A tale of two Dinos: The lead-up to the U Sports Final 8
By Leigh Patrick, March 6 2026—
As March arrives and the basketball season concludes, the U Sports Final 8 begins, bringing together the top Canadian university talent to compete for the national title. Travelling to Quebec City, the women’s team will compete for the top spot at Laval University. The men’s team, however, will host the tournament on its home court. Both the Dinos women’s and men’s teams have made the cut and will compete in this esteemed event. They are coming from opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. One team is a polished machine looking to cap a historic run; the other is a young squad looking for a miracle on their home court.
The women: Precision under pressure
With a 16-4 record, the Dinos women achieved significant success, reaching the U Sports Final 8, where they are seeded No. 3 nationally. In addition to this impressive run, the team captured the gold medal at the Canada West championships by defeating the previously undefeated Saskatchewan Huskies and the UBC Thunderbirds in the final.
The team enters the Final 8 weekend with a strong senior lineup, including conference defensive player of the year Amélie Collin. The fifth-year guard has rewritten the record books this year, setting new Canada West benchmarks for career steals (322) and single-season steals (98).
Also on the court is Pollyanna Storie, the offensive complement to Collin’s defence. In the Canada West championship game, Storie led the Dinos to their first title since 2001. She was named finals MVP after scoring 16 points and hitting the game-sealing free throws in the 63-57 win over the Thunderbirds.
Heading the veteran-heavy team is Sarah Besselink. This is Besselink’s first year coaching the Dinos after being appointed in April 2025. She joined after five seasons with the Ottawa Gee-Gees, where she served as the lead assistant coach. Besselink’s star power as a coach and former student athlete herself has served the team well, as she helps shape the raw talent each of her athletes possesses.
The team will face off against the No. 6-seeded McGill Martlets at 2:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 5.
The men: Rebuilding in the spotlight
While the Dinos women arrive at the U Sports Final 8 as conference champions, the men’s squad enters the national tournament in a distinctive position. The No. 8-seeded Dinos find themselves in the underdog host role after a massive roster overhaul following last year’s national silver medal, ready to prove that their youthful lineup can compete with the country’s best.
In a transition year that saw 10 fresh faces join the program, the Dinos men finished the regular season with a respectable 12-8 record. Resilience was on full display in the last weeks of the season, led by the veteran presence of Aidan Smith. The fourth-year guard has been the steadying force for the young group, averaging 9.4 points and nearly four rebounds per game while providing lockdown perimeter defence.
The Dinos’ tournament hopes will also rely heavily on the development of their new core talent, including second-year guard Daniels Baumanis. Baumanis has stepped into a high-usage role this season, leading the team in assists and establishing himself as a primary playmaker.
This Friday at 6 p.m. MT marks a significant challenge for Dan Vanhooren, the Dinos’ head coach of 26 seasons, as they begin the tournament against the top-ranked Victoria Vikes.
The women’s and men’s tournament weekend will be available to watch online on CBC Gem, CBCSports.ca, and CBC Sports YouTube. To follow the progress of the tournament and learn what game is when, you can check out the women’s schedule and the men’s schedule.