Guelph (October 28, 2014) – The six-team CIS Women's Rugby national tournament hosted by the University of Guelph for the second time in history, kicks off on Thursday and concludes Sunday with the gold-medal final at 2 p.m. All nine games from the tourney will be webcast live on CIS-SIC.tv.
 
The top-seeded University of Alberta Pandas will try to become the first program in five years to repeat as Monilex Trophy champion this weekend when the best teams in CIS women's rugby meet at Alumni Stadium.
 
In addition to the Canada West champion Pandas, the second-seeded McMaster Marauders (OUA champs), No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees (RSEQ champs), No. 4 St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS champs), No. 5 Guelph Gryphons (OUA silver medallists) and No. 6 Western Mustangs (OUA bronze medallists) will also compete for the CIS banner at Alumni Stadium.
 
Alberta, StFX and Western will battle in Pool A, while McMaster, Ottawa and Guelph make up Pool B. The group winners advance to Sunday's final. The middle teams will fight for CIS bronze and the last-place finishers for fifth position.
 
On opening day, Alberta faces Western at 10:30 a.m. and McMaster takes on Guelph at 1:30 p.m. StFX and Ottawa tackle the losers on Friday and the winners on Saturday.
 
The Pandas claimed their record sixth Monilex Trophy a year ago thanks to a 29-10 gold-medal win over the Gryphons in Quebec City. They had previously captured five consecutive CIS titles from 1999 to 2003, with their first triumph 15 years ago coming in Guelph.
 
Guelph is the only past Monilex Trophy champion among Pool B contenders, having won the inaugural CIS tournament in 1998 and adding a second banner in 2011. The Gryphons have been oh-so-close each of the past two years, dropping the 2012 final to StFX in addition to their gold-medal loss to Alberta 12 months ago.
 
McMaster lost to Guelph 15-10 in the 1998 final and has since competed at the event only once, placing fifth in 2011.
  
Thursday's McMaster-Guelph confrontation will be the third in a month between the OUA foes but the first at Alumni Stadium. In addition to the Marauders 19-10 win in the conference championship game, the rivals battled to a 27-27 draw on Sept. 28 in Hamilton.
 
"The level of play at the CIS championships is getting better and better each year. It's a true pathway for those that want to reach the next level," says Guelph head coach Colette McAuley, whose Gryphons are making their 10^th consecutive trip to the competition. "We have to be toughest at the breakdown to win this tournament. If we win the point of contact and remain confident in our skills, we'll win games."
 
 
Official championship website 
 
 
TEAM PROFILES
 
POOL A
No. 1 Alberta Pandas (Canada West champions)
Head Coach: Matt Parrish (11^th season)
Regular season record: 3-1
Regular season standing: 2^nd Canada West
Playoff record: 2-0
Playoff finish: Canada West champions
Conference award winners: Alanna Fittes (MVP), Matt Parrish (coach)
Conference all-stars: Elizabeth Steele, Rebecca Fairbairn, Jules Goss, Alanna Fittes
CIS championship appearances (including 2014): 11 
CIS championship all-time record: 29-6-2 (.811)
CIS championship all-time medals: 9 (6-1-2)
CIS championship best result: 6-time champions (2013, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999)
CIS championship last appearance: 2013 (champions)
CIS championship sequence: 3^rd straight appearance
 
No. 4 St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS champions)
Head Coach: Mike Cavanagh (16^th season)
Regular season record: 6-0
Regular season standing: 1^st AUS
Playoff record: 2-0
Playoff finish: AUS champions
Conference award winners: Emma Taylor (MVP), Joanna Alphonso (rookie), Mike Cavanagh (coach)
Conference all-stars: Joanna Alphonso, Catharine MacKeigan, Emma Taylor, Brooke Newsome, Zahra Batool, Jaelei Meyer, Danielle Robb, Breanna Allison
CIS championship appearances (including 2014): 17 
CIS championship all-time record: 24-28-3 (.464)
CIS championship all-time medals: 6 (3-3-0)
CIS championship best result: 3-time champions (2012, 2010, 2006)
CIS championship last appearance: 2013 (5^th place)
CIS championship sequence: 17^th straight appearance
 
No. 6 Western Mustangs (OUA bronze medallists)
Head Coach: Natascha Wesch (21^st season)
Regular season record: 2-3
Regular season standing: 3^rd OUA Shiels Division
Playoff record: 2-1
Playoff finish: OUA bronze medallists
Conference award winners (Shiels Division): Lori Josephson (MVP), Nikki Case (rookie)
Conference all-stars (Shiels Division): Lori Josephson, Mackenzie Fane, Ashley Snider
CIS championship appearances (including 2014): 9 
CIS championship all-time record: 19-11 (.633)
CIS championship all-time medals: 5 (2-2-1)
CIS championship best result: 2-time champions (2005, 2004)
CIS championship last appearance: 2009 (6^th place)
CIS championship sequence: Return after 4-year absence
 
POOL B
No. 2 McMaster Marauders (OUA champions)
Head Coach: Shaun Allen (1^st season)
Regular season record: 4-0-1
Regular season standing: 1^st OUA Russell Division
Playoff record: 3-0
Playoff finish: OUA champions
Conference award winners (Russell Division): None
Conference all-stars (Russell Division): Cindy Nelles, Emily Ricketts, Sara Svoboda, Abigail Moody, Heidi Henderson
CIS championship appearances (including 2014): 3  
CIS championship all-time record: 4-3 (.571)
CIS championship all-time medals: 1 (0-1-0)
CIS championship best result: Finalists (1998)
CIS championship last appearance: 2011 (5^th place)
CIS championship sequence: Return after 2-year absence
 
No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees (RSEQ champions)
Head Coach: Jennifer Boyd (2^nd season)
Regular season record: 7-0
Regular season standing: 1^st RSEQ
Playoff record: 2-0
Playoff finish: RSEQ champions
Conference award winners: Afton Maisonneuve (leadership), Jennifer Boyd (coach)
Conference all-stars: Allison MacCormack, Erin van Gulik
CIS championship appearances (including 2014): 1
CIS championship all-time record: 0-0
CIS championship all-time medals: 0
CIS championship best result: -
CIS championship last appearance: -
CIS championship sequence: First appearance
 
No. 5 Guelph Gryphons (OUA silver medallists)
Head Coach: Colette McAuley (8^th season)
Regular season record: 3-0-2
Regular season standing: 1^st OUA Shiels Division
Playoff record: 2-1
Playoff finish: OUA silver medallists
Conference award winners (Shiels Division): None
Conference all-stars (Shiels Division): Brittany Priddle, Shannon Spurrell, Brittany Kassil, Devon Stober, Rita Charest-Pekeski
CIS championship appearances (including 2014): 15 
CIS championship all-time record: 28-22-2 (.558)
CIS championship all-time medals: 11 (2-4-5)
CIS championship best result: 2-time champions (2011, 1998)
CIS championship last appearance: 2013 (silver medal)
CIS championship sequence: 10^th straight appearance
 
MONILEX TROPHY CHAMPIONS (Inaugural championship held in 1998)
2013 Alberta
2012 StFX
2011 Guelph
2010 StFX
2009 Lethbridge
2008 Lethbridge
2007 Lethbridge
2006 StFX
2005 Western
2004 Western
2003 Alberta
2002 Alberta
2001 Alberta
2000 Alberta
1999 Alberta
1998 Guelph
 
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
 
Wednesday, Oct. 29
18:30 All-Canadian Awards Gala (Holiday Inn)
 
Thursday, Oct. 30
10:30 Pool A: Alberta vs. Western (CIS-SIC.tv)
13:30 Pool B: McMaster vs. Guelph (CIS-SIC.tv)
 
Friday, Oct. 31
10:30 Pool A: Loser (Alberta-Western) vs. StFX (CIS-SIC.tv)
13:30 Pool B: Loser (McMaster-Guelph) vs. Ottawa (CIS-SIC.tv)
 
Saturday, Nov. 1
10:30 Pool A: Winner (Alberta-Western) vs. StFX (CIS-SIC.tv)
13:30 Pool B: Winner (McMaster-Guelph) vs. Ottawa (CIS-SIC.tv)
 
Sunday, Nov. 2
10:00 Fifth place: 3^rd Pool A vs. 3^rd Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)
12:00 Bronze medal: 2^nd Pool A vs. 2^nd Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)
14:00 Championship final: 1^st Pool A vs. 1^st Pool B (CIS-SIC.tv)