UPEI to host U SPORTS women’s hockey championship in 2019 and 2020

U SPORTS announced in a news release today that the University of Prince Edward Island has been selected to host back-to-back women's hockey championships in 2019 and 2020.

While 2019 will mark the first time the national women's hockey tournament will be in Charlottetown, UPEI has a proven track record in successfully hosting three U SPORTS national championships: men's soccer in 2005 and 2014, and women's soccer in 2010.

"We are very excited to be hosting another U SPORTS national event at UPEI, this time, the women's hockey championship for two consecutive years," says UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. "This prestigious sporting competition will showcase the very best talent in Canada, including our very own Panther student-athletes, and have a positive impact on the development of women's hockey in our community. On behalf of UPEI, I thank U SPORTS and our local organizing committee for securing this great opportunity."

The local organizing committee will be led by co-chairs Kathleen Casey, Della Sweet, and Lorna O'Donald who have a long-standing history of involvement in hockey and community events in the province, as well as existing relationships with UPEI.

"We are delighted to have engaged these three women to serve as event co-chairs," says Director of Athletics and Recreation Chris Huggan. "With their leadership coupled with support from the UPEI administration and the City of Charlottetown, I know we will deliver exciting events that will be centred on student-athletes, fans, and visitors alike."

"Through our nationally recognized sport tourism initiative, SCORE, the City of Charlottetown has been aggressively pursuing the marketplace, attracting high calibre sporting events and seeing steady returns," said Mayor Clifford Lee. "We are proud to have led the bid to secure these events and congratulate UPEI on being successfully chosen to host these U SPORTS championships for two consecutive years. We look forward to working with UPEI and the organizing committee on these national events that are certain to have a positive impact on our community and city as a whole."

The 2019 U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship will be held March 14–17 while the 2020 edition will run March 12–15. Both events will follow an eight-team championship format and take place on the UPEI campus at MacLauchlan Arena (Bell Aliant Centre).

About the UPEI Women's Hockey Program

The UPEI Women's Hockey program can trace its roots back to 1975. The team operated as a club until it joined Atlantic University Sport in 2002. In 2004, the program requested and was granted a leave of absence for one year and subsequently returned as a full varsity program in 2005. Over the past twelve years, the program has grown, finding success in 2012 when the Panthers won the AUS championship. The program supports student-athletes from across Canada and around the world, and is proud to include German Olympic national player Anja Weisser, International University Sport Federation (FISU) Team Canada member Keirstin Visser, and South Korean Olympic national player Ye Eun Park among its alumni. In 2013, the UPEI Women's Hockey program was Sport PEI's Team of the Year. UPEI Women's Hockey sits on a solid foundation and has a bright future moving toward 2019.

About the City of Charlottetown's SCORE Program

The City of Charlottetown is the proud sport capital of Prince Edward Island and has had tremendous ongoing success in hosting numerous sport events as a result of a shared vision to be a premiere sport tourism destination, dedicated leadership, and strategic local and national partnerships. In 2005, the City launched its national award-winning SCORE initiative to attract and assist in the hosting of sport events in Charlottetown that offer a pronounced opportunity for economic, tourism, and community growth. Charlottetown garners an average of $43M of the province of Prince Edward Island's annual $68M sport tourism economic impact through the attraction of new, one-off events, as well as the existing inventory of signature annual events. Equally important is the impact SCORE-attracted events have on the long-term development of sport within the community.

U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship Hosts (champions)

2020 University of Prince Edward Island (March 12–15, 2020)
2019 University of Prince Edward Island (March 14–17, 2019)
2018 Western University (March 15–18, 2018)
2017 Queen's University (Alberta)
2016 University of Calgary (Montreal)
2015 University of Calgary (Western)
2014 St. Thomas University (McGill)
2013 University of Toronto (Montreal)
2012 University of Alberta (Calgary)
2011 Wilfrid Laurier University (McGill)
2010 St. Francis Xavier University (Alberta)
2009 St. Francis Xavier University (McGill)
2008 University of Ottawa (McGill)
2007 University of Ottawa (Alberta)
2006 St. Francis Xavier University (Alberta)
2005 McGill University (Laurier)
2004 McGill University (Alberta)
2003 University of Regina (Alberta)
2002 University of Regina (Alberta)
2001 University of Calgary (Toronto)
2000 Concordia University (Alberta)
1999 University of Toronto (Concordia)
1998 Concordia University (Concordia)