The best university women’s rugby teams from across the country are coming to Queen’s this week for the CIS Women’s Rugby Championship.

Hosted for the first time by Queen's University, the championship kicks off on Thursday at Nixon Field and concludes Sunday with the gold-medal final at 3 p.m. All 11 games from the competition will be webcast live on CIS-SIC.tv.

This year’s tournament has expanded to eight teams from six and features a single-elimination format.

Competing for the Monilex Trophy are: the Acadia Axewomen (AUS champions); McMaster Marauders (OUA champs); Ottawa Gee-Gees (RSEQ champs); Victoria Vikes (Canada West champs); Concordia Stingers (RSEQ finalists); St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS finalists); Lethbridge Pronghorns (Canada West finalists); and the Queen's Gaels (hosts). 

Thursday's quarterfinal matchups include StFX vs. Ottawa in the opener at 1 p.m., followed by Lethbridge vs. McMaster at 3 p.m., Concordia vs. Victoria at 5 p.m., and Queen's vs. Acadia at 7 p.m.

Queen's, which had an automatic entry into the CIS tourney as the host, dropped a 20-10 decision to Western in the OUA bronze-medal game.

"After months of hard work from our Athletics and Recreation staff, our coaching team and our athletes, it's exciting to see that the CIS championship is almost here. From a program perspective, we’re thrilled to be able to show off Kingston and the Queen's University campus, particularly Nixon Field where there will be some epic battles this week,” says Queen's head coach Beth Barz. “From our team, we're prepared for an extremely tough match with Acadia, whom we last saw at the 2012 championship in Antigonish, NS. Can't wait for Thursday to arrive."

Learn more about the Queen's Gaels women's rugby program through this article in the Queen's Alumni Review.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Thursday, Nov. 5

13:00 Quarter-final 1: No. 6 St. FX vs. No. 3 Ottawa
15:00 Quarter-final 2: No. 7 Lethbridge vs. No. 2 McMaster
17:00 Quarter-final 3: No. 5 Concordia vs. No. 4 Victoria
19:00 Quarter-final 4: No. 8 Queen's vs. No. 1 Acadia

Saturday, Nov. 7

11:00 Consolation 1: Loser QF 1 vs. Loser QF 2
13:00 Consolation 2: Loser QF 3 vs. Loser QF 4
15:00 Semifinal 3: Winner QF 1 vs. Winner QF 2 
17:00 Semifinal 4: Winner QF 3 vs. Winner QF 4

Sunday, Nov. 8

11:00 Fifth place
13:00 Bronze medal
15:00 Championship final