Dinos digest: Feb. 21 to 27
By Leigh Patrick, March 2 2026—
After a weekend packed with wins and medals galore we have new national champions in the house, a 51-game winning streak snapped, and a massive playoff weekend ahead. Here’s a glimpse of what’s been done and what’s to come.
Curling: Sweeping the ice
The Dinos men’s curling team defeated the Carleton Ravens 7-6 in an extra-end thriller on Feb. 21. With this win, they became 2026 U Sports national champions. The entire roster — Ethan Drysdale, Spencer Else, Ky Macaulay and Kenan Wipf — was named First Team All-Canadians, with Wipf being named Canada West BioSteel men’s curling athlete of the week. Meanwhile, the women’s curling coach, Heather Rogers, was named U Sports women’s curling coach of the year after leading the women’s team to their first-ever national appearance.
Basketball: The end of a marathon
Unbeaten since November 2024, the Saskatchewan Huskies were on a 51-game winning streak. In a massive upset, the Dinos women’s basketball team broke this streak on Feb. 21 with a close game of 61-58. As a result, the Dinos head to Vancouver this weekend to play for the Canada West gold medal, with tip-off at 3 p.m. Whether they win silver or gold this week, the team automatically advances to the U Sports Final 8 in Quebec City, March 5 to 8.
Hockey: Crowchild clash 2.0
After sweeping MacEwan in the quarterfinals, the Dinos now advance to the best-of-three semifinal series against Mount Royal University Cougars for the weekend of Friday, Feb. 27 to Sunday, March 1. The winner of this series will qualify for the U Sports championships.
Volleyball: On the road
The men’s volleyball team pulled off a 2-1 series comeback against MRU in the play-in rounds and now play in Vancouver for a best-of-three series against the University of British Columbia. After losing the first game 0-3 on Feb. 26, the team is fighting hard for a win in the following games.
Wrestling: National stage
Dinos women’s wrestling team started the week fresh off their third consecutive Canada West banner. Maya Johnston was named Canada West women’s wrestling athlete of the year, and head coach Carol Huynh won the women’s team coach of the year award. Both the men and women are currently in Thunder Bay for the U Sports Championships, with a gold medal match set for Saturday, Feb. 28, in the afternoon.
Swimming: The final tune-up
The Dinos Swim Club hosted their February Invitational at the university’s aquatic centre, Feb. 21-22. It was a massive weekend, with swimmers reaching new personal bests and U Sports-qualifying times. The team is now in its taper period as it prepares for the U Sports Championships in Markham, Ont., which kick off on March 12.