GUELPH, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons women's rugby team will kick off a new season on Saturday, September 5 as they travel to St. Catharines to take on the Brock Badgers in their 2026 OUA regular season opener. The Gryphons put together another strong season in 2025, finishing the regular season with a 5-1 record before advancing to the conference championship game for the 17th consecutive season before falling short in their OUA title defence against the Queen's Gaels. At the 2025 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championships in Vancouver, the Gryphons wrapped up the 2025 season with a 4th-place finish in the country, marking the third time in four seasons in which the Gryphons finished 4th at nationals.
The 2026 OUA season will feature 10 women's rugby programs from across the province competing in a 6-game regular season schedule. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top two teams in the standings will earn byes into the semifinal round of the OUA postseason. The conference playoffs will culminate on October 30 with the playing of the 2026 OUA championship final. The Guelph Gryphons will then host the 2026 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship, with all games played at the University of Guelph's Alumni Stadium from November 4-8, 2026. This will mark just the third time in school history in which the University of Guelph has served as the hosts of a women's rugby national championship tournament. The Gryphons women's rugby program has been crowned national champions on two occasions (2011 and 1998) and will enter the 2026 season in search of a 19th OUA title in program history, with the most recent OUA title coming in 2024.
In 2026, the Gryphons are led by 2024 OUA MVP and 2024 U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian,
Adelaide Holmes. Holmes featured in her team's final four games of the regular season in 2025 and recorded a team-high 8 tries as she was named an OUA All-Star for a second consecutive season. The fourth-year wing player from Waterloo had a busy spring of 2025 on the international stage, representing Canada at U21's in England while also suiting up for Canada in 7's at EAAST 7's in France. Holmes' teammate at U21's Maddie Minnis returns to Guelph following an outstanding season a year ago as one of the team's leading scorers with 6 tries. The marine and freshwater biology major from Barrie was named a U SPORTS All-Canadian for her fabulous 2025 season and is going to feature at the wing. 2025 OUA All-Star
Halle Woodcock is also back in Guelph for 2026. The human kinetics major from Trenton, ON will be a key contributor from her scrum-half position for the Gryphons. Maddy DiGirolamo (Vaughan, ON) returns to the team for 2026 and is set to make impact for the Gryphs in the front row as one of the team's captains.
MacKayla Valley is back for her fifth season and provides the Gryphons with versatility with her ability to excel at both fly-half and scrum-half.
Amanda Sarabura is poised to take on a bigger role for the team this season as the second-year player is set to be the team's primary kick taker for the upcoming season.
Heather Armstrong is back for her third season in Guelph at hooker as the criminal justice and public policy major from Calgary was the team's rookie of the year in 2024. Another returning second year player set to make an impact is
Kaia Nolan from Rouleau, Saskatchewan who should play a key role in the back row for the Gryphons.
Clara Jackson will help anchor the front row for the Gryphons as the molecular biology and genetics major from Halifax, NS will play at prop. Candace Scholten is going slot in at centre for the team this season as she is currently studying her Master's in leadership and has represented Team Canada in Rugby League in 2025.
Madison Donnelly joins the Guelph as a grad transfer from Queen's to pursue her Master's in animal biosciences. Donnelly during her four years at Queen's was named the 2022 OUA Rookie of the Year and was an OUA First Team All-Star and U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian in 2024.
The Gryphons open their season in St. Catharines against the Brock Badgers this Saturday (Sept. 5) before returning home to Varsity Field on a Friday night (Sept. 11) when they host the Laurier Golden Hawks with kickoff scheduled for 7pm.
