Badgers reflect on 10-day celebration of lacrosse after hosting both an Ontario University Athletics Championship and Baggataway Cup.
This year, Brock was the host of both the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Women's Lacrosse Championship and the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) Championships.
"We were incredibly honoured to host both the Ontario University Athletics Women's Lacrosse Championship and the Baggataway Cup," said Brock Sports Associate Director Courtney Smith. "Lacrosse is a special game that inspires healing, respect, community and connection and Brock's 10-day celebration of the game showcased its rich history and importance within Indigenous communities."
In a celebration of the connection of Indigenous culture and lacrosse, before the first game for each participating team, there was a presentation of traditional long sticks. This serves as a reminder of this deep history and cultural significance. The traditional lacrosse sticks were handcrafted by Travis Gabriel, a Mohawk stick maker from Kanesatake, a community just north of Montreal.
"Lacrosse was designed to bring healing to those who play and was created as a gift to the Indigenous who have since gifted it to others," said Brock women's lacrosse Head Coach Laura Tober. "The sport has brought so much joy into my life, so it was very important to me to share it with others."
For the duration of the celebrations, the lower floor of the Walker Complex hosted a Lacrosse Hall of Fame exhibit. Fans were able to interact with various lacrosse artifacts and learn more about the history of the game.
In front of their home fans at Kiwanis Field, Brock Women's Lacrosse was unable to secure a round robin victory, falling to the Toronto Varsity Blues and Trent Excalibur.
Badgers' Abby Holliday was named OUA Rookie of the Year and all-star from the attacker position while Gabby Winters was recognized as an OUA all-star as a midfielder. Holliday is the first OUA Rookie of the Year for the Badgers since Mia Friesen received the award in 2021.
As for Brock Men's Lacrosse, it was a tough end to the season. While the Badgers looked to secure a victory in front of their home fans during the Baggataway Cup presented by Belko Construction, it was the Queen's Gaels who secured the win, besting the hosts 10-3.
