CW BioSteel Players of the Week: Sept. 16

Sept. 16, 2025 - From dramatic finishes to record breaking performances, there was plenty to keep on top of in Canada West action last weekend.

Fans were treated to a pair of wild finishes in football, including Calgary using a last-minute TD from rookie Eri Olarubofin to slip past rival Alberta. The Manitoba Bisons picked up a crucial first win, rallying from a 17-point halftime deficit to beat Saskatchewan 21-20. Regina picked up a statement 37-20 victory at UBC and now sits alone atop the conference with a 3-0 record.

A west coast storm hit the prairies in Rugby 15s action, with both UBC and Victoria picking up decisive wins over southern Alberta rivals. In field hockey, defending champion Victoria started their season strong with a pair of shutout wins at Calgary.

On the pitch, a pair of women's soccer student-athletes hit impressive milestones. Calgary goalkeeper Lauren Houghton recorded two shutouts and now owns the record for most shutouts in conference history with 35. Meanwhile, MacEwan star Grace Mwasalla tallied her 34th career goal in a 1-0 win over Saskatchewan on Sunday, placing her into a tie for 10th on the all-time conference goals list.

Interdivision games provided plenty of intrigue over in men's soccer, with UBC and Calgary impressing with two-win weekends.

Canada West golfers also hit the links, with Alberta's Kalee Seto and Ethan Howes taking the individual titles at the University of Lethbridge Invitational.

With many great performances to celebrate, let's get to our BioSteel Players of the Week.

Women's Soccer - Grace Mwasalla (MacEwan Griffins)

Sept. 13 vs REG - 1 G, 9 shots, 4 SOG, 71 minutes in 6-0 win

Sept. 14 vs SSK - 1 G, 1 GWG, 2 SOG, 90 minutes in 1-0 win

It was a monumental weekend for Mwasalla as she scored the 33rd and 34th regular season goals of her career to move into a tie for 10th all-time in Canada West history.

Additionally, her game-winning goal on Sunday was her 11th career GWG, moving her into a tie for fourth all-time in the conference in that category.

Mwasalla drove play all weekend for the Griffins, finishing with 11 shots (six on goal) as she led MacEwan to a six-point weekend.

View WSOC: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Men's Soccer - Matheus De Souza (UFV Cascades)

Sept. 12 vs GMU - 7 saves, 1 penalty kick save, 1 assist, 0 goals against, 1 shutout in 3-0 win

Sept. 13 vs MRU - 3 saves, 0 goals against, 1 shutout in 0-0 draw

Matheus De Souza continues to make the UFV goal a tough place to score. The first year goalkeeper secured his third and fourth consecutive clean sheets for the Cascades this weekend, setting a new program record for consecutive shutouts and time spent without conceding a goal (393 minutes of play and counting).

In Friday's game, the keeper not only saved a penalty shot, he picked up an assist on the ensuing play to help the Cascades seal a 3-0 win over MacEwan before extending the shutout streak on Saturday with a 0-0 draw against the U SPORTS No. 4 ranked MRU Cougars.

View MSOC: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Rugby 15s - Adia Pye (UBC Thunderbirds)

Sept. 13 vs CGY - 4 tries in 94-7 win

Last season's Canada West points leader was back to her usual stuff Saturday, scoring four tries to lead the Thunderbirds to a 94-7 thumping over the Calgary Dinos.

The third-year wing scored in the 19th minute to expand UBC's lead to 26-0 heading into the break, before scoring three more within a 13 minute span in the second half.

Pye and the T-Birds are back home next Thursday to host the second place Alberta Pandas.

View RUGBY 15s: Standings | Schedule

Football Offensive Player of the Week - Marshall Erichsen (Regina Rams)

Sept. 12 at UBC - 27 rushes for 196 yards and 1 TD, 3 catches for 35 yards, career high 231 all-purpose yards in 37-20 win

Marshall Erichsen continued his sensational start to the 2025 campaign by rushing 27 times for a total of 196 yards, a new career-high, while also catching three passes for 35 yards in Regina's 37-20 road win over UBC on Friday.

Erichsen finished with a career-high 231 all-purpose yards in the victory to lead all Canada West players in that category for the week.

Erichsen continues to rank second in all of U SPORTS this season in the major rushing categories. He's piled up 482 rushing yards for an average of 160.7 per game and has scored six rushing touchdowns in the team's first three games of the year.

View Football: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Football Defensive Player of the Week - Liam LaBelle (Regina Rams)

Sept. 12 at UBC - 4.0 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception returned for 40 yards in 37-20 win

In his second season with the Rams and his first as one of the team's starting linebackers, LaBelle made his presence known late in the team's 37-20 road win over UBC on Friday night.

With the Rams up 30-20 midway through the fourth quarter, UBC completed a long pass up the sideline to get the 'Birds all the way down to Regina's two-yard line. A major for UBC would have made it a three-point game, but LaBelle stepped up on back-to-back plays for the Regina defence.

First LaBelle took down the UBC quarterback for an eight-yard loss on what was his first career whole sack, setting up a second-down passing situation. LaBelle dropped back into coverage on the next play, picked off a pass near the goal line for his first Canada West interception, and ran it back 40 yards before finally being hauled down at the 45.

LaBelle finished the game with three solo tackles and two assisted tackles to go along with his sack and interception.

View Football: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Football Special Teams Player of the Week - Vince Triumbari (Calgary Dinos)

Sept. 12 at ALB - 3-4 FGs, 2-2 PATs in 23-19 win

In a win over provincial rivals Alberta, it was another strong game from Calgary kicker Vince Triumbari. The Stoney Creek, Ont. native went 3-4 on fields goals and was a perfect 2-2 on extra points in a game where every score mattered as Calgary downed Alberta 23-19 on the road to move to 2-1.

Triumbari now leads the conference through three weeks with seven field goals made and his 87.5 success rate also sits atop Canada West nearing the midway point.

View Football: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Field Hockey - Libby Hogg (Victoria Vikes)

Sept. 13 at CGY - 2 goals in 5-0 win

Sept. 14 at CGY - 1 goal in 3-0 win

Hogg had a stellar weekend while scoring three goals in two wins against Calgary, already surpassing her season total of two goals from last season. Her defensive play was also crucial to shutting down the Dinos attack, playing a big part in a pair of season opening shutouts.

View Field Hockey: Standings | Schedule | Leaders

Women's Golf - Kalee Seto (Alberta Pandas)

2025 University of Lethbridge Women's Champion | 75-79-154

Third-year Panda Kalee Seto followed up an opening-round 75 with a final-round 79, winning the UofL individual title by five shots. It is Seto's fifth career university golf title, which included winning all three Alberta-based events in 2024.

The third-year KSR student led by three after Sunday's round, extending the lead to five at the end of the 36-hole event.

Seto and the Pandas also captured the team title in Lethbridge on Monday by 14 shots over Calgary.

Men's Golf - Ethan Howes (Alberta Golden Bears)

2025 University of Lethbridge Men's Champion | 65-71-136 (-6)

Ethan Howes overcame difficult conditions to shoot a final-round 71 to win the UofL Men's title by two shots with a two-day total of 136 (-6).

Howes edged Calgary Dino Sam McKeown, who fired an identical even-par 71 on Monday at Paradise Canyon. It is the third career win for Howes, who won the UofA and UofC titles in 2024.

The Fort Saskatchewan product posted a six-under 65 during Saturday's opening round, before playing even-par golf on Monday to win by two.

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.