RUGBY 15s: 2025 Season Preview

Aug. 29, 2025 - Five titles in a row — and no signs of slowing down. The UBC Thunderbirds are once again the clear favourites in Canada West women’s rugby.

UBC has topped this year’s Rugby 15s coaches poll with four first-place votes, ahead of Victoria, Lethbridge, Alberta and Calgary.

The T-Birds' five-year dynasty run is the most dominant stretch in Canada West since Lethbridge’s six straight titles from 2006-11.

UBC enters the season flying high, having finally captured that elusive first U SPORTS national championship in program history last fall.

As hosts of the 2025 U SPORTS championships, the T-Birds will have the golden opportunity to repeat on home soil.

While UBC has many impactful returnees - led by last year's CW Player of the Year Rachel Smith, scoring leader Adia Pye, and CW Rookie of the Year Mya Koleba — some roster turnover means the defending champs will need contributions from new faces in key positions.

"We are currently undergoing a significant rebuilding year, and it will be exciting to witness the potential of the next generation of student athletes, particularly those in key positions," says UBC head coach Dean Murten. "From a performance perspective, our primary objective is to qualify for the Canada West finals. Given that we will be hosting Nationals, we will approach each game strategically, aiming to secure a position in the top four teams by Sunday."

Hot on UBC’s heels, the Victoria Vikes are riding one of the most successful stretches in program history, fresh off their second straight appearance in the U SPORTS final.

"We are looking forward to another season with the Vikes, having many returning athletes and a strong recruitment class" says head coach Brittany Waters. "We are excited to play a fast and dynamic style of play with our signature dominant defence and continue driving our positive team culture forward."

Out on the prairies, Lethbridge is looking to build on a 4–2 regular season in 2024. Head coach Graeme Moffat — who was named last year’s CW Coach of the Year — says his team has been putting in the work and is ready to compete with CW's best. ​

“The team has worked hard over the summer physically, which has allowed us to prioritize rugby during training camp with such a short lead-in," says Moffat. "Our squad is maturing, and our senior players have a critical role in modelling to our younger players who have joined us."

The Pronghorns will battle for prairie supremacy against Alberta and Calgary, with both the Pandas and Dinos eager to push into contender status this season.

The regular season begins tomorrow with UBC hosting Victoria (1 p.m. PT / CanadaWest.TV), followed by Alberta visiting Calgary (5 p.m. MT / CanadaWest.TV). Lethbridge opens its schedule the following week, as they head north to Edmonton to battle the Pandas on Sept. 5.

Of note, this year's regular season will see UBC and Victoria each make a regular season trip to the prairies on Sept. 13. The Thunderbirds visit Calgary, while the Vikes battle Lethbridge.

Alberta's Foote Field will be the host site for the conference's Final Four, with semifinals slated for Oct. 16 and the bronze/gold medal games on Oct. 19.

All Canada West Rugby 15s games will be available live and on demand this season on Canada West TV – Powered by BioSteel. Fans can purchase a Rugby 15s Sport Pass for one low price, so they don’t miss a second of the action across the conference.

2025 CW RUGBY 15s COACHES POLL 

Team - Points (First-place votes)

TEAM BY TEAM PREVIEW

UBC Thunderbirds

2025 Coaches Poll Rank: #1

Team Outlook: After winning the first U SPORTS Championship in program history in 2024, the Thunderbirds return most of their veterans to fight for their sixth consecutive Canada West 15s crown.

Longtime face of the program Savannah Bauder has graduated after five incredible seasons, but conference scoring leader Adia Pye, only entering her third year, returns - alongside reigning Canada West Player of the Year Rachel Smith, Canada West Rookie of the Year Mya Koleba and several others who have recently played for the Canadian Senior National Team. The expectations are sky high for this group, who see themselves as the team to beat across the entire country for the 2025-26 season.

From the Coach: "We are currently undergoing a significant rebuilding year, and it will be exciting to witness the potential of the next generation of student athletes, particularly those in key positions. From a performance perspective, our primary objective is to qualify for the Canada West finals. Given that we will be hosting Nationals, we will approach each game strategically, aiming to secure a position in the top four teams by Sunday.” - Dean Murten

Key Performer: Adia Pye
​Back Three | 3rd Year | Victoria, B.C.

2024 stats: 55 points (1st in conference), 11 tries (1st in conference), 170 Points between 15s and 7s (more than double the next best scorer in the conference)

Pye exploded on to the scene as the 2023 Canada West Rookie of the Year and followed that up with a dominant sophomore season. The explosive back three star led Canada West in both points and tries in both 15s and 7s, with her 34 combined tries and 170 combined points more than double anyone else in the conference. Pye headlines a team featuring several Canadian Olympians, filling the shoes of all-time Canada West scoring leader and former U SPORTS Player of the Year Savannah Bauder, who graduated after last season.

Victoria Vikes

2025 Coaches Poll Rank: #2

Team Outlook: The Vikes are coming off their second-straight U SPORTS championship final appearance in 2024, having claimed the national silver medal for two-straight seasons. The Vikes will look to turn their silver medals to gold at both the Canada West and U SPORTS levels in 2025, looking to tap into the experience gained by current players as part of the summer training as part of various Rugby Canada squads. The Vikes return a solid amount of starters from 2024 to continue to build on their success.

From the Coach: "We are looking forward to another season with the Vikes, having many returning athletes and a strong recruitment class. We are excited to play a fast and dynamic style of play with our signature dominant defence and continue driving our positive team culture forward." - Brittany Waters

Key Performer: Emily Findlay
​Back Row | 3rd Year | Regina, Sask.

2024 stats: 1 try

A Canada West All-Star and U SPORTS All-Canadian last season, Finlay appeared in eight matches for the Vikes making seven starts in 2024. An anchor of the Vikes' defense, Findlay is usually the first to a breakdown and often seen making big tackles for the Vikes on defence.

Lethbridge Pronghorns

2025 Coaches Poll Rank: #3

Team Outlook: The Pronghorns approach the 2025 season with the aim of establishing themselves as Alberta’s leading program. Building on the strides made last year, the Horns enter the campaign looking to make their mark with greater physical readiness and a tight-knit team culture.

From the Coach: “The team has worked hard over the summer physically, which has allowed us to prioritize rugby during training camp with such a short lead-in. Our squad is maturing, and our senior fourth and fifth year players have a critical role in modelling to our younger players who have joined us. We have some exciting prospects who have joined the team, and we are excited to see their progress in the coming seasons.” - Graeme Moffat

Key Performer: Mackenzie Hutten
​Lock | 5th Year | Rocky Mountain House, Alta.

The Horns will look to Hutten to provide veteran leadership, coming off a strong campaign in which she was named a Canada West All Star in 2024. The product of Rocky Mountain House is the team captain and a key leader both on and off the field.

Alberta Pandas

2025 Coaches Poll Rank: #4

Team Outlook: The Alberta Pandas are set to host the 2025 Canada West Championship at Foote Field this October, bringing added excitement to their campaign. After a 2024 season that featured a roster with more than half first-year players, the Pandas enter the new year focused on growth and development. That young core has gained valuable experience through the Canada West 7s series, indoor training sessions, and their continued progress will be central to the team’s success.

From the Coach: “Pandas Rugby are looking forward to hosting the 2025 Canada West Championship at Foote Field this October. The Pandas are looking to improve on their performance from last season where over half of their squad were rookies. The key to success for this year's Pandas rugby squad will be that group of first year's progress in both technical skills & tactical understanding from the CW 7s series, indoor trainings in our dome, and also the gains from our gym sessions. The squad will also hopefully be helped by the ten girls who represented the Alberta Wolfpack at the National U19 Championships in Calgary this summer.” – Matthew Parrish

Key Performer: Cassie Mann
​Back Row | 4th Year | Edmonton, Alta.

2024 stats: 4 tries, 20 points

Cassie is the team's captain and leader, both on and off the field. She is the team's primary ball carrier and is coming off a stellar stint with the provincial team.

Calgary Dinos

2025 Coaches Poll Rank: #5

Team Outlook: After a strong finish last fall that saw the Dinos narrowly miss the Canada West Bronze Medal, a youthful squad returns with more experience this season looking to build off last year. A handful of newcomers will also look to make their mark.

From the Coach: "The team has invested many hours of hard work and dedication over the past eight months. Now, we are eager to return to competition and showcase the progress we’ve made together. Our squad features many young athletes who are ready to take the next step in their development, and we are confident in their potential.

Our success this season will come down to one thing: our ability to consistently uphold and impose our four pillars of performance every time we step onto the pitch." - Simon Chi

Key Performer: Bomi Lawal
​Wing | 3rd Year | Calgary, Alta.

2024 stats: 9 tries

Bomi Lawal came on strong down the stretch of her second season, leading the way for the Dinos with nine tries during the Rugby 7s campaign. After she was selected to represent Canada at the Junior Pan-Am Games this summer, Lawal figures to play a big role for this fall's Rugby 15s season.