U Sports women's soccer
FormerlyCIAU soccer, CIS soccer
SportSoccer
Founded1987
No. of teams53, in four conferences
CountryCanada
Most recent
champion(s)		UBC Thunderbirds
(2023)
Most titlesUBC Thunderbirds (8)[1]
Official websiteusports.ca/en/sports/soccer/f

U Sports women's soccer is the highest level of play at the university level under the auspices of U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports.[2] As of the 2021 season, 53 teams from Canadian universities are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four conferences of U Sports: Canada West, Ontario University Athletics, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec, and Atlantic University Sport.[3] After interconference playoffs have been played, eight teams compete for the Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy, awarded to the U Sports women's soccer championship winner.

Season structure

Regular season

The regular season is eight to nine weeks long, depending on the conference. Teams play between 12 and 16 regular season games, depending on conference or division, with teams typically playing a home and home series with every other team in their conference or division. All regular season games are in-conference. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the Chantal Navert Memorial award is awarded annually to the Player of the Year in U Sports women's soccer.

Playoffs

After the regular season, single elimination playoff games are held between the top teams in each conference to determine conference champions. In the Canada West and Quebec conferences, the top four teams qualify for the playoffs, with the fourth and first seeded teams playing one match and the third and second seeded teams playing another. The two winning teams then play for the conference championship. Because there are more teams in the Atlantic conference, the top six teams qualify, with the top two teams receiving a first-round bye. The sixth and third seeded teams play one match and the fifth and fourth seeded teams play another. The winning teams then go on to play the top two seeded teams, with the lowest remaining seed playing the first seeded team and the highest remaining seed playing the second seeded team. The winners of these two semi-final matches then play for the Atlantic conference championship.

The Ontario playoff system operates much like the Atlantic one, except it functions for both the West and East divisions. The top six teams from each division (twelve total) qualify for the playoffs, with the top two seeds of each division receiving byes. The champions of each division then play for the OUA conference championship. Because the OUA has 12 teams competing, it necessitates a longer post-season schedule. Consequently, the first round of the playoffs in the OUA occurs during the same week that each of the other three conferences are playing their last regular season games. The four conference champions automatically qualify for the U Sports Women's Soccer Championship.

Women's Soccer Championship

The U Sports Women's Soccer Championship, first established in 1987, features eight teams in single elimination matches to determine a national champion. The championship hosts 11 games over four days at a predetermined host venue. The host team is automatically qualified for the tournament, as is each of the conference champions. Another berth is awarded to the second-place finisher in the Ontario conference and Canada West conference. The final spot is given to one team from one of the three remaining conferences on a yearly rotational basis.[4]

Teams

Atlantic University Sport

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
Acadia UniversityAxewomenWolfvilleNS1838Raymond Field3,000
Cape Breton UniversityCapersSydneyNS2005CBU FieldN/A
Dalhousie UniversityTigersHalifaxNS1818Wickwire Field2,000
Memorial University of NewfoundlandSea-HawksSt. John'sNL1925King George V Park6,400[5]
Université de MonctonAigles BleuMonctonNB1864Moncton Stadium10,000
Mount Allison UniversityMountiesSackvilleNB1839MacAulay Field2,500
University of New BrunswickVarsity RedsFrederictonNB1785BMO Centre2,500
University of Prince Edward IslandPanthersCharlottetownPEI1969UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place1,670
Saint Mary's UniversityHuskiesHalifaxNS1802Huskies Stadium4,000
St. Francis Xavier UniversityX-WomenAntigonishNS1853Oland Stadium4,000

Canada West Universities Athletic Association

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
West Division
University of Alberta Pandas Edmonton AB 1908 Foote Soccer Field 1,500
University of British ColumbiaThunderbirdsVancouverBC1906Thunderbird Stadium3,500
University of British Columbia OkanaganHeatKelownaBC2005Nonis Sports Field200
University of the Fraser ValleyCascadesAbbotsfordBC1974Bateman Park1,000
University of Northern British ColumbiaTimberwolvesPrince GeorgeBC1990Charles Jago Sport CentreN/A
Thompson Rivers UniversityWolfPackKamloopsBC1970Hillside Stadium1,060
Trinity Western UniversitySpartansLangleyBC1962Rogers ParkN/A
University of VictoriaVikesVictoriaBC1903Centennial Stadium5,000
East Division
University of CalgaryDinosCalgaryAB1966West Varsity Soccer PitchN/A
University of LethbridgePronghornsLethbridgeAB1967U of L Community Stadium2,000
MacEwan UniversityGriffinsEdmontonAB1971Jasper Place Bowl1,000
University of ManitobaBisonsWinnipegMB1877IG Field32,000
Mount Royal UniversityMount Royal CougarsCalgaryAB1910MR FieldsN/A
University of ReginaCougarsReginaSK1974Rams/Cougars FieldN/A
University of SaskatchewanHuskiesSaskatoonSK1907Griffiths Stadium5,743
University of WinnipegWesmenWinnipegMB1967Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex2,000

Ontario University Athletics

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
East Division
Carleton UniversityRavensOttawaON1952Ravens' Field1,500
Laurentian UniversityVoyageursSudburyON1960Laurentian Soccer FieldN/A
Nipissing UniversityLakersNorth BayON1909Nipissing University soccer pitch200
University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyRidgebacksOshawaON2002Vaso's FieldN/A
University of OttawaGee-GeesOttawaON1866Matt Anthony Field1,500
Queen's UniversityGaelsKingstonON1841Richardson Stadium10,258
Royal Military College of CanadaPaladinsKingstonON1876Inner FieldN/A
Toronto Metropolitan UniversityBoldTorontoON1948Lamport Stadium9,600
University of TorontoVarsity BluesTorontoON1827Varsity Stadium5,000
Trent UniversityExcaliburPeterboroughON1962Justin Chiu Stadium1,000
West Division
Algoma UniversityThunderbirdsSault Ste. MarieON1964N/AN/A
Brock UniversityBadgersSt. CatharinesON1964Brock Field1,200
University of GuelphGryphonsGuelphON1964Alumni Stadium4,100
McMaster UniversityMaraudersHamiltonON1887Ron Joyce Stadium6,000
University of WaterlooWarriorsWaterlooON1957Warrior Field5,400
Western UniversityMustangsLondonON1878TD Waterhouse Stadium8,000
Wilfrid Laurier UniversityGolden HawksWaterlooON1957Alumni FieldN/A
University of WindsorLancersWindsorON1857University of Windsor Stadium2,000
York UniversityLionsTorontoON1959York Stadium2,500

Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec

UniversityVarsity NameCityProvinceFoundedSoccer StadiumStadium Capacity
Bishop's UniversityBishop's GaitersSherbrookeQC1843Coulter Field2,200
Concordia UniversityStingersMontrealQC1896Concordia Stadium4,000
Université LavalRouge et OrQuebec CityQC1663PEPS Stadium12,257
McGill UniversityMartletsMontrealQC1821Percival Molson Memorial Stadium25,012
Université de MontréalCarabinsMontrealQC1821CEPSUM Stadium5,100
Université du Québec à MontréalCitadinsMontrealQC1969terrain #2 of Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard1,000
Université du Québec à Trois-RivièresPatriotesTrois-RivièresQC1969Stade de l'UQTR1,500
Université de SherbrookeVert et OrSherbrookeQC1843Stade de l'Université de Sherbrooke3,359

References

  1. ↑ Past U Sports champions
  2. ↑ "USPORTS Identity". December 31, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Women's Soccer".
  4. ↑ "Playing Regulations - Women's Soccer" (PDF). August 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  5. ↑ "King George V Park".
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