball (16-4, 4-0)
Thursday, March 5 | Calgary vs. McGill | PEPS | 12:30 PM MT | Watch | Live Stats
Friday - Sunday, March 6-8 | TBD
For the third time in the last four years, the Calgary Dinos women's basketball team is off to the U SPORTS Final 8. The Dinos earned their way to this year's tournament by winning the Canada West title on Saturday and will now fly to Quebec City to take on McGill in a national quarterfinal contest Thursday at 12:30 p.m. MT.
It has been a special run for what first-year head coach Sarah Besselink calls "and incredible team," as the Dinos have a 26-4 record thus far this season, including winning their last eight in a row en route to claiming the 2025-26 Canada West crown. It marks the ninth conference title in program history and the first since 2001.
During this playoff run, Calgary started off with hot shooting in a 91-67 win over Manitoba in the play-in round before routing No. 3 seed and host Trinity Western 76-47 in the quarters. Then came the win of the season in Canada as the Dinos knocked off Saskatchewan - the reigning conference and national champs and No. 1 team in the nation all season. The Dinos' defence was huge in holding the Huskies to 25 points less than their average in a 61-58 win in the semifinals to punch their ticket to nationals. Not satisfied with the headline-grabbing win, this year's Calgary team then continued its success on the road by taking down top-seeded UBC 63-57 in Saturday's CW Final.
Now the Dinos head to Laval's campus for this year's Final 8, opening with a quarterfinal contest against McGill Thursday early afternoon Mountain Time. Calgary and Martlets have only faced each other twice this century - both in non-conference action. McGill comes into this year's tournament with having gone 11-5 in the RSEQ regular season before taking down Laval in the conference championship, 51-45.
The winner of Thursday's showdown will take on the winner of No. 2 UNB vs. No. 7 Carleton.
The other side of the bracket sees top-seeded TMU opening against host Laval, while CW foes UBC and Saskatchewan will square off in the 4-5 game.
Calgary is competing at nationals for the 19th time in program history and the fourth time over the last eight seasons. They have brought home the national title and the famed Bronze Baby trophy one time in program history after three straight wins in the Final 8 back in 1989 in Sudbury, Ont.
Dinos Men's Basketball (12-8, 1-1)
Friday, March 6 | Calgary vs. Victoria | Jack Simpson Gym | 6:00 PM | Watch | Live Stats
Saturday - Sunday, March 7-8 | TBD
After a full year of planning, the Dinos men's basketball team is also set for the U SPORTS Final 8, hosting the best in the nation inside the Jack Simpson Gym for 11 games over three days, starting Friday.
One year removed from finishing as the national silver medallists, the Dinos once again find themselves back at the U SPORTS Championship and once again go up against Victoria. Calgary will take on this year's Canada West champs in their tournament opener Friday afternoon at 6 p.m.
It's been a year of growing for Dan Vanhooren's squad. One year after clearly having one of the best squads in the country all season long, the Dinos only returned 25% of minutes played from that championship squad. With a new group of talented players coming together on campus this season, Vanhooren's goal was clear right from the start - get them ready for this tournament. Calgary showed plenty of flashes throughout the regular season, going 12-8 in Canada West and advancing to the conference quarterfinals before falling top-seeded Winnipeg that couldn't miss a shot in that one.
Just like the women's program, this year marks the 19th appearance by the Dinos at the national championship tournament. Calgary has now made it to back-to-back Final 8's and seven of the last 10. Vanhooren coached the program to its first and only U SPORTS title just a few years ago in 2018.
Looking at the rest of this year's tournament features one of the most historically successful fields in recent memory. All eight programs have multiple national championship appearances, including four of this year's teams qualifying for last year's tournament in Vancouver. Of the 62 previous U SPORTS men's basketball national champions, 34 have been claimed by teams in this year's field - with all but one program already having its name etched on the W.P. McGee Trophy.
The winner of Friday's Dinos/Vikes opener will take on the winner of Acadia vs. Bishop's in a semifinal on Saturday. This year's national champion will be crowned inside the Jack Simpson Gym Sunday afternoon, with tipoff of that game scheduled for 5 p.m.
Dinos Track & Field
Thursday, March 5 | U SPORTS Championships | James Daly Fieldhouse | 12:00 PM MT | Watch | Live Stats
Friday, March 6 | U SPORTS Championships | James Daly Fieldhouse | 12:00 PM MT | Watch | Live Stats
Saturday, March 7 | U SPORTS Championships | James Daly Fieldhouse | 11:30 AM MT | Watch | Live Stats
The Dinos track & field team is also off to the 2026 U SPORTS Championships this week, with the three-day national championship meet hosted this year by the University of Manitoba inside the James Daly Fieldhouse, starting Thursday.
Calgary is coming off a strong showing at the Canada West Championships that saw the men finish just nine points shy of a conference title. On the women's side, a number of key injuries kept the Dinos from competing at full force, but they still racked up 83 points and finished fourth overall in a tight race near the top.
In all, Calgary brought home 19 medals from this year's conference meet - five bronze, 12 silvers and a pair of golds as Sarah Feschuk (pentathlon) and Noel Vanderzee (men's high jump) were crowned conference champions.
With attention now turned toward nationals, 16 Dinos will compete in individual events, while a number more will travel to compete in relay events. Calgary has won the U SPORTS trophy four times in program history - all coming on the women's side, and most recently in 2013.
Dinos Rugby 7s
Friday, March 6 | Calgary vs. Victoria | Thunderbird Stadium | 11:22 AM MT | Watch
Friday, March 6 | Calgary vs. Lethbridge | Thunderbird Stadium | 1:20 PM MT | Watch
Friday, March 6 | Calgary at UBC | Thunderbird Stadium | 3:40 PM MT | Watch
Saturday, March 7 | Calgary vs. Trinity Western | Thunderbird Stadium | 11:00 AM MT | Watch
Saturday, March 7 | Calgary vs. Alberta | Thunderbird Stadium | 1:42 PM MT | Watch
The 2026 Canada West Rugby 7s season wraps up this weekend with the third and final tournament of the year - this one hosted by UBC in Vancouver. The Dinos will play five games in just over a 24-hour span, opening against Victoria Friday morning before closing out the season Saturday afternoon against provincial rivals Alberta.
Calgary started the season on a strong note, finishing fourth with a pair of wins in the season-opening tournament in Edmonton. Their medal hopes took a hit in Victoria, however, finishing sixth in the field after four close games all went the other way on a rainy weekend on the island.
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