Having finished fifth at their first trip to the CIS Women’s Rugby Championship since 2005, the UVic Vikes now know they’ll host the 2016 CIS women’s rugby championship.
The Vikes program also learned it will host the women’s 2017 CIS basketball championship. The Vikes have hosted it only once, in 1993.
“Hosting women’s rugby and basketball, after women’s field hockey this fall, is a tremendous opportunity for us to showcase high-calibre university athletic competition and demonstrate our strong commitment to these sports,” said Clint Hamilton, director of Vikes athletics and recreation.
The timing couldn’t be better for the Vikes rugby team, which captured the 2015 Canada West banner, its first conference title in program history.
The Vikes did host the rugby championship in 2005, the only time since women’s rugby made its CIS debut in 1998.
“Victoria is a tremendous rugby community and will enjoy the high quality competition that is sure to take place on our campus during the 2016 CIS tournament,” Hamilton added.
The basketball championship will be the first national championship in the Vikes new performance gymnasium at the Centre of Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities.
The Vikes are the most decorated basketball program in both Canada West and CIS history, with 17 conference titles and nine national crowns, the last of which came in 2003.