Regina, Sask. — For the second consecutive season, the McMaster Marauders women's curling team has finished on the national podium.
McMaster captured the silver medal at the 2026 U SPORTS Canadian Curling Championships this weekend, marking back-to-back national runner-up finishes and further cementing the program's place among Canada's elite.
The Marauders opened the championship with a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Calgary Dinos on Feb. 17. Composed and confident, McMaster executed key shots late to secure the opening win and establish early momentum.
After a narrow 5-4 setback to Memorial University, the Marauders responded later that evening with another one-point victory, edging the Guelph Gryphons 7-6. The ability to rebound immediately from adversity would become a defining theme of the week.
McMaster's most dominant performance came on Feb. 19, when the Marauders exploded offensively in a 12-5 win over Queen's University. Generating multiple big ends, the team demonstrated its scoring depth and control of the sheet.
That same evening, the Marauders faced the Regina Cougars in a tightly contested battle. Once again, McMaster proved poised in pressure moments, earning a 6-5 win to strengthen its playoff positioning.
Feb. 20 presented two razor-thin challenges. McMaster fell 6-5 to the University of New Brunswick in the morning draw, followed by another 6-5 loss to the Alberta Pandas later that afternoon. Despite the pair of narrow defeats, the Marauders' consistency throughout round robin play secured their spot in the championship bracket.
In the semifinal on Feb. 21, McMaster met Alberta once again in a 2 vs. 3 playoff showdown. In a defensive battle defined by precision and patience, the Marauders delivered when it mattered most. A critical steal and disciplined final ends secured a 3-2 victory, sending McMaster to its second straight national gold medal game.
The championship final featured a rematch against Memorial University. In a tightly contested affair where every shot carried weight, the Marauders battled until the final stone but fell just short in a 5-4 decision. The narrow margin underscored just how evenly matched the two programs were throughout the week.
In addition to their silver medal finish, McMaster's excellence was recognized individually as all four members of the rink were named U SPORTS Women's Second-Team All-Canadians. Skip
Evelyn Robert, third
Clara Dissanayake, second
Maggie Fitzgerald, and lead
Ella Wang each earned national honours.
Over nine games, McMaster competed in six one-point contests, showcasing resilience and composure on the national stage. Their ability to consistently execute in high-pressure scenarios reflects the maturity and championship culture within the program.
The silver medal marks the Marauders' second consecutive national runner-up finish, a remarkable achievement in U SPORTS competition. Reaching back-to-back gold medal games places McMaster among the premier programs in the country and speaks to the team's preparation, cohesion, and belief.
While the ultimate prize narrowly slipped away, the accomplishment of earning silver in consecutive seasons reinforces McMaster's sustained excellence at the national level.
