CW BioSteel Players of the Week: Sept. 15

Sept. 15, 2026 - The fall schedule is officially in high gear, with last weekend featuring a trio of Friday night football games, two close rugby contests, two tight season-opening games in field hockey, and a flurry of soccer action on the pitch.

The Regina Rams are the lone remaining undefeated team in Canada West football after they smothered Manitoba 23-8. Saskatchewan also picked up a big win, charging past Calgary 44-24. The Dinos were on the verge of making it a one-point game late, until Daniel Kubongo returned a missed field goal for a 123-yard touchdown to give the Huskies breathing room, setting a new program record in the process.

It was the Marvyn Larozar show in Vancouver as UBC cruised to a 43-10 win over Alberta, with the 18-year-old rookie rushing for a staggering 285 yards and four touchdowns.

The Victoria Vikes and Calgary Dinos kicked off a new field hockey campaign with two incredibly tight contests. While the defending champion Vikes emerged with two single goal victories, Dinos fans can be encouraged by two great showings.

In rugby, Alberta surged past Calgary 29-21 with a second-half comeback, while Victoria ran away from Lethbridge 44-26.

Over to women's soccer, Thompson Rivers (2-0-2) and UBC (4-0) remain undefeated in the Pacific Division, while Calgary (4-0), Mount Royal (4-0) and Saskatchewan (3-0-1) kept it rolling in the Prairie Division. In men's action, UNBC earned a 3-3 draw with UBC, becoming the first team to take points off the T-Birds this season. The T-Birds (5-0-1) and Alberta (3-0-1) are the last two undefeated teams.

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

Football Offensive Player of the Week - Marvyn Larozar (UBC Thunderbirds)

Week 2 vs ALB - 285 YDS rushing, 313 all-purpose YDS, 4 TD, 13.0 YDS per carry in 43-10 win

UBC's freshman sensation worked his way into the history books with a four-touchdown, 313-yard performance to lead the T-Birds to a massive home opener victory over the Golden Bears.

Marvyn Larozar's 285 yards rushing is the fifth highest single game total in UBC history as is his 313 all-purpose yards.

The Ottawa native leads the conference in rushing yards (296), all-purpose yards (392) and touchdowns (5). Now at 1-1 on the season, the T-Birds host the 2-0 Regina Rams Friday night for UBC's Homecoming.

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Football Defensive Player of the Week - Jacob Tkachuk (Regina Rams)

Week 2 vs MAN - 3 solo tackles, 4 assisted tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT in 23-8 win

Jacob Tkachuk was at the centre of two of Regina's three takeaways in the Rams' 23-8 win over Manitoba on Friday night at Leibel Field. Tkachuk's first big play came in the second quarter when he forced a fumble after a completed pass deep in Bisons territory, leading directly to a Christian Katende touchdown two plays later.

Tkachuk then put an end to Manitoba's first sustained drive into Rams territory, intercepting a pass on Regina's 4-yard line on the final play of the third quarter with the Bisons threatening to make it a two-score game. Tkachuk also finished with three solo tackles and four assisted tackles in the win.

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Football Special Teams Player of the Week - Daniel Kubongo (Saskatchewan Huskies)

Week 2 vs CGY - 7 Returns, 19.4 yards per return, 123-yard missed FG return TD in 44-24 win

Daniel Kubongo provided what was perhaps the play of the game in Saskatchewan's 44-24 win over Calgary Friday night. The fourth-year returner took a missed field goal 123-yards to the opposite end zone, flipping a play which could have seen the Huskies lead cut to one into one which put them up by 11.

In addition to being a momentous play in the game, the return also set a program record as the longest missed field goal return ever by a member of the Saskatchewan Huskies.

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Women's Rugby 15s - Kendra Cousineau (Victoria Vikes)

Sept. 12 vs LET - 2 tries in 44-26 win

Kendra Cousineau scored two tries in the Vikes' explosive 44-26 win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns. The fourth year hook's toughness and power was on full display as each time the Vikes possessed the ball close to the try line she became a dangerous offensive threat the Pronghorns couldn't stop. Cousineau's scoring pushed the Vikes to a second straight win as they remain perfect in Canada West play.

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Women's Field Hockey - Ava Winter (Victoria Vikes)

Sept. 12 at CGY - 1 goal in 3-2 win

Sept. 13 at CGY - 1 goal in 1-0 win

Ava Winter opened her 2026 campaign with an offensive performance that propelled the Vikes to two victories over the Calgary Dinos. In the first game of the weekend, Winter scored her first goal of the season and put the Vikes in front of the Dinos for the first time in the match, helping the Vikes to a comeback 3-2 win.

In game two, Winter scored the only goal in a Vikes 1-0 win which completed the weekend sweep.

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Women's Soccer - Rowyn James (Calgary Dinos)

Sept. 11 vs ALB - 90 mins, 1 Assist, 1 SOG in a 2-1 win

Sept. 13 vs GMU - 90 mins, 1 Assist, 1 SOG in a 2-0 win

Dinos defender Rowyn James helped push her side to a perfect 4-0-0 record, starting both matches and picking up an assist in each as Calgary continued its unbeaten start to the season.

The third-year Kinesiology student opened the weekend by registering an assist in a 2-1 win over the Alberta Pandas, before backing it up with another assist in a 2-0 victory over the MacEwan Griffins. Both assists came from extremely high-quality deliveries into the box off set pieces, with James picking out her teammates with pinpoint service that was headed home. James was also part of a Dinos backline that kept things tight throughout, closing out the Griffins match with a clean sheet to cap off a strong week at both ends of the pitch.

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Men's Soccer - Markus Rukavina (UBC Thunderbirds)

Sep. 11 - 2 A, 1 SOG, 66 mins played in a 3-2 win at UFV

Sep. 13 - 3 G, 4 SOG, 82 mins played in a 3-3 draw at UNBC

With a combined five points including his first career Canada West hat trick, Markus Rukavina was a force, leading the way to a four-point road weekend for the T-Birds.

The third-year forward notched a pair of assists in Friday night's win at Fraser Valley while Sunday he led UBC's rally with a pair of goals in the first half to draw even. The Burnaby, B.C. product then completed the hat trick with a go-ahead goal in the 47th minute.

Now with seven points on the season, Rukavina trails only teammate Max Comsia for the conference lead.

View CW Men's Soccer News, Stats and More

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 18 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.