CW BioSteel Players of the Week: Oct. 28

Oct. 28, 2025 - The fall championship season has arrived, bringing with it all the drama, heartbreak, and heroics that mark one of the most exciting stretches on the Canada West calendar.

From last-minute goals to nail-biting shootouts, the first week of soccer playoffs delivered unforgettable moments.

In men’s soccer, the semifinals were pure theatre. Mount Royal outlasted Victoria in an 11-round penalty shootout, while UBC’s Henri Godbout sent the Thunderbirds back to the final with a late extra-time winner against UFV. The stage is now set for a third straight CW Final showdown between Mount Royal and UBC — with each program holding one title in the past two seasons.

On the women’s side, the quarterfinals brought equal excitement. Mount Royal erased a two-goal deficit to get past UBCO, while UBC, Calgary, and Trinity Western also advanced to the semifinals. Thursday’s matchups will see UBC’s undefeated campaign tested by the Cougars, while Calgary faces Trinity Western for a spot in the gold medal game.

Football fans were treated to a finish for the ages, as UBC stormed back from 15 points down in the final two minutes to beat Regina in overtime and clinch a playoff berth. The BioSteel Hardy Cup semifinals are now set as Saskatchewan hosts UBC, and Regina welcomes Manitoba. Both games take place on Saturday.

Meanwhile, conference champions were crowned in golf and cross country, and the basketball season tipped off with a full slate of hoops.

Let's get to our BioSteel Players of the Week.

Women's Soccer - Yasmine Pahal (Trinity Western Spartans)

Oct. 24 vs MacEwan: 4 saves, 0 goals allowed in 1-0 win

Pahal was instrumental in Trinity Western's 1-0 quarter-final win over MacEwan, as she helped lift the Spartans to their 24th CW Final Four in the last 25 years. Pahal made four saves in the win, highlighted by a pair of brilliant back-to-back saves early in the second half to maintain the Spartans one-goal lead.

View WSOC: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Soccer - Henri Godbout (UBC Thunderbirds)

Oct. 24 vs ALB: 1 G, GWG, 2 SOG, 45 mins in 2-0 win

Oct. 26 vs UFV: 1 G, GWG, 2 SOG, 105 mins in 1-0 win

With a knack for the big moment, Godbout sent UBC back to the Canada West Final and the U SPORTS National Championship with the only goal of Sunday's semifinal vs Fraser Valley, a strike in the dying seconds of extra time stoppage time. It was the Vancouver native's second game winner of the weekend having also scored in Friday night's quarter-final against the Golden Bears.

Godbout and the T-Birds will head to Calgary to battle Mount Royal for the 2025 Canada West crown, the third straight meeting with the Cougars in the conference final.

View MSOC: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Football Offensive Player of the Week - Trey Montour (UBC Thunderbirds)

Oct. 24 at REG: 157 yards receiving, 2 TD, 2 point conversion, 11 receptions in a 31-29 win

Trey Montour was a monster for UBC in a comeback victory to secure a playoff berth for the Thunderbirds. The second-year receiver out of Ontario scored a pair of touchdowns, his second of which with 41 seconds left brought the T-Birds within two points of the Rams. He then caught the two-point conversion to tie the game and force overtime where UBC came away with the win to extend their season.

Montour finished the season with 704 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns.

View Football: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Football Defensive Player of the Week - Lucas Scheck (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Oct. 25 vs MAN: 3 Solo Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble, 72-Yard Return TD in 31-12 win

Sophomore defensive back Lucas Scheck made the play of the game Saturday in a 31-12 win against the Manitoba Bisons. On 3rd and 11 for the visiting team, the second-year Huskie recorded a strip-sack of Manitoba quarterback Cole Anseeuw before picking up the ball, breaking a tackle and returning it 72-yards to seal the Saskatchewan win. Scheck also ended the contest with three solo tackles.

View Football: Standings | ​ | Leaders

Football Special Teams Player of the Week - ​ Alexander Hillyard (UBC Thunderbirds)

Oct. 24 at REG: 3/3 FG (long 31), 2/2 PAT, 44.7 yards avg kickoff in 31-29 win

The rookie kicker put UBC into the BioSteel Hardy Cup Playoffs with a walkoff 31 yard field goal in overtime. The ultimate pressure situation didn't faze the first-year Florida product, nailing his third field goal of the game to rubber stamp UBC's late comeback win over the No. 7 ranked Rams.

View Football: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Hockey - Quinn McLaren (Regina Cougars)

Oct. 24 vs SSK: 1 SOG in 1-0 loss

Oct. 25 at SSK: 1 G, 2 A, +2 rating in 4-1 win

McLaren helped the Cougars to a big win on Saturday in Saskatoon, as Regina rebounded for a 4-1 win to salvage a weekend split against the Saskatchewan Huskies.

McLaren scored the eventual game-winning goal late in the first period, and added assists on Felicia An and Kaitlyn Gilroy markers to tally a three-point night.

The Cougars will be back at home this coming weekend as the UBC Thunderbirds visit The Co-operators Centre.

View Women's Hockey: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Hockey - Dwayne Jean Jr. (MacEwan Griffins)

Oct. 24 vs TWU: 1 goal, 3 assists, +3, 4 shots in 5-1 win

Oct. 25 vs TWU: 2 shots in 5-2 win

With four points in Friday's win over Trinity Western, Dwayne Jean Jr. tied two program records: the most points by a Griffin in a Canada West match and most points by a Griffins rookie in a Canada West match.

The former Tri-City Americans, Red Deer Rebels forward, who finished his junior career by leading the Chilliwack Chiefs to the BCHL final last season, is off to a strong start at MacEwan with six points in eight games. That's tied for second in Griffins' scoring and tied for fifth amongst all Canada West rookies.

View Men's Hockey: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Volleyball - Aimee Skinner (UBC Thunderbirds)

Oct. 24 at MAN: 20 kills, .227 hitting, 1 ace, 12 digs, 21.5 points in 3-1 win

Oct. 26 at MAN: 18 kills, 4 aces, 19 digs, 23 points in 3-2 loss

Aimee Skinner has quickly become a key piece of UBC's attack as the third-year transfer put up a whopping 38 combined kills and five aces in a weekend split on the road against the defending national champions. The Coldstream, B.C. product was also stellar on defence, leading the T-Birds with 31 digs on the weekend. Skinner leads the conference with 56 kills while also topping the CW with 44 digs.

View Women's Volleyball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Volleyball - Alex Howard (Thompson Rivers WolfPack)

Oct. 24 vs GMU: 17 kills, 7 digs in 3-1 win

Oct. 25 vs GMU: 20 kills, just 3 errors for .459 hitting percentage, nine digs, three blocks in 3-2 win

Second-year outside Alex Howard set new career-highs on both nights to lead the way for a WolfPack sweep this past weekend. On Friday the product of Merritt, B.C. racked up what was a career-best 17 kills as TRU defeated MacEwan 3-1, only to better that on Saturday with a ridiculous 20 kills on a .459 hitting percentage in TRU's 3-2 victory over the Griffins.

View Men's Volleyball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Basketball - Cassidy Buchanan (Trinity Western Spartans)

Oct. 24 at VIC: 21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists in 76-67 win

Oct. 25 vs UBC: 28 points, 5 steals, 3 assists, 2 rebounds in 62-50 loss

Cassidy Buchanan averaged a Canada West leading 24.5 points per game over the weekend, including 21 points against Victoria and a career-high 28 of the Spartans 50 points against the now No. 4-ranked UBC Thunderbirds. She also averaged 4.5 steals per game and 5.5 rebounds per game.

View Women's Basketball: Standings | ​ Schedule | Leaders

Men's Basketball - Shadynn Smid (Victoria Vikes)

Oct. 24 vs TWU: 36 points, 12 rebounds, 14-21 FG, 5-8 3P in 98-91 win

Oct. 25 at UFV: 13 points, 6 rebounds in 84-76 win

Shadynn Smid put on a show for the home fans on Friday, as he set a new career high in points with his 36 in a season opening victory over Trinity Western. Smid also led the way for Vikes on the glass as he corralled 12 rebounds, collecting a double-double. His career night was highlighted by an emphatic dunk in the fourth quarter, which brought the arena to its feet.

He was solid again the following night at Fraser Valley, picking up 13 points and six rebounds in an 84-76 win.

View Men's Basketball: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Cross Country - Lauren McNeil (UBCO Heat)

2025 CW XC Championships: First place, 27:44.0 (8km)

McNeil captured individual gold at the 2025 Canada West Cross Country Championships in Victoria, dominating the field while leading from start to finish. She completed the 8km track in 27:44.0. The individual title continues a run of fine form for McNeil, who won U SPORTS gold and Canada West silver a season ago. ​

Men's Cross Country - Jaxon Kuchar (Victoria Vikes)

2025 CW XC Championships: First place, 25:25.2 (8km)

Jaxon Kuchar dominated the 2025 Canada West XC Championships last Saturday, taking top spot on the podium as he led the race from start to finish.

Kuchar displayed an impressive motor as he continued to pull away from his competition as the race progressed. This gold medal was Kuchar's first Canada West Championship podium finish. Kuchar also helped the men's team claimed their 16th Canada West team title, first since the 2015-16 season.

Women's Golf - Katherine Hao (UBC Thunderbirds)

CW Championships: R1: 70 (-2) ​ R2: 67 (-5) Total: 137 (-7)

UBC's Katherine Hao won the individual women’s title at the 2025 Canada West Golf Championships at Chilliwack Golf Club, topping the individual standings by a five stroke margin. After shooting a two-under-par 70 on Monday, Hao turned it up another notch on Tuesday while firing a five-under 67, finishing the event at -7.

Her performance helped lead the UBC women's team to their sixth straight CW banner.

"She's so fun to watch out there. Ice in her veins," raved UBC assistant coach Keri Moffat when asked about Hao's performance. "She was just able to stay in her own game the whole way around. It was really fun to see."

Men's Golf - Owen Croft (Victoria Vikes)

CW Championships: R1: 68 (-4) ​ R2: 66 (-6) Total: 134 (-10)

The men's competition at the 2025 Canada West Golf Championships came right down to the final hole, but in the end it was Croft who came from behind to capture individual gold by a single stroke.

His final round featured seven birdies and an eagle as he finished the event at -10.

About Players of the Week:

The Canada West Players of the Week, Presented by BioSteel is a weekly celebration of athletic achievements across the conference. Each week, deserving student-athletes are nominated by SIDs from each member institution. Canada West office staff review nominations and select the recipients.

About BioSteel:

BioSteel is a leading sports hydration and nutrition brand, delivering clean, high-performance solutions trusted by professional athletes, top universities, and teams across North America and Europe, including major organizations like the NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS, NBA, and their affiliates. Alongside hydration, BioSteel offers premium protein and sports nutrition products, catering to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and those striving for a healthier lifestyle. Committed to excellence, BioSteel equips top athletes and active individuals with the essential tools to reach peak performance and sustain wellness every day.

About Canada West:

As the leading university athletic conference in the country, Canada West is home to student-athletes that excel in the classroom and their communities. The conference is comprised of 17 member institutions spanning from Victoria to Winnipeg, with over 3,200 student-athletes competing across 14 sports. Canada West’s mission is to train leaders and build champions by providing leadership in the delivery, regulation, and promotion of university level high performance sports programs throughout western Canada.