UVic to host 2022 women’s rugby U Sports national championship

University of Victoria athletic director Clint Hamilton considers it a show of faith in the future that UVic has been awarded the 2022 women’s rugby U Sports national championship tournament.

“The world will return to normal and we will be hosting these types of events again,” said Hamilton.

All 2020 fall sports in Canada West and U Sports have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Decisions on U Sports and Canada West 2020-21 winter sports, such as basketball, will be made in October. U Sports athletes will not lose a year of varsity eligibility for cancelled sports seasons.

University sports officials are already looking ahead to the postpandemic period and announced six U Sports championship hosts for 2022 and 2023 in women’s rugby as well as men’s and women’s soccer.

“[Vikes head coach and twotime World Cup player] Brittany Waters has done a terrific job with our women’s rugby team and it will be a great event in 2022,” said Hamilton.

Due to the pandemic, the selected schools will each host one year later than their original bid proposal

“U Sports would like to thank the members who originally bid on the fall 2021 and 2022 championships for accepting to delay hosting until 2022 and 2023,” said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, chief sport officer for U Sports, in a statement.

“This allows the hosts of the cancelled fall 2020 national championships to present the 2021 editions. We’re excited to unveil our fall championship lineup for the next three years and look forward to a safe return to play in university sport across Canada.”