U SPORTS announces UPEI will host the 2024 national women’s rugby championship

Charlottetown, PEI (June 28, 2023)—The UPEI Women's Rugby Panthers will host the 2024 U SPORTS national women's rugby championship, representing the program's first-ever opportunity to host this esteemed event. 

The announcement was one of three championships made by U SPORTS on June 28. The other two were for men's and women's soccer.  

The women's rugby contest is the ninth U SPORTS national championship hosted by the Panthers. The most recent U SPORTS championship hosted by UPEI was for men's hockey, which was held earlier this year.   

"Fresh off a historic season in which we captured our first AUS rugby championship, we can't wait to make history again when we host the U SPORTS women's rugby championship in 2024," said UPEI athletics director Jane Vessey. "Over the years, we have witnessed how hosting a national championship can bring a community together, and we're excited to provide the spotlight for one of Canada's biggest rugby tournaments."  

"Winning the bid to host the 2024 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship is a significant mark for UPEI and the women's rugby program," said Panthers head coach James Voye. "Hosting an event of this magnitude will immediately impact my recruiting efforts and give us an opportunity to celebrate the alumni that set the stage for this opportunity. This will be the highest-level female rugby competition that UPEI and the province has ever hosted and we are thrilled to welcome the nation's best in 2024."  

The UPEI Women's Rugby Panthers are coming off their best-ever season following their first national championship appearance in 2022. Rugby matches during the championship event will be played at both UPEI's Artificial Turf Field and at UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place, a multi-functional sport facility that was built for the 2009 Canada Summer Games and features MacAdam Field, a World Rugby-regulation grass pitch.  

Philip Brown, Mayor of Charlottetown said he is proud to welcome talented athletes from across Canada to Charlottetown in 2024 for the prestigious U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship. "Thanks to the full support of our community partners and our reputation as a premier sport-hosting destination, Charlottetown is ready to deliver an electrifying and unforgettable championship." 

"We are very excited to be hosting another U SPORTS national event at UPEI—the 2024 women's rugby championship," said Dr. Greg Keefe, UPEI's interim president and vice-chancellor. "This prestigious sporting competition will showcase the very best rugby talent in Canada, including our very own Panther student-athletes. On behalf of UPEI, I thank U SPORTS and our local organizing committee for securing this great opportunity to develop women's rugby in our community and province." 

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Media contact:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca