FROSH: Five Dinos events you won’t want to miss this year
By Maggie Hsu, September 11 2025—
While, as the sports editor and an avid sports fan, I believe you should attend as many Dinos games as possible, I get it — between lectures, assignments, part-time jobs and keeping yourself mentally afloat, you can’t be at every single one.
With that in mind, here are five can’t-miss events happening on or around campus that are worth clearing your schedule for.
KICKOFF – Aug. 29, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
KICKOFF has been a UCalgary tradition since 2006 and is widely considered the unofficial start of the Dinos athletic season — as well as the official welcome to first-year students.
This year, the University of Regina Rams are coming to McMahon Stadium to face our Dinos football team. Admission is included for full-time UCalgary students with a free UCalgary Student All-Access membership, which also grants access to all 2025–26 regular season home games for football, soccer, basketball, volleyball and hockey (excluding the Crowchild Classic, Men’s Final 8 and U SPORTS playoff events). That’s more than $550 worth of games for exactly $0.
If the deal alone doesn’t hook you, maybe the pre-game tailgate will — starting at 3:30 p.m. in McMahon’s Southeast Parking Lot, with free food, t-shirt giveaways and games to get you hyped before kickoff.
Toronto Raptors’ Training Camp
The Toronto Raptors announced that they’re bringing their annual preseason training camp to the Dinos’ own Jack Simpson Gym. While the weekday practices are closed to the public, the Raptors will hold an open practice on Friday, Oct. 3.
It’s a rare chance for UCalgary students and Calgary basketball fans to see Canada’s NBA team in action up close before they begin their 2025 championship push. Expect high-energy drills, jaw-dropping dunks and a level of skill you’ll be replaying in your head long after you leave the gym.
Pack the Jack – Jan. 9, 2026
There’s no better way to get over the post-winter break blues than joining hundreds of students in cramming into Jack Simpson Gym for a night of intense basketball action.
Pack the Jack is all about volume — in the stands and on the scoreboard. The University of Regina Cougars men’s and women’s teams will be here to face the Dinos, with both games promising playoff-like intensity. Expect giveaways, loud crowds and special installations from local businesses to turn the court into a festival atmosphere.
If you’ve never been to a Dinos basketball game before, this is the one to start with — but be warned, you might leave hooked for the rest of the season.
Crowchild Classic – Jan. 29, 2026
It’s the Battle of Calgary and you’re invited. The Crowchild Classic is the city’s biggest university hockey event of the year, where the crosstown rivals, Dinos and Mount Royal University Cougars, face off at the Scotiabank Saddledome in front of thousands of roaring fans.
With both men’s and women’s teams hitting the ice back-to-back, the atmosphere is electric. Expect student sections decked out in red, clever (and sometimes brutal) chants and a true showcase of Calgary’s university hockey talent.
This is the only Dinos regular-season hockey game not included in the All-Access membership — but the ticket is worth every penny for the energy alone.
U SPORTS Men’s Basketball Final 8 – Mar. 6 to Mar. 8, 2026
For the first time in two decades, the U SPORTS Men’s Basketball National Championship is coming to Calgary — and the Dinos are hosting. The Jack Simpson Gym will be the centre of Canadian university basketball, with eight of the country’s best teams battling for the national title over four days.
It’s a unique opportunity to watch the best-of-the-best of Canadian university basketball without leaving campus and with the Dinos qualifying automatically with a host team bye, you’ll be part of a true home-court advantage. This might be your last chance to catch a few of these players, as many U SPORTS basketball alumni end up moving on to European pro leagues, the CEBL or even end up transferring the Division I basketball down in the States to compete in their own March Madness.
The level of play is high enough to impress any sports fan — from casual viewers to stat-sheet obsessives.
Whether you’re there for the free t-shirts, the rivalry energy or the championship atmosphere, these events are more than just games — they’re part of what makes UCalgary’s sports culture special. Circle the dates, bring your friends, make up some fun signs and get ready to cheer until your voice is gone.