Hamilton, Ont.— McMaster women's volleyball swept Windsor in straight sets to move on to the OUA Championship semifinal, while the Marauders also competed at the OUA Championships in track, swimming and Nordic ski—bringing home hardware—and earned a silver medal at the U SPORTS Curling Championship in Regina.
Women's Volleyball
February 20 - W: 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-22) vs Windsor |
Box Score
Track
February 20-21 - OUA Championship, North York, Ont. |
Results
Curling
February 17- 21 - U SPORTS Championship, Regina, Sask. |
Results
Swimming
February 19-21 - OUA Championship, Toronto, Ont. | Results
Nordic Ski
February 20-22 - OUA Championship, Gatineau, Que. | Results
Women's Volleyball
February 20 - W: 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-22) vs Windsor | Box Score
The McMaster Marauders (16-5) advance to the OUA semifinals with a straight-sets victory over the Windsor Lancers (13-8) on Friday night at Burridge Gymnasium. McMaster set the tone early in the opening set, using strong serving and timely kills to build an early lead. Windsor responded late in the frame, applying pressure at the net and trimming the deficit to three points. Olivia Julien (Toronto, Ont.) delivered a pair of aces to steady the Marauders, and a Windsor attack error sealed the set 25-16.
The Marauders carried momentum in the second set, jumping out to a commanding lead. Charlie Dean (Calgary, AB.), Maddy Lutes (Barrie, Ont.) and Angelika Vidmar (Etobicoke, Ont.) each contributed key kills during extended rallies to keep McMaster in control. Julien capped the set with a decisive kill as the Marauders secured a 25-18 win.
Windsor pushed back in the third, forcing long rallies and keeping McMaster's defence under pressure in a tightly contested frame. Abby Delamere (Toronto, Ont.) delivered timely swings and key blocks to help extend the Marauders advantage, while Chayse Victoria (Oakville, Ont.) added a late ace to give McMaster a 20-13 lead. The Lancers closed the gap down the stretch, but the Marauders held firm to claim the set 25-22 and complete the sweep, finishing the match with a .188 hitting percentage. The victory sends the Marauders to the semifinal round against the Western Mustangs on Feb. 27 as they continue their pursuit of another OUA title. Head coach Nathan Janzen said post-game that the team is focused on the present rather than last season's championship run.
"The new athletes on this team are ready to create their own story, and the athletes that were there last year are hungry again to create a new path for us, so we are not looking in the past," Janzen said. Dean and Julien further added to that mindset, emphasizing a "why not us" approach as McMaster looks to defend its title.
Lucie Shaver gets underneath a ball in McMaster's quarterfinal match up against Windsor.
Track
February 20-21 - OUA Championship, North York, Ont. | Results
The McMaster track team brought home hardware at the OUA Championships at York University this weekend, highlighted by a gold-medal performance from Sam Patrick (8:16.95) in the men's 3000m, with teammate Will Weist (8:20.10) joining him on the podium in third. Iain Thomson and Ryan Davies continued the Marauders' strong showing in the event, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, while Patrick and Weist returned on Day 2 to place fifth and seventh in the 1500m.
On the women's side, Olivia MacAskill delivered a pair of top-six finishes in the 1km (5th, 2:50.20) and 1500m (6th, 4:31.42), and Sophie Trott clocked 9:58.35 to finish sixth in the 3000m. McMaster also saw solid relay results, with the women's 4x800m team placing fifth and the men's team finishing sixth.
McMaster's Sam Patrick stands atop the podium after winning the men's 3000m at the OUA Championships at York. Will Weist also made the podium taking home bronze.
Curling
February 17- 21 - U SPORTS Championship, Regina, Sask. | Results
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.
Swimming
February 19-21 - OUA Championship, Toronto, Ont. |
Results
The McMaster Marauders delivered a statement performance at the 2026 OUA Swimming Championships, earning multiple podium finishes and showcasing depth across individual and relay events over three days of competition.
Leading the charge was Hayden Yeung (Hong Kong, China), who proved to be one of the province's top breaststrokers. On Day 1, Yeung captured silver in the men's 100m breaststroke with a powerful swim in the A-final. He returned to the podium on Day 3, adding bronze in the 50m breaststroke to secure two individual medals and anchor the Marauders' success in the sprint breaststroke events.
Charlie Giamichele (Hamilton, Ont.) also had a championship to remember. Competing in para events, he earned gold on Day 1 with a dominant performance in the 50m backstroke before adding a silver medal in the men's 100m freestyle para event on the final day.
In sprint backstroke, Daniel Chernin (Richmond Hill, Ont.) delivered another key medal, racing to bronze in the men's 50m backstroke. On the women's side, Michelle Wang (Port Elgin, Ont.) powered her way to bronze in the 50m butterfly on Day 2, reaching the podium in one of the fastest and most competitive events of the championship.
The Marauders were equally strong in relay competition. The men's 4x50m freestyle relay team earned bronze, while the men's 4x100m medley relay claimed bronze on both Day 1 and Day 2. The championship concluded with the men's 4x50m medley relay capturing silver on Day 3, capping off an outstanding team effort.
Across gold, silver, and bronze performances, the Marauders consistently rose to the occasion, demonstrating speed, resilience, and championship-level execution on the provincial stage.
Nordic Ski
February 20-22 - OUA Championship, Gatineau, Que. | Results
McMaster's Nordic Skiing team took part in the 2026 OUA Championships this past weekend, competing in the 9 km Interval Start Free, 15 km Classic, and Relay events while navigating a full and demanding championship schedule.
9 km
On the women's side, Ingrid Pedersen (Nottawa, Ont.) led the Marauders with a 16th-place finish in 30:14.0, delivering the team's top result of the day. Kira Young (Yellowknife, N.W.T.) followed in 26th with a time of 31:11.0, continuing her consistent weekend performance. In the men's race, Evan Taggart (Deep River, Ont.) was McMaster's top finisher, placing 59th in 35:49.2. Luke Hendriks (Midhurst, Ont.) was next across the line, finishing 67th in 45:04.3.
15 km
The women once again paced the way in the classic discipline. Young turned in a strong effort to place 25th in 58:26.7, narrowly ahead of Pedersen, who finished 26th in 59:41.0 in a tightly contested field. On the men's side, Taggart completed the challenging 15 km course in 1:07:29.9, earning a 53rd-place result.
Relay
The championships concluded with the relay, where the women's team of Young, Marika Wechsler (Ottawa, Ont.), and Pedersen combined for an 8th-place finish in 27:27.2, capping off a resilient and competitive weekend for the Marauders.
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