GUELPH, Ont. – For the fourth time in the last five years, the Queen's Gaels are champions in OUA women's rugby. On Thursday evening (Oct. 29) in warm and rainy conditions at the University of Guelph's Varsity Field, the No. 1 nationally ranked Queen's Gaels defeated the No. 2 nationally ranked Guelph Gryphons by a final score of 21-10. It marks the sixth OUA title in program history for the Gaels. The Gryphons meanwhile suffer their first loss of the 2026 season.
Meeting for a ninth consecutive year in the OUA gold medal game, the Gaels and Gryphons once again delivered a hard-fought, evenly matched contest. The two teams met earlier this season, with Guelph edging Queen's, 22-19, back on September 19 to earn homefield advantage for the OUA title game. But it was the visiting Gaels who held a slim lead after 40 minutes, with the lone try in the opening half of play coming from Queen's third-year hooker Eva Johnston (Sunshine Coast, Australia) in the 32nd minute, as the Gaels led 7-3 at halftime.
The second half would see the Gaels push their lead to 14-3 with Eva Johnston scoring her second try of the match in the 61st minute. Johnston, a third-year business student at Queen's, would be named 'Player of the Game.' The Gryphons would respond in the 66th minute with a try from Madeline DiGirolamo to trim the deficit to 14-10. But that would be as close as the Gryphons would get, with Queen's sealing the 2026 conference banner in the 71st minute with a try from third-year flanker, Kennedi Stevenson (Glen Williams, ON) to push the lead to 21-10. Gaels third-year fly-half, Tatum Lougheed (Calgary, AB) was good on three converts on the night, helping Queen's secure their sixth OUA title in program history.
Both teams will now regroup and prepare for the
2026 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championships, which will also take place at the University of Guelph (Nov. 4 – 8). The Guelph Gryphons are two-time national champions (1998 & 2011), while the Queen's Gaels won the lone national title in their program history in 2021. Joining the Gryphons and Gaels at nationals will be the two-time reigning national champion UBC Thunderbirds, Victoria Vikes, Laval Rouge et Or, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Acadia Axewomen and the winner of Saturday's (Oct. 31) OUA bronze medal game between the Western Mustangs and Brock Badgers. Seedings and scheduling for next week's national championship tournament will be announced later this weekend. Check usports.ca for the latest updates.
