Preview: Alberta ready to host 2026 CW Wrestling Championships

Feb. 12, 2026 - Edmonton will be the centre of Canada West wrestling this weekend, as the Alberta capital hosts the 2026 Canada West Wrestling Championships.

The University of Alberta is set to host the event at the U of A Main Gymnasium, welcoming competitors from four Canada West programs. The host Golden Bears and Pandas will be joined by wrestlers from Calgary, Lethbridge, and Saskatchewan.

The host Golden Bears enter as the four time defending champions on the men's side, while Calgary's women will seek a third straight conference banner.

Championship action begins with weigh-ins on Friday, followed by a full day of competition on Saturday.

The opening round gets underway at 10 a.m. MT, with Alberta facing Lethbridge and Calgary taking on Saskatchewan. Round 2 follows at 1 p.m. MT (Alberta vs. Calgary / Lethbridge vs. Saskatchewan), before the final round at 3 p.m. MT (Alberta vs. Saskatchewan / Lethbridge vs. Calgary).

Awards will be presented at the conclusion of the event.

Fans can stream the event live and on-demand on Canada West TV - Powered by BioSteel.

A full schedule and event information is available on the championship homepage.

Athletes to Watch

Alberta

Competing on their home mat, the Golden Bears and Pandas once again bring a deep and proven lineup into the conference championships. Leading the way on the women’s side is fifth year Vianne Rouleau, who continues to establish herself as one of the most dominant wrestlers in the country. The reigning UAlberta Female Athlete of the Year was flawless at the recent Guelph Open, pinning all four opponents she faced to claim gold in the 76 kg weight class. She also claimed gold at the Golden Bear Open earlier in January.

Alberta also boasts strength through its men’s ranks. The Golden Bears had a strong showing at their home event earlier in January, with seniors Ben Reid (57kg), Thomas Rousseau (90kg), and third-year Bjorn Nelson (125kg) going undefeated in their brackets. The program is looking to continue its recent run of conference and national success. The Golden Bears enter as four-time defending Canada West champions and are the reigning U SPORTS titleholders, putting an end to Brock's nine-year national title run last year.

Alberta is hoping for a repeat of the last time they hosted the conference championships, which saw them win double gold in 2023.

Calgary

The Dinos arrive in Edmonton with momentum on both sides of the mat, highlighted by a pair of standout women who have delivered at the national level. Gabriela Cross made her long-awaited season debut in emphatic fashion last month, capturing gold at the Golden Bears Open and showing why she remains the reigning U SPORTS Outstanding Wrestler of the Year. Cross opened the tournament with a lightning-fast pin before advancing to the final with back-to-back technical falls, then closed the weekend with a composed decision victory in the championship bout. The fourth year wrestler was also recently honoured as a U SPORTS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian.

Maya Johnston has also been a model of consistency for the Dinos this season. The reigning U SPORTS bronze medallist went a perfect 4-0 at the Pronghorn Invitational, earning wins by technical fall, decision, and pin. With multiple tournament victories already this season, Johnston enters the conference championships as a proven contender.

Additionally, Annika Fines (62kg), Mackenzie Cayer (65kg) and Angelina Ellis-Toddington (68kg) all brought home both Canada West and U SPORTS gold medals a season ago and will once again look to add more hardware for the Dinos.

On the men’s side, Brantley Saar has been nothing short of dominant. The Lethbridge-product swept his most recent competition with three technical-fall victories, winning all of his bouts without conceding a single point. Saar’s efficiency and control have made him one of the most difficult wrestlers to score against in the conference.

Saskatchewan

The Huskies will look to build on a strong home stretch led by a pair of veteran performers. Myah Phillips delivered an impressive debut in front of the home crowd at the Huskie Duals and Open, opening her weekend with a pin in just 28 seconds before finishing undefeated to capture gold in the women’s 83 kg division. The fourth-year Saskatoon product’s quick starts and ability to dictate tempo have made her a key piece of Saskatchewan’s lineup.

On the men’s side, Donovan Neudorf continues to anchor the Huskies with experience and consistency. The veteran student-athlete went undefeated across both events at home, highlighted by a key pin in dual competition against Calgary before claiming gold in the men’s 65 kg weight class the following day. Neudorf’s versatility in both dual and open formats provides Saskatchewan with valuable points potential as the championships unfold.

Lethbridge

A young Pronghorns roster will look to prove themselves in Edmonton, led by second year Payton Shields. The reigning Canada West Women's Wrestling Rookie of the Year went an undefeated 4-0 at the 'Horns home meet earlier in January, winning her dual match against the Huskies and capturing gold at the Pronghorn Invitational.

2026 WCL U SPORTS Invitational Championships

In addition to competing for the conference podium, competitors will also be vying for berths at the 2026 WCL U SPORTS National Championships, to be hosted by Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont. from Feb. 27 to 28.