As the calendar flipped, and your Warriors sprung back into action, the men and women of Waterloo rung in the new year with style as they look to strike gold in 2026.  

Women's Basketball: Swishing In the Soo 

Making the trip to Sault Ste. Marie to kick off 2026, Women's Basketball took to the court for a double dip with the Algoma Thunderbirds. Friday night saw the Warriors grow better as the game progressed. After a tense first quarter where they led Algoma 17-11, Waterloo worked wonders. A 73-43 run from the second quarter onward, solidified an exceptional effort far from home. Yemi Oladipo's (St. Catharines, Ont./) game- high 14 points, and Tamara Popovic's (Waterloo, Ont./) 11 points off the bench defined the showcase on offense. Jaime Newell (Brussels, Ont./) picked up right where she left off in November, picking up rebound after rebound, for 13 on the night. The Warriors snagged their first victory of the new year 90-54 in dominating fashion. 

The following evening, the squad didn't surrender on route to burying the Thunderbirds for a second straight contest. It was another game in which reserve support made a strong impact in settling the score. Simran Lail (Brampton, Ont./) scored 14 points off the bench, with Popovic adding nine more, and Ashlyn Norris (Ottawa, Ont./) nabbing six of her own. On this night at Algoma however, it was the Ghiselle Poblete (Brampton, Ont./) show. Her 20 points, three steals, and four rebounds ignited a spark for the Warriors in rampaging Algoma on Saturday; 85-59 the final. The team will open the calendar year at Carl Totzke Court this Friday night, as they return home to take on the Windsor Lancers at 6:00 PM.  

Men's Basketball: Double Take 

With confidence at an all-time high on the court, Men's Basketball's route through Algoma reflected that of the Women's team. On Friday, the Warriors big game players went to work early. Isaiah Mcrae (Burlington, B.C./)'s 10 points led the way in the Warriors' 36-12 lead at the end of the first. Algoma kept the Warriors honest in the second quarter, with both squads scoring 19 points each, but Waterloo kept on rolling. Mcrae ended up with a game-high 25 points and Moses Anvari (Ajax, Ont.) took a game-high 12 rebounds, while Arshya Ghasemi (West Vancouver, B.C./) netted 15 points off the bench. In a near-identical final to the Women's game, Waterloo took the 91-56 win. 

24 hours later, 25 points was once again the magic number on offense individually, as Stefan Prica led the charge for Waterloo. Holding the Thunderbirds to only 27 points in the first half, the Warriors defensive game maintained its strength throughout, with Anvari picking up eight of Waterloo's 37 defensive rebounds in the contest; complimenting their strength in holding down the fort in their own end of the court. An 86-55 victory once again mirrored the latter Women's game to a tee, as the Warriors complete a clean sweep of Algoma up north. Returning south to Waterloo this week, they will open their 2026 homestand on Friday night against Windsor at 8:00 PM. 

Women's Hockey: Northern Attitude 

Heading into 2026 ranked 10th in the nation, Women's Hockey had their own northern duel this weekend with the Nipissing Lakers in North Bay. The first period on Friday night was loaded with highlights. Four and a half minutes in, reining OUA Most Valuable Player Carly Orth (Bolton, Ont./Humberview Secondary School) opened the scoring off of a brilliant breakout and backhand dish from Katina Duscio (Kitchener, Ont./St. Mary's High School). Orth made no mistake as she slotted the puck top corner on the far side from the left circle. Her seventh goal of the season made it 1-0 Waterloo. It only took 41 seconds for the Black and Gold to double down. A beautiful backhand feed from the far blueline from Lyndsy Acheson (Summerland, B.C./Penticton Secondary School) sprung Nikki McDonald with space on the right side. McDonald's patience gave her an opening on the short side, and she shelved it perfectly near the goal line for her third of the year. Two minutes later, Emma Thornton (Kitchener, Ont./Huron Heights Secondary School) would join in on the fun, and net her second of the year, with Brodi Levitt (Caledonia, Ont./McKinnon Park) and Sarah Hirst (Campbellville, Ont./Milton District) picking up helpers. A marker from the Lakers just past the halfway point of the period would not phase the Warriors and Levitt from getting it right back on a one timer from the slot, for Waterloo's fourth. After Nipissing made it 4-2 late in the first, the Warriors took to the power play. The Orth and Duscio connection struck brilliantly once again for Waterloo to put up a five-spot before 20 minutes had expired. Orth's second of the game gave Duscio her third assist of the period.  

Through the final two thirds of the game, Keiara Raitt (Ancaster, Ont./Ancaster High School) would put her scoring touch on full display. In the second, she assisted on a pristine offensive zone rush from Acheson, as she twisted the Laker defense around. Firing a shot from the right circle, she picked up her own rebound and shoveled it home along the ice for a brilliant solo marker. Her third of the season was the Warriors sixth on the evening. In the third, the Warriors were not willing to surrender. Raitt potted two goals of her own. The first coming off a magnificent forecheck and takeaway from Thornton who dished it backdoor for Raitt to one-time it home. The one-timer struck again in the late stages of the game, where Raitt fired it home off a centering feed from Andrea Murray (Mississauga, Ont./Gonzaga). Raitt's fourth and fifth of the season propelled the Warriors to a crushing victory. 8-2 was the final. Next up for the group, another date with the Lakers, this time, Women's Hockey's Think Pink night at CIF Arena this Friday at 7:00 PM. 

Men's Hockey: Lion Tamers 

Opening the Warriors' programming in 2026, Men's Hockey had a date in downtown Toronto with the Varsity Blues on Thursday night. It only took 14 seconds into a new year, for the boys in black and gold to strike. Cole Fraser (Quispamsis, N.B./Kennebecasis Valley High School) won the faceoff and tapped the puck into the back of the net off a wraparound feed from captain Nathaniel Bierd. Fraser's fifth goal of the season had the Warriors out front right off the bat. Going into the second period tied at one, Waterloo earned an early powerplay, and broke ahead. Bierd once again playing the role of Mr. Assist, dished the puck to Jaxson Murray (Waterloo, Ont./St. David Catholic Secondary School) on the left side, who fired it home on the one-timer, for a Warriors lead once again. Two goals from the Varsity Blues gave them a 3-2 lead before 40 minutes had expired. In the third, Waterloo needed a charge to get them even, and Jaden Reyers (Komoka, Ont./Victus Academy) answered the call. Receiving a pass from Sam McKinney (Fredericton, NB/), Reyers took the puck at center ice, and shimmied through the Toronto defence. He found open space at the left dot, and snapped it home on the far side to tie it at three. With regulation and overtime solving nothing, both teams were off to the shootout. Even with a nifty backhand tuck from Emmet Pierce (Napanee, Ont./NDSS) in the third round, Waterloo fell short on this night; 4-3 at the hands of the Varsity Blues. 

Saturday night was the Warriors' kind of night. Heading north of the city to visit the York Lions, Waterloo went on a scoring rampage. Nearly eight minutes in, a shot from the point off the stick of Owen Wilson (Oakville, Ont./Holy Trintiy Secondary School) caromed right to Liam Fedak (Oakville, Ont./Oakville Trafalgar High School), who on his backhand, tucked it into the open cage. Fedak's first goal of the campaign had the Warriors up 1-0. The score would remain that way after 20 minutes. In the second, nearly halfway in, a brilliant rush from Jaden Goldie (Owen Sound, Ont./St Mary's High School) to get the puck deep, allowed Murray to kick it back to Wilson at the point. For the second goal in a row, Wilson's strong puck distribution at the line gave Murray space on the left to curl into the middle and fire a seeing eye shot through traffic; finding the twine. Murray's team-leading eighth goal of the season made it 2-0. With 41 seconds left in the frame, Waterloo would triple the advantage. After a crushing check behind the net from Bierd that freed up the puck, he quickly dished it out to the side of the net for Adamo Santia (Richmond Hill, Ont./ST Theresa), who capped off a brilliant forecheck from the line. Santia fired the one timer home for his third of the season. Waterloo would take a 3-0 lead into the room after 40. In the third, netminder Dan Murphy (Waterford, ON/) would continue to stand on his head, as he halted an early Lions power play opportunity from cashing in. Nearly 10 minutes into the period, York had pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, desperate to find an answer. Picking the puck up behind his own net, Fedak ripped a soaring backhander out of the zone, a backhander that had both eyes open on its way down the ice and into the net. Fedak's second of the game from 200 feet away, sealed the deal for good. The Warriors did not lift off the pedal one bit despite the empty netter. 36 seconds later, Pierce would find a loose puck in the slot off a tie-up on the draw, and bury it along the ice. His sixth goal of the season would cap off the offense for Waterloo. The deciding factor in such a brilliant all-around effort however, was the first OUA shutout for Murphy, who made 27 saves in a complete domination of the Warrior crease; and the team's first shutout of the season. Next up for the team, is their Think Pink matinee showdown with the Lakehead Thunderwolves on Friday at 2:30 PM at CIF Arena.  

Fans who are willing to experience an interactive and educational hockey experience before their Warriors take to the ice, can partake in a day of fun-filled activity, for the team's Hockey 101 event. From 12 – 2:15 PM at Columbia Icefield, fans will take a crash course in hockey basics, history, and international culture, while also seeing who has the hardest shot and the fastest hands in the activity space. The event proves to be the perfect accompaniment for a Friday matinee for the ages. 

Track & Field: Rocking the Runways 

In their season opening showdown, Track & Field took to the lanes in Windsor, for the 43rd annual Can-Am Classic. An event in which saw 14 Warriors set lifetime personal bests, and 11 put up season bests. On the Women's side, Gloria So (Markham, ON/) placed a brilliant 6th in the triple jump. On the Men's side, Kevin Salaudeen (Belleville, ON/) took two top five finishes; fourth in the triple jump, and fifth in the long jump. The standout result of the weekend came from Ben Lemon (Waterloo, ON/). Lemon's endurance and determination in nabbing a groundbreaking result came through once again. His time of 1:21.34, secured first place in the Men's 600m; a near one second quicker than his closest opponent. Next up for the group is a trip to the nation's capital, for the Ottawa Winter Classic this weekend. 

Women's Volleyball: More than Meets the Eye 

The past weekend for Women's Volleyball took them the distance, against a tough opponent, the reigning Quigley Cup champions, the McMaster Marauders. Friday night's game saw the Warriors get out to a huge first set win, 25-21, as the Warriors strong front line of Stella McKenna (Calgary, Alta./Western Canada High School), Mackenzie Leu (Waterloo, Ont./Bluevale Collegiate Institute), and Madison Seo (Ancaster, Ont./Westmount Secondary School) delivered on the defensive side of the ball; out blocking McMaster 6-4. A game-high 28 assist for Seo however was not enough to hold off the experience and mettle of the Marauders on this evening. McMaster took the following three sets in succession, to take a 3-1 victory. 

Not even 24 hours later, the Warriors were ready to take McMaster the distance, and rewrite the narrative. Through the first two sets, the Warriors were taking charge with authority. The star of the evening, was Berkley MacLean; who took a team-high 14 kills, and four service aces. Truly an exceptional performance. A game-high 4 blocks for McKenna, 31 assists for Seo, and 19 digs from Samantha Loshusan (Markham, Ont./Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy), put the Warriors in a perfect position to split the weekend after two sets. The Marauders unfortunately for Waterloo, caught steam, and caught it quickly. After dropping the first two sets, they answered back with two of their own, to send the game into a fifth and deciding frame; which the visitors took 15-7. A 3-2 final score did not tell the whole story, a story of electric offense from the Warriors and not letting any frustration get the better of them when times got tough. The team will take a four game road trip to Windsor and Toronto over the next couple of weeks, and will take to Carl Totzke Court once again on Friday, January 30, as they will face the Western Mustangs at 6:00 PM. 

Men's Volleyball: Mc-Mastering their Craft 

Comeback heroes. Facing a Men's Marauder side who have won three of the last four Forsyth Cups, the Warriors opened 2026 off right. On Friday night, they snatched victory from the hands of defeat in remarkable fashion. Losing the first two sets 25-22, and 25-23 respectively, the Warriors, led by a game-high 15 kills from Ian Kennedy (Burlington, Ont./M.M. Robinson), three aces from Cohen Peters (Vancouver, B.C./Pacific Acadamy), four blocks from Fehin Awobodu (Oakville, Ont./Hillfield Strathallan College Men's Volleyball Team), 36 assists from Peters, and 16 digs from Daniel Nikashov (Vaughan, Ont./Hodan Nalayeh Secondary School); pulled off the reverse sweep of McMaster in five sets. Taking the 3-2 win was worth much more to the Warriors than a singular standout comeback win. The victory marked their first triumph over the Marauders since January 24, 2014. A long time coming for a group who never says never. 

The next afternoon, the squad got back to it, in a back and forth contest. Taking the first two sets, the Warriors were able to counter the quick strike of the Marauders' defensive to offensive transition with exceptional net front play from AJ Nichols (Aurora, Ont./St. Andrew's College) and Awobodu in particular. A game-high 12 kills for Kennedy once again showed the consistency and drive of the Warriors number 13. For Peters, it was simply just another day at the office for the team's offensive catalyst. A 44-assist effort spoke volumes to what the front line were able to accomplish. In an emotional fourth set, both teams delivered some of the most enthralling volleyball of the season across the province. The momentum was capped off a brilliant block at the net front, turned kill from Nichols, which sent the crowd into a frenzy. Taking the fourth 33-31, the tune of Waterloo rang through the PAC for all to sing along. 3-1 victors on the early evening, the Warriors took two straight against an opponent in which they have waited for this moment to arise. Next up for the team are four games away from home in Windsor and Toronto, and they will take to the court at home once again at the end of the month, on Friday, January 30 at 8:00 PM, as they take on Western. 

2026 is here. What an opening weekend it was.