GUELPH, Ont. – Throughout the 2025-26 season, the University of Guelph Department of Athletics will be highlighting various members from our Gryphon varsity programs as part of our 'Gryph's Locker Athletes of the Week, presented by POWERADE' series.
Charles Trollip (men's rugby) and
Sophie Helfenstein (women's hockey) have been named 'Gryphon Athletes of the Week' for the period covering October 6 – 12, 2025.
Charles Trollip (Men's Rugby)
Charles Trollip, a fourth-year standout with the Gryphons men's rugby team, takes home 'Athlete of the Week' honours after playing a key role in Guelph's 42-24 road win over the Queen's Gaels on Friday, Oct. 10 in Kingston. Trollip, a human kinetics major from Guelph, was the lone Gryphon player to record multiple tries on the night, helping the four-time defending OUA champions take a big step towards securing homefield advantage for the upcoming playoffs.
Friday night's marquee matchup in Kingston saw the host Queen's Gaels jump out to an early 14-0 lead. But Trollip helped spark the Gryphon comeback, with his first try of the night coming one minute after Queen's had made it a 14-0 game. Trollip would set up
Quinn Foley for a try three minutes later, with a memorable night from the fourth-year prop capped off with his 2nd try of the game in the 31st minute. With the win, the Gryphons improve to 5-0 on the season, with the team set to officially close out the six-game regular season on Sunday, Oct. 19 when they host Trent (2-3) in a 3pm matchup. The 2025 OUA men's rugby playoffs get underway on Saturday, Oct. 25 with the quarterfinal stage, but the Gryphons have already earned a bye through the quarterfinals and will open their postseason at home during the OUA semifinal stage on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Sophie Helfenstein (Women's Hockey)
Gryphons women's hockey goalie,
Sophie Helfenstein, earns 'Athlete of the Week' honours after helping lead the U of G women's hockey team to back-to-back victories to open up their 2025-26 OUA regular season schedule.
Helfenstein, a third-year goalie from Ajax, Ontario, got the start in both games for the Gryphons, beginning with a Wednesday night (Oct. 8) home matchup versus Laurier in the season opener. In that game, Helfenstein turned away 17 of the 18 shots sent her way in a 2-1 victory for the Gryphons over the Golden Hawks. Two nights later, Helfenstein was back in between the posts for a Friday night (Oct. 10) home matchup versus the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. The molecular biology and genetics major turned away all 22 shots she saw on the night for her first shutout of the new season and the 6th shutout of her OUA career, in a 2-0 win for the Gryphons. The Gryphons women's hockey team (2-0-0) will now hit the road for their next two games, with a Friday, Oct. 17 game in Windsor against the Lancers, followed by a Saturday night (Oct. 18) game in London versus the Western Mustangs.
2025-26 Gryphon Athletes of the Week
| Name |
Sport |
Date |
| Charles Trollip |
Men's Rugby |
Oct. 6-12, 2025 |
| Sophie Helfenstein |
Women's Hockey |
Oct. 6-12, 2025 |
| Abigail Warriner |
Field Hockey |
Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2025 |
| Olivier Ciarlo |
Men's Hockey |
Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2025 |
| Olivia Rizakos |
Women's Soccer |
Sept. 22-28, 2025 |
| Ethan Fraser |
Men's Soccer |
Sept. 22-28, 2025 |
| Alexandra McDougall |
Women's Cross Country |
Sept. 15-21, 2025 |
| William MacLeod |
Men's Lacrosse |
Sept. 15-21, 2025 |
| Jacqueline Giles |
Women's Golf |
Sept. 8-14, 2025 |
| Landon Hutar |
Baseball |
Sept. 8-14, 2025 |
| Carter Robart |
Men's Soccer |
Sept. 1-7, 2025 |
| Rachel McConvey |
Women's Lacrosse |
Sept. 1-7, 2025 |
| Olivia Rizakos |
Women's Soccer |
Aug. 25-31, 2025 |
