With the conclusion of the winter semester, The Varsity presents the Blues’ second-semester report card, subjectively grading each of the 10 men’s, 10 women’s, and two co-ed Varsity winter teams, their season placement, and this season’s MVP.
Notable results include those of the men’s and women’s badminton teams, which took home both provincial and national titles. Men’s and women’s figure skating, fencing, and swimming also took home Ontario University Athletics (OUA) provincial banners, while men’s and women’s water polo continued their dominant streak, winning national titles.
Twenty teams competed at provincial playoffs, or an equivalent, and 10 competed at national championships. Overall, eight teams won provincial titles, and three teams placed second or third at the provincial level, while four teams won national titles, and two teams placed second or third nationally.
Cumulative GPA: 3.39
Men’s sports
COURTESY OF BARRY MCCLUSKEY CC VARSTY BLUES MEDIA
Badminton
For the second year in a row, the co-ed badminton team topped the OUA and YONEX Canadian University/College Championships.
With a back-and-forth match in motion, the Blues’ back-to-back national title bid hung in the balance at the YONEX Championships. The score sat at 2–2, as the two teams awaited the men’s doubles round. The duo of Nathan Mills and Clarence Chau delivered Toronto’s golden game, winning the final 3–2 and taking home a national crown.
Rookie sensation Asher Bedi also contributed a point in the finals after triumphing in the men’s singles category. The Blues went spotless in their tournament campaign, recording a 3–0 round-robin slate, beating Alberta 4–1 and Montreal 3–2, before obliterating McGill 5–0 to catapult themselves to the semifinal round. There, Bedi, Mills, and Chau took care of business, recording wins in their respective events and eliminating their fellow Ontario team, the Western Mustangs.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions and YONEX Canadian University/College Champions
Team MVP: Nathan Mills and Clarence Chau
Basketball
A year past a disappointing season that saw them miss out on the OUA playoffs, the Varsity Blues men’s basketball team roared back with a stellar 2025–2026 campaign. The team finished the regular season with an 11–11 record, but saved their finest performances for the playoffs. Entering the tournament as the 11th seed out of 12 teams, the Blues went on a magical Cinderella run, knocking off multiple nationally-ranked giants en route to an OUA semifinal berth.
The Blues began their playoffs with a 99–96 win over sixth-seed Queen’s. Five players finished the game in double figures, led by guard Simeon Jeffers’ 22-point night. They followed with a shocking 87–76 upset of third-seed Western, fueled by Nigel Hylton’s career-high 30 points and 15 rebounds. Although Carleton ended their run in the semifinals, it was a remarkable postseason showing.
The Blues’ dream season was driven by breakout campaigns from Jeffers and Hylton, the team’s leading scorers. Jeffers earned OUA third team all-star honours, finishing with 15.8 points per game and top 10 in Ontario in total points. First-year guard Mikey Ballout’s emergence was also a boon for the squad. His dynamic scoring ability and outside shooting threat gave the Blues’ offence a new wrinkle, and his efforts earned him OUA All-Rookie honours.
Grade: A-
Season finish: Fourth in OUA Central Division; OUA Playoffs Semifinals
Team MVP: Simeon Jeffers
Curling
Varsity Blues men’s curling posted an impressive overall season. The campaign kicked off with a first-place finish at the Guelph Invitational in November, followed by wins at the U of T Intercollegiate Bonspiel and the McMaster Invitational Bonspiel. After earning three wins at the Brock University Bonspiel, the team was in a prime position to excel in the 2026 OUA Championships.
While the team has been a steady presence at the OUA championship over the past several years, a medal finish has eluded the Blues. The tournament saw the Blues finish fourth overall for the second time in the last three seasons.
First-year Blue Victor Zhong earned first-team all-star recognition for his role as lead and looks to lead men’s curling to a medal placement next year.
Grade: B+
Season finish: Fourth in OUA Championships
Team MVP: Victor Zhong
Fencing
Ten years straight and still unbeaten — the men’s fencing team slashed their way through a 10th consecutive OUA championship, 343 points to top the final team standings.
The Blues were nothing short of dominant in their pursuit of the program’s 40th banner. The épée fencers set the tone early, sweeping the top four spots in the individual category. Meanwhile, Matthew Teng of the sabre team took care of business, retaining his title in a commanding 15–8 win in the final.
The tournament, however, did not come without adversity, as the Blues concluded the foil individual round without clinching a podium finish. Despite this result, the Blues took the first spot in the team standings, holding a comfortable 29-point lead over the next-closest team to round out day one.
The Blues looked to finally seal a decade-long reign on day two. The top four individual épée finishers formed the Blues’ team, who went on to snag the gold medal after routing the Western Mustangs, 45–22, in the final. Seraphim Jarov bagged the Desjarlais Trophy while Teng grabbed the Schwende Trophy for their standout performances in épée and sabre, respectively.
The Blues’ tournament slate continued with the sabre team settling for silver after narrowly losing a highly contested final against the Waterloo Warriors. The Blues ended their run with the foil team placing fifth in their event.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Seraphim Jarov and Matthew Teng
Figure Skating
After two years of second-place finishes behind the Western Mustangs, the Varsity Blues figure skating team finally tasted gold, winning their first OUA championship since 2022. The squad topped the competition standings with a dominant 106 points to earn the 10th championship in program history.
The men’s events were led once again by Blues legend Hugo Li. He and fellow veteran skater Gabriella Guo won their third straight gold in the Senior Pair Freeskate competition, while he joined forces with Guo, Victoria Bocknek, and Cole Van Der Velden to win gold in Freeskate Fours. Van Der Velden also won his first career gold medal in the OUA championships, with a fantastic performance in the Gold Artistic event. Herman Lau contributed to the tally with a silver medal in Gold Men’s Freeskate.
With six gold medals and several more trips to the podium, the figure skating team put on a spectacular show on the ice. Li and Van Der Velden earned OUA all-star honours for their standout seasons. The Blues now have the second-most provincial championships in the OUA, only behind Western.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Hugo Li and Cole Van Der Velden
Hockey
The men’s hockey team’s six-year postseason streak came to an end this season, marking the second time that the squad failed to make the playoffs since head coach Ryan Medel took the helm in 2017. They ended their season with a 13-12-3 record.
Despite being unsuccessful in securing a sixth straight playoff berth, the Blues continued to showcase their program’s quality, exemplified by captain Mark Cooper’s signing with the East Coast Hockey League’s (ECHL) Orlando Solar Bears. Cooper became the sixth Blue to obtain a professional contract over the last two years. The Cambridge, Ontario native led the Blues in point production and finished seventh amongst OUA defencemen, scoring 23 points (three goals and 20 assists).
Grade: C-
Season finish: 11th in the OUA
Team MVP: Mark Cooper
Squash
The Varsity Blues men’s squash team was one match away from making history and putting an end to Western’s mind-boggling run as 41-time OUA champions. However, it wasn’t meant to be, as Toronto earned second place. It was their best finish since 2023.
After a dominant regular season, in which they went 7–1 in conference play, the expectation was to place on the podium. The Blues faced a slight hiccup after opening tournament play with a 1–6 loss to Queen’s, but the Blues bounced back with convincing wins over York and Ottawa to advance to the quarterfinals.
Against Waterloo, team standouts Will Harris and Shamil Khan lost their respective matches 0–3, but it was the middle of the Blues lineup that inspired the team to victory. Ahmed Abdelkader, Anthony Allum, Ekambir Singh, and Tegbir Singh Chandhok earned the clinching four points for Toronto to advance to the finals against Western. Allum was the only player to win a set against the Mustangs, and the Blues ended their season with the silver medal.
With three medals in the last four years, Varsity Blues men’s squash has the best chance to topple the Western dynasty. Following an impressive season, their sights will be set on finally snatching the crown and winning their first championship since 1983.
Grade: A-
Season finish: Second place in OUA Championship
Team MVP: Will Harris
Swimming
The men’s swim team replicated last season’s result, securing yet another provincial championship and national silver. This marks their 22nd consecutive OUA banner, and 72nd in program history.
Fourth-year Andrew Herman garnered notably impressive results at U SPORTS, breaking two national records and winning gold in the 100-metre and 50-metre backstroke events. He also picked up two silver medals in the 4 x 100 medley and 4 x 100 free. His impressive meet earned him the U SPORTS Swimmer of the Year award.
Benjamin Loewen also had a strong individual season. He earned the title of Grand Slam Champion at OUAs, having medaled four times in the 200-metre backstroke at the provincial meet. Loewen also broke a U of T record at U SPORTS in the 100-metre butterfly.
Other notable results include a national gold and U SPORTS record for Nathan Thomas in the 200-metre breaststroke, silvers for Benjamin Winterborn and Liam Weaver in the 200-metre freestyle and 50-metre freestyle, respectively.
While the Blues ultimately came up just short in securing the national championship, we are sure to see more big results and records broken next season, as the team continues on their streak of dominance in the pool.
Grade: A
Season finish: OUA Champions and second at U SPORTS
Team MVP: Andrew Herman
Track and Field
The men’s track and field team’s results dropped slightly compared to last season, with a fifth-place finish at the OUA Championships and eighth at U SPORTS.
Thrower Jason Okpere had a standout season, earning a provincial gold and national silver in weight throw and breaking the U of T program record. Moses Aidoo also took home a provincial gold in the men’s 600-metre at OUAs.
Veteran and captain Aiden Grout earned his fourth OUA gold in high jump, and also secured his third national title at U SPORTS with a leap of 2.18 metres. Grout’s performance this season earned him both provincial and national honours, as he was awarded the titles of The Varsity Athlete of the Year, OUA Field Athlete of the Year, and U SPORTS Field Athlete of the Year.
While the team’s results at OUAs and U SPORTS were not particularly noteworthy, Blues fans can look forward to watching a revamped and rejuvenated group next season.
Grade: B-
Season finish: Fifth at OUAs and eighth at U SPORTS
Volleyball
The Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team, in a season where they arguably expected to compete for the title, bowed out in the OUA quarterfinals for the third straight year. It was a sour end to an incredible regular season in which the team finished 18–2 in conference play.
The Blues entered the OUA playoffs as the second seed and were widely expected to defeat the seventh-seeded Nipissing Lakers in the first round. However, the team was upset 3–0 in the match, with set scores of 25–17, 25–17, and 25–22. Toronto stars Hunter Arulpragasam and Maxime Gratton led the way with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
Gratton had a season for the ages. The McMaster transfer’s stats included leading Ontario in points (350) and points per set (4.43), and contributing the second most kills per set (3.64) and service aces per set (0.49). Gratton’s all-around dominance saw him become the OUA Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year.
Arulpragasam’s campaign cannot go unnoticed either; the veteran Blue graduates as the fourth highest scorer in program history, and his defensive performance in particular was vital to Toronto’s season. With a bitter conclusion to a standout regular season, men’s volleyball will regroup and turn to its youth to improve its playoff performance next year.
Grade: A-
Season finish: Second in OUA; lost in OUA quarterfinals
Team MVP: Maxime Gratton
Water Polo
The tide rages on — for the ninth season in a row, the men’s water polo team reigned supreme in the National Collegiate Water Polo (NCWP) Championships after beating the Western Mustangs 12–10, in a tightly-contested final.
The Blues captured the first seed after posting an immaculate slate of 8–0 against NCWP opponents, drowning them in large margin victories and finishing with a plus-102 point differential. By virtue of holding the first seed, the Blues also earned a bye, snagging themselves an automatic semifinal spot.
The McMaster Marauders proved no match for the raging Blues as the latter trampled the former, 22–6, to advance to the final. “Repeating is never easy; every year the target on our back grows larger,” said Varsity Blues head coach Emre Tali. Carrying this chip on their shoulders, the Blues leaned on their championship pedigree to finish the job and bring home their 38th banner in program history.
The Blues also amassed a bounty of individual awards. Tali garnered coach of the year honours while the team’s staple 1–2 punch in Daniel Gonzalez and Ali Sayli bagged the MVP recognition and the Most Valuable Goalie (MVG) award, respectively. The duo also landed spots in this year’s First Team awardees list, along with Bowen Moravek.
Grade: A+
Season finish: NCWP Champions
Team MVP: Daniel Gonzalez and Ali Sayli
Wrestling
It was a breakout season for Varsity Blues wrestling. At the provincial championships, three out of nine Blues finished with a medal for a seventh-place team finish. Surging second-year wrestler Josiah Mayers-Noel claimed bronze in the 76-kilogram category, while veteran and Montenegro National Championship winner Andrija Rasovic also finished with a bronze in the 100-kilogram tournament. Rookie Lucas Andtbacka rounded out the trio of bronzes with a third-place finish in the 90-kilogram bracket. Combined with the two bronze medals from the women’s team, the five podium finishes were the most medals at the OUAs in program history.
At the national level, the Blues were represented by five wrestlers who combined for a strong eighth-place U SPORTS finish out of 22 teams. Mayers-Noel had a particularly impressive tournament, earning a silver medal in the 76-kilogram weight class and a spot on the U SPORTS second All-Canadian team. At last year’s tournament, the team placed 11th, and this season’s improved position of eighth is the first Top 10 finish for U of T men at nationals in more than two decades. With Mayers-Noel at the helm, it’s clear that second-year head coach Dene Ringuette’s team is coming together.
Grade: B+
Season finish: Seventh at OUAs, eighth at U SPORTS
Team MVP: Josiah Mayers-Noel
Women’s sports
Sessional GPA: 3.31
Badminton
The women’s badminton team claimed both provincial and national titles, dominating the competition en route to winning their third consecutive banner and 12th in program history. The group took a commanding 6–3 win in the OUA gold medal game against the Waterloo Warriors.
Keeping up with the vets — rookie sensation Emma Meng proved her place amongst seasoned players in the Blues’ badminton team at nationals after earning crucial points in the 2026 YONEX Canadian University/College Championships, helping her squad defend their crown.
Meng was the only female player to secure a point in the championship match. En route to the finals, she also registered a win in the women’s singles semifinals, as the Blues outpaced the Western Mustangs, 3–1.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions and YONEX Canadian University/College Champions
Team MVP: Emma Meng
Basketball
Improvement was a vital goal for the Varsity Blues women’s basketball team this season, and they achieved just that. Although the squad finished with a 6–16 record, they earned four more wins compared to last season’s campaign and showed flashes of a potential playoff contender.
This season, the Blues put up an average of 58.7 points per game, a significant increase from 49.5 in 2024–2025, with forward Janet Enge leading in scoring with 258 points. The Wilfrid Laurier University transfer was a welcome addition for the Blues roster, and her star power was fully showcased in U of T’s final game of the season. Her 30-point double-double led the team to a 68–53 win over Lakehead, capping the season with momentum.
This season, the Blues built formidable discipline defensively. They had another strong year, ranking second in the OUA in total rebounds. Most importantly, the team forged a defensive intensity that frustrated their opponents. The Blues ranked seventh in steals per game and opponents’ field goal percentage, showing an ability to disrupt their opponents’ game plan. A lukewarm season, but brighter days are ahead for women’s basketball as they aim to return to the playoffs.
Grade: B-
Season finish: Sixth in OUA Central Division
Team MVP: Janet Enge
Curling
The Varsity Blues women’s curling team had a much-improved season in 2025–2026, posting a 9-7-2 record in conference play. The highlight of the season was the team’s first-place finish at the U of T Intercollegiate Bonspiel, where the Blues finished 3–0 in tournament play.
In the OUA Championships, the Blues finished with a 2–2 record. They started hot with a 12–0 thumping of Carleton — the biggest win of the season — but were ultimately unable to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. They will now look to build on this season and make more noise in the OUA Championships next season.
Grade: C+
Season finish: Ninth at OUAs
Team MVP: N/A
Fencing
Blues go back-to-back — the women’s fencing team showcased their all-around versatility, snagging medals in all individual categories before sweeping gold in the team events. They bagged their eighth OUA title in nine years and their 17th in program history.
The individual round saw the Blues finish with one gold and two silvers, setting up what would be a two-team race against the Western Mustangs. Catherine Wu kept a clean slate in the foil category, knocking down her opponents and capturing gold.
As sweet as Wu’s golden performance was, the next two categories ended in heartbreak for the Blues. Valerie Qi came up short in the épée gold medal match in a stinging one-point decision loss. Janna Elshakankiri cruised her way past the qualifying bouts but had to settle for the silver in a 13–15 decision loss in another down-to-the-wire contest.
Eager for another chance at gold, Qi and Elshakankiri regrouped with their respective squads as they looked to bounce back in the team events. Both would complete their redemption arcs, as the Blues hauled all three golds in the team categories, earning each win against the Mustangs.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Catherine Wu
Figure Skating
The women in the Varsity Blues figure skating team played a vital role in their first OUA championship since 2022. Leading the way once again was Blues legend Gabriella Guo, who won her third consecutive gold medal in the Women’s Novice Short Program event. She also teamed up with Hugo Li to win the Senior Pair Freeskate event and was a key member of the winning Freeskate Fours group. Victoria Bocknek also impressed, winning back-to-back gold medals in the Women’s Gold Freeskate event, while Anna Bazylewicz won the Women’s Star 10 Freeskate event for the first time.
Many of the Blues figure skaters earned medals in solo and couple events, showcasing the true strength in numbers that allowed the team to dominate the championships this year. Guo, Bocknek, and Bazylewicz earned OUA all-star honours with their glowing performances throughout the season. With a great mix of veteran leadership and emerging youth, the figure skating team has a brilliant opportunity to continue their dominance in Ontario.
Grade: A+
Season finish: OUA Champions
Team MVP: Gabriella Guo
Hockey
The women’s ice hockey team saw their three-year reign of qualifying for the U SPORTS Nationals come to an end, bowing out in the OUA East Quarterfinals. The Blues concluded their campaign with a 1–3 loss against the Ottawa Gee-Gees, conceding their bid for a back-to-back McCaw Cup championship that could have extended their OUA-leading record for most titles.
The Blues were a win away from advancing to the semifinals after drubbing the Gee-Gees, 6–3, in game 1. However, with the series headed back to Ottawa, the Gee-Gees took full advantage and forced a do-or-die game 3. The Blues sought to overcome the odds to keep their title defence alive. However, after forward Taylor Delahey scored to give the Blues a 1–0 advantage, the Gee-Gees scorched the ice with three unanswered goals, proving too much for Toronto and ending their season.
Despite the disappointing result, forward Abby Whitworth stood out in the team’s playoff run, placing fifth in the scoring leaderboard with three goals, two assists, and 1.67 points per game. The Port Moody, BC native also led her squad in regular-season scoring and finished third in the league for point production with 29 points (20 goals and nine assists).
Grade: B+
Season finish: Seventh in the OUA
Team MVP: Abby Whitworth
Squash
It was another strong season for the women’s squash team. The Blues managed to medal at the OUAs for the second straight season, claiming bronze with a 5–2 victory over Waterloo. The team were unable to avenge last season’s heartbreaking 4–3 loss against the Mustangs in the gold medal match, losing to eventual champions Western 4–3 once again in the semifinals.
Two-time OUA All-Star Keira Rawlins was pivotal in the provincial tournament, grabbing individual wins in every single round. With two medals in two years for second-year head coach Amr Elmehelmi, the women’s squash team is finding their rhythm.
Grade: A-
Season finish: Third at OUAs
Team MVP: Keira Rawlins
Swimming
The women’s swim team had yet another successful season. The Blues took home their 12th consecutive OUA banner, continuing their dominant streak in the pool. Nationally, they improved from last year’s fourth-place finish, reclaiming a spot on the podium and taking home a team silver at U SPORTS.
Chloe Danks took home the OUA Rookie of the Year award, winning the 200-metre breaststroke, helping the 4 x 100 medley win with an OUA record, and taking a silver in the 100-metre breaststroke. Teagan Vander Leek won the 100-metre free at provincials, and Nina Mollin continued to see success, building on her previous season’s results. The fourth-year student won the OUA Female Swimmer of the Year award, in addition to the Dr. Jeno Tehani Individual Medley award. Mollin also became a Grand Slam Champion in the 200-metre individual medley and 200-metre butterfly, and topped off her meet with a 100-metre butterfly gold.
At nationals, the Blues swept the podium in the 200-metre butterfly, with Mollin earning gold, Angel Yao taking silver, and Katie Stanojlovic taking bronze. Mollin earned four U SPORTS medals in total: golds in the 200-metre individual medley in addition to the 200-metre butterfly, a bronze in the 100-metre butterfly, and a bronze in the 4 x 100 medley relay alongside Danks, Vander Leek, and Maria Cosic.
The Blues’ return to the podium marks a big step closer to reclaiming the national title once again, a feat they last achieved in the 2023–2024 season.
Grade: A
Season finish: OUA Champions and second at U SPORTS
Team MVP: Nina Mollin
Track and Field
Julia Agostinelli was once again a clear standout on the women’s track and field team this season. She claimed two OUA golds in the 1000-metre and 1500-metre, and contributed to a silver medal in the 4 x 800 relay, adding to her extensive medal collection. Fellow captain Paulina Procyk also claimed a silver in the 60-metre hurdles, while Maakor Okai took a provincial silver in shot put and a bronze in weight throw. At U SPORTS, Agostinelli claimed silvers in the 1000-metre and 1500-metre.
The Blues placed fourth at provincials and eighth at nationals, equalling last season’s outcome despite the graduation of several high-achieving veterans. The team’s ceiling is sky-high, and we can be sure to see some great things coming as the group continues to develop.
Grade: B
Season finish: Fourth at OUAs and eighth at U SPORTS
Team MVP: Julia Agostinelli
Volleyball
The Blues women’s volleyball team had a solid season, maintaining an 11–9 conference record. The team fared comparably well considering the graduation of star veteran and national team player Julia Murmann. Their results have followed a slightly downward trend in recent years, having gone 12–8 and 13–7 in the 2024–2025 and 2023–2024 seasons. This year, the Blues played a hard-fought quarter-final against the Western Mustangs, but fell just short in a 2–3 overtime loss.
Nevertheless, the young team undoubtedly has a bright future ahead, with several up-and-coming players. First-year setter Marina Gustke was named OUA Rookie of the Year, playing an instrumental role in the team’s success with 576 total assists over 69 sets played. Moreover, Julia Liu and Olivia Zhu received OUA all-star second team honours, while libero Delaney Watson earned OUA all-star third-team honours. Liu, a second-year outside hitter, led the team offensively with 249 total kills, and averaged 3.61 kills per set.
Grade: B
Season finish: Seventh in the OUA
Team MVP: Julia Liu
Water Polo
Queens of the pool — the women’s water polo team captured their 12th consecutive NCWP Championships crown after downing McGill Poseidon, 12–6, in a hard-fought final.
Toronto went unblemished in their regular season campaign, posting a 7–0 record against NCWP opponents. The Blues imposed their will with ease on both ends as they shut down teams with their suffocating defence and overpowered them with their commanding offence. The team breezed to the tournament as the first seed, which also gave them a bye and an automatic spot in the semifinal round. The Blues easily dispatched the McMaster Marauders, 18–3, to advance to the final, earning a shot to face the formidable McGill team.
With a razor-thin margin for error for the defending champions, the Blues came out with seamless execution — sealing the win and extending their long-running title reign.
The championship team also collected several individual awards. Price brought home coach of the year honours while program standout, Devon Lynch, captured the coveted MVP award. The league also named five Blues to the first team and second team, with Lynch, Ava Stimson, and Georgia Springate snagging first team honours while Leanne Bolstad and Grace Bobyk bagged second team honours.
Grade: A+
Season finish: NCWP Champions
Team MVP: Devon Lynch
Wrestling
The Varsity Blues women’s wrestling team had one of the best seasons in program history. At provincials, the Blues finished in a solid eighth place, later earning 14th place at nationals.
There were two outstanding performances at the OUA tournament. Veteran Maya Salman earned her first-ever OUA medal with bronze in the 62-kilogram category, while rookie Senuki Dasanayaka matched her teammate by bringing home a bronze in the 56-kilogram division. Remarkably, this was the first time in program history that the Blues have had multiple women on the podium.
Last year, the Blues — who have never won the OUA title in program history — only sent two athletes to provincials. This year, the team sent six athletes, three of them rookies. The surging Blues are a young team that is improving every year, and no doubt one to keep an eye on in the future.
Grade: B+
Season finish: Eighth at OUAs and 14th at U SPORTS
Team MVP: Senuki Dasanayaka
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