Six members of the Brock Badgers women's rugby team have earned recognition from Ontario University Athletics (OUA) for their hard work on and off the field throughout the season.
 
The OUA announced their list of major award winners and all-stars for women's rugby on Wednesday, Oct. 28, with plenty of Badgers earning recognition for their performances across the 2026 campaign.
 
Charli Burgoyne headlined the list of accolades taken home by the Badgers, earning the OUA's Rookie of the Year and an OUA Second Team All-Star selection, along with Bekah Cyr, Mya Rickerby, Lily Vandenhoek, and Grace Van Den Hoek. Melanie Swain also grabbed the OUA's Community Service Award.
 
In her opening season with the Badgers, Burgoyne made an immediate impact, starting in all but one game, while finishing tied for eleventh in the province in total points with 35. The second-year standout recorded multiple tries in three different games, highlighted by a hat-trick of scores against the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday, Sept. 26. This marks the second consecutive season in which a Badgers has earned recognition for the division's top rookie, as Burgoyne takes the title off Vandenhoek, who claimed the award in 2025.
 


Cyr finishes off her Badgers career with her first all-star nod, as she recorded 23 total points throughout the season to finish as the Badgers sixth-leading scorer. The Recreation and Leisure Studies major registered a season-high four conversions against both the McMaster Marauders on Saturday, Oct. 3., and the Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday, Oct. 9. The fourth-year's veteran presence and composure helped provide consistency in the Badgers' attack, as she capped off her collegiate career with a well-earned all-star recognition.
 


In her third year with the team, Rickerby earns her second consecutive all-star selection, as she continued to grow into a strong contributor for the Badgers. The Kinesiology major continued to make an impact with her strong running lines and ability to challenge opposing defences. The centre/wing's awareness and effectiveness in open space proved to be a vital contributor on both sides of the ball.


 
Gaining her second consecutive Second Team All-Star selection, Vandenhoek continued to build on her stellar rookie campaign. The flanker's timely tackles and crucial interceptions helped to constantly disrupt opposing attacks, helping the Badgers keep two shutouts throughout the season. The Caledon, Ont., native's defensive awareness established her as a reliable presence on the backline, playing an important leadership role in organizing the team's defensive efforts.
 


Van Den Hoek marked a rookie season to be proud of, finishing third on the team with 30 total points. Having started in every game, the product of Terra Cotta, Ont., registered at least one try in four consecutive games to end the regular season, establishing herself as a consistent offensive threat as the season grew older. The lock's strong debut campaign in which she was able to consistently find the try zone earned her recognition among one of the province's top performers.
 


Swain, a fourth-year Nursing student, demonstrated admirable initiative throughout the season, involving herself in plenty of local community initiatives for health and well-being, youth outreach, and animal welfare initiatives. The flanker/hooker serves as the primary organizer of all Brock women's rugby community outreach and fundraisers, allowing her teammates to make a positive impact beyond the pitch.


 
The complete list of 2026 OUA women's rugby award winners and all-stars is as follows:
 
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Year – Kennedy Johnstone, Western
Rookie of the Year – Charli Burgoyne, Brock
Community Service Award – Melanie Swain, Brock
Champion of EDI Award - Heavlyn Sekyere, Waterloo
Coach of the Year – Jessie-Ann Gibson, Guelph

FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Fly Half – Rachel Cullum, Queen's
Scrum Half - Halle Woodcock, Guelph
Prop – Keira Alferez, Queen's
Prop – Clara Jackson, Guelph
Centre – Madison Donnelly, Guelph
Centre – Candace Kelly, Guelph
Back Three - Adelaide Holmes, Guelph
Back Three – Kennedi Stevenson, Queen's
Back Three – Robyn Baker, Queen's
Back Row - Kennedy Johnstone, Western
Back Row – Jiggy Schonfeld, Queen's
Back Row – Vanessa Skypas, Guelph
Hooker – Drew Spencer, Queen's
Second Row – Abby Turner, Guelph
Second Row – Riley Stone, Queen's
 
SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Fly Half - Tashlyn Jackson, Western
Scrum Half - Bekah Cyr, Brock
Prop - Funmi Olomodosi, McMaster
Prop - Charli Burgoyne, Brock
Centre - Caroline Dunlop, McMaster
Centre - Mya Rickerby, Brock
Back Three - Madeline Robinet, McMaster
Back Three - Reilley Cattell, Western
Back Three - Jahlesha Roye, York
Back Row - Mistura Are, York
Back Row - Lily Vandenhoek, Brock
Back Row - Verena Marsig, McMaster
Hooker - Julia Kata, McMaster
Second Row - Grace Van Den Hoek, Brock