Canada West Field hockey season preview: New season opens with UBC-Victoria rivalry

Source: Canada West Communications

NEW WESTMINSTER – The 2016 Canada West women’s field hockey season opens this weekend with a bang, as the defending conference champion Victoria Vikes head to Vancouver to take on the defending national champion UBC Thunderbirds. 

The bitter west coast rivals meet for the first of two regular season series, with games slated for Saturday (11 a.m. PT) and Sunday (11 a.m. PT) on UBC’s campus.

It’s been more than four decades since either the Vikes, or T-Birds haven’t been the outright conference champions and that isn’t expected to change this season. 

Aside from split conference titles in 1973 (Alberta and UBC) and 1974 (Calgary and UBC), the Vikes and Thunderbirds have combined to stand atop Canada West ever season since 1972. 

While Victoria earned bragging rights last season as conference champions by virtue of topping the regular season standings with a 7-0-1 mark, it was UBC that had the last laugh in 2015. 

The Thunderbirds went into Victoria and earned a 3-2 victory (3-1 in a shootout) in the CIS national final to spoil what would’ve been an undefeated season for the host Vikes.

UBC’s win was their fifth consecutive national title and 17th overall – both national records. 

Now, with the majority of their 2015 squad intact, the Thunderbirds enter the new campaign intent on winning not only the national final, but also retaking their place atop Canada West.

In the conference preseason coaches poll – which saw coaches rank their competitors – both the Vikes and University of Calgary Dinos have tabbed the T-Birds to win the conference this season.

Victoria earned UBC’s first-place vote in the poll, while Calgary was tabbed second by both their competitors.

Looking to make strides this season are the Dinos, who haven’t won a conference game since the 2011 season – the last year the conference featured four teams. 

Since that point, the Dinos have struggled against UBC and Victoria, who have been dominant in both Canada West and nationally. 

Calgary will have to wait until Week 2 for their chance to score an upset win, when they host the Vikes in the Stampede City.

For a complete look at each of the conference’s three teams, visit canadawest.org.