UVic Claim Canada West Conference Title; Carissa Norsten Named Player of the Year; UVic Coach Brittany Waters Named Coach of the Year
UVic claimed the Canada West title with another narrow victory over UBC. UBC are current U SPORTS title holders and are hosting the U SPORTS rugby championship which starts later this month. UVic defeated UBC with a come from behind win, trailing by 6 points with 10 minutes remaining, they scored a try at the 74′ mark and made the important conversion to claim the Western title. The match report from CanWest is posted below.
Carissa Norsten was named the conference Player of the Year, and UVic coach Brittany Waters was selected Coach of the Year. Details on the awards are posted below in the CanWest article.
Even though UBC and UVic were #1 and #2 last year, they’re ranked #5 and #3 respectively this year by U SPORTS. Queen’s are ranked #1 and Laval #2 in the last published ranking on their website from October 6th.
The tournament kicks off October 29th and the championship website is here. The quarter-final match ups haven’t been announced yet.
Oct. 20, 2025 – Leading her team to their first conference championship since 2015, Victoria’s Carissa Norsten has been named the conference’s 2025 Rugby 15s Player of the Year.
The conference announced its major award recipients and all-stars following a thrilling championship weekend which saw Victoria claim the CW banner with a dramatic 18-17 win over rival UBC.
UBC lock Poppy-Anne Elcock was named Rookie of the Year, while Victoria’s Brittany Waters was named Coach of the Year.
Alberta team captain Molly Stetsko was named the recipient of the Student-Athlete Community Service Award, recognizing her tremendous leadership both on the field and in the UofA community.
The Rugby 15’s All-Star roster was also announced, headlined by six members each from UBC and Victoria. Calgary, Alberta and Lethbridge each had one representative.
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PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Carissa Norsten (Victoria Vikes)
Fullback | Fourth Year | Waldheim, Sask.
The fourth-year fullback was a key piece to the Vikes’ undefeated season. Norsten led the Vikes in tries scored during the regular season with five, and added another key try in a 18-17 win over rival UBC in the Canada West Final. She is a veteran who uses her leadership, game savviness, and raw talent to be a game changer on the field.
“Carissa has had an outstanding season so far showcasing her athleticism, talent and work rate. On top of her incredible performances, Carissa is so deserving of this recognition for the effort and time she has put in behind the scenes to improve her all around skills and game knowledge. She is a triple threat with her running, passing and kicking game and a role model for her teammates and peers.” – Vikes Head Coach Brittany Waters
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ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Poppy-Anne Elcock (UBC Thunderbirds)
Lock | First Year | Coquitlam, B.C.
Poppy has made a tremendous impact in her first season. She’s an incredible person who brings a lot of humility and hard work to the field. Her skills as a jumper in the lineout and dynamic runner in open field have set her apart this year. She has great habits and instincts for the game and we’re excited to see her continue to develop over the years.
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STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Molly Stetsko (Alberta Pandas)
Lock | Fifth Year | Edmonton, Alta.
Throughout her five seasons as a Panda, the captain has been an exemplary leader both on-and-off the field. The hometown Edmonton product recorded one try during the 2025 regular season, and delivered another crucial try that changed momentum in Alberta’s bronze medal win against Lethbridge on Sunday.
While her play on the field is impressive, it’s Stetsko’s dedication to serving her on-campus community that has defined her time as a student-athlete. She has been a long-standing member of the University of Alberta Athletics Board, serving as the President this season. She has provided leadership and hands-on assistance with many on-campus events including Read-In Week, UAB x Help A Homie, and the Legacy Fund campaign. She has taken a lead role in organizing community engagement volunteering initiatives for her team, getting her teammates involved in initiatives to support Santa’s Anonymous, Edmonton Foodbank and Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre.
She has also volunteered at “For Girls By Girls” for the past three seasons, teaching young girls how to play rugby. In addition, she has volunteered her time to serve on the Canada West Student-Athlete Engagement Committee. In the classroom, she has excelled in the Faculty of Business, earning Academic All-Canadian honours.
One of her highlights was being a co-organizer of the UofA’s first ever Teddy Bear toss game last season, an event that collected over 500 teddy bears for Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre. She is once again involved in planning this year’s event, bringing variety athletes together to help make the event even bigger.
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COACH OF THE YEAR: Brittany Waters
• 11th Season
Waters adds 2025 Coach of the Year to her ever growing trophy case. Her teams have medalled each year at the Canada West Championships under her watch. She has guided the Vikes to gold in 2015 and 2025, silver in 2016-18 and 2021-24, as well as a bronze in 2019.
Edmonton, AB – The University of Victoria women’s rugby team were victorious in defeating the University of British Columbia 18-17 and captured the Canada West Championship. This conference title match was played at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB, Oct.19.
The Vikes attacked early
- The Vikes went on attack early as Carissa Norsten touched the ball down in the try zone to put the Vikes ahead 5-0 in the Championship game.
- Already ahead 5-0, the Vikes added a penalty goal off the foot of reliable kicker Olivia Newsome to push the lead out further to 8-0.
UBC fought back
- In the 35th minute of the game, UBC cut into the Vikes lead, scoring a try of their own to bring the score to 8-5.
Newsome nailed a kick again
- In the final minute of the first half, Olivia Newsome added another important penalty goal, pushing the Vikes’ halftime lead to 11-5.
UBC pushed back in the second half
- UBC battled back in the second half with back-to-back tries and one convert to take the lead 17-11 with only ten minutes to play.
Vikes didn’t hear a bell
- In the 74th minute, with the Championship on the line, Kira Smed forced her way into the Thunderbirds try zone for her first try of the game. Olivia Newsome nailed her ever-important two point convert to propel the Vikes in front 18-17/
This win carries more weight than just this year’s championship. UBC and UVic have met in every Canada West title game since 2021. Each of those matches have resulted in a UBC win and Vikes’ loss. But, for the first time since 2015, that is no longer the case. Because of the hard-fought game from the Vikes, the University of Victoria are 2025 Canada West Champions.
The Vikes will return to the pitch for the U SPORTS Championship hosted by UBC in Vancouver, BC. These matches will be played Oct. 29 through Nov. 2.
2025 Canada West Rugby 15s All-Stars
