Evan Daum, Canada West Communications

Highlights:

• The Canada West Women's Rugby 7s Series is set to open its second season next weekend, when the University of Alberta hosts the first event in 2018
• A total of three tournaments will once again be held this season, with Alberta (Jan. 20-21), Fraser Valley (Feb. 10-11), and Victoria (Feb. 24-25) serving as hosts
• 2018 marks year two of a three-year pilot project between Canada West, B2ten, and Rugby Canada to provide CW female student-athletes with rugby 7s competition

EDMONTON – Canada West rugby sevens action returns next weekend, when the first CW Women's Rugby Sevens Series event of 2018 gets underway in Edmonton. 

After a successful opening year, the conference's rugby sevens pilot project returns to the turf January 20 and 21 at the University of Alberta's Foote Field Dome. Alberta will be joined at home by the UBC Thunderbirds, Fraser Valley Cascades, Lethbridge Pronghorns, Victoria Vikes, and defending CW rugby 7s champion Calgary Dinos.

For a complete look at the University of Alberta tournament schedule, please click here. 

This season marks the second of a three-year partnership between B2ten, Rugby Canada, and Canada West to bring rugby 7s competition to campuses across the conference. 

B2ten and Rugby Canada's partnership with Canada West is part of their ongoing commitment to producing the next generation of Olympians by growing the game at Western Canadian universities that share their collective goal of developing high performance rugby programs here in Canada.  

Thanks to B2ten and Rugby Canada's support, competing student-athletes will have access to scholarships, as they pursue their athletic careers, including an opportunity to progress to the national team. 

Canada West rugby has a proud tradition developing players, including former Lethbridge 15s star and current Pronghorns associate coach Ashley Steacy, who claimed bronze on the Canadian women's 7s team at the Rio Games before retiring from the national team last year.  

The 2018 CW Women's Rugby 7s Series champion will be based on cumulative series points, with the champions officially being crowned February 25 in Victoria. 

NOTE: Also participating this season are the Thompson Rivers WolfPack, who will compete at the tournaments hosted by UFV and Victoria in February. TRU didn't compete during the inaugural CW Women's Rugby 7s Series in 2017.

Canada West Women's Rugby 7s Series  

Tournament 1 – January 20-21

University of Alberta / Edmonton, Alta.

Foote Field Dome 

Tournament 2 – February 10-11

University of the Fraser Valley / Abbotsford, B.C.

Matsqui Recreation Complex

Tournament 3 – February 24-25

University of Victoria / Victoria, B.C.

Wallace Field

About the Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series: 

2018 marks the second season of the Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series, which has been made possible thanks to Canada West's partnership with B2ten and Rugby Canada.

Through their joint support, which will include scholarship opportunities for players at all six competing institutions, B2ten and Rugby Canada are committed to helping Canadian female athletes pursue their athletic careers, including an opportunity to progress to the national team. 

The Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series champion will be crowned February 25 at the University of Victoria, as determined by cumulative series points. 

2017 Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series tournament dates: University of Alberta (Jan. 20-21), University of the Fraser Valley (Feb. 10 and 11) and University of Victoria (Feb. 24 and 25).