Huskies begin season chasing championship titles

As the Huskies teams begin the 115th season in the history of varsity athletics at USask, more than 400 student-athletes on 15 teams are looking to add to the Huskies’ historic total of winning 137 conference championship titles and 28 national championships, including a third for USask’s heralded women’s basketball team in March, 2025.

“Fall is always such an exciting time of year for the USask Huskies,” said Chinn. “We ended last season on a high note, with a national championship from our women’s basketball team, a few more U SPORTS medals, and a couple conference titles. We are bringing that same level of energy, excellence and competition into this year and we anticipate another exhilarating and successful Huskies season for our fans and the community.”

The 2025-26 season kicked off in style with the Huskies’ powerhouse football team – ranked No.1 in the Canada West Coaches Poll and No.9 in the country – hitting the road to record a 29-20 victory over the University of Alberta Golden Bears on Friday, Aug. 29. The Huskies take centre stage this Friday night in the annual Huskie Homecoming Game when they face the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park at 7 pm.

From the players in the program to the new-look coaching staff, expectations are high for Huskies football this year.

“We are really excited for the 2025 season,” said Huskies head coach Scott Flory, whose team advanced to the Hardy Cup final last season. “As I tell the boys, we’re a new team yet the same storied program. We have high standards and must be prepared for a very competitive Canada West football season. We don’t predict outcomes, we trust our process of development and preparation as we play a hard, tough, and physical brand of Huskie football.”

The Huskies have eight returning starters on offence – led by running back Ryker Frank, quarterback Anton Amundrud and CFL drafted receiver Daniel Wiebe – as well as seven starters on defence – led by middle linebacker Seth Hundeby, another Saskatchewan Roughriders draft pick who has joined Frank in returning for a fifth year in engineering at USask.

Along with football, Huskie men’s and women’s soccer seasons are now underway, with basketball, volleyball, hockey and cross-country soon to follow. One of the biggest celebrations of the season will occur on Friday, Oct. 24, when the Huskies women’s basketball team hosts the MacEwan University Griffins in the home opener on Ron and Jane Graham Centre Court in the Physical Activity Complex as the Huskies raise the program’s third national championship banner to the rafters.

“This year we are returning 10 players from our national championship team last year,” said Huskies head coach Lisa Thomaidis, whose team was led by national player of the year and U SPORTS female athlete of the year Gage Grassick in an 85-66 victory over the Carleton University Ravens in the championship game. “We are definitely excited about the season with so many returning players.

“Our players have really worked hard in the off season. I’m proud of them for not being complacent. I can sense that they want to pick up where they left off last year. It’s going to be the last year for four of our student-athletes, so I know they want to go out with a bang. Gage (Grassick), Anna (Maelde), Téa (DeMong) and Ella (Murphy Wiebe) are all poised for special seasons, but I also feel like there are some others who are ready to step into more prominent roles on the team.”

Meanwhile, USask’s defending conference champion and national bronze medallist men’s hockey team is currently gearing up for the season overseas with exhibition games versus European professional teams. The Huskies will open the season in style with their home opener on Friday, Oct. 3 at Merlis Belsher Place versus the Mount Royal Cougars when the Huskies will raise their 2025 Canada West championship banner.

“Oct. 3 will be a special night to recognize last year’s achievement by raising our banner in front of our amazing fans and alumni, but also an opportunity to turn the page on a new season where we’re excited to work towards defending our title in an extremely competitive conference,” said Huskies head coach Brandin Cote, whose team returns a veteran-laden lineup led by top scorers Chantz Petruic and Dawson Holt up front and dynamic defenceman Landon Kosior on the back end and features three former pro players and Saskatoon Blades captain Ben Saunderson among the new recruits.

“We’re hungry to elevate our game to another level, and with a close-knit group that blends talented, character recruits with the experience of our returning core, we’re confident in our ability to put ourselves in position to defend our Canada West title and challenge nationally.”

While USask won’t host any national championship events this year, the Huskies will host the Canada West conference track and field championships on Feb. 20-21, 2026 at the Saskatoon Field House when the Huskies women’s team will be looking to track down a remarkable eighth straight conference title.

Two athletes, two teams, and one builder will be inducted into the University of Saskatchewan Athletic Wall of Fame as members of the Class of 2025. Former Huskie standouts Breanne George (women’s hockey) and Brent Schneider (football) will be inducted in the athlete category and former Huskie wrestling coach Todd Hinds will be honoured as a builder. Also being inducted are the 2009-10 national champion Huskie men’s basketball team and the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 national champion women’s track and field squads in the Huskies’ team category. The Wall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 … Huskie women’s basketball standout Gage Grassick helped lead Canada’s 3-on-3 women’s basketball team to the gold medal at the Junior Pan-Am Games in Paraguay. Grassick scored 11 points in Canada’s 18-13 victory over Mexico on Aug. 17 … Huskie women’s hockey assistant coach Christine Bumstead was hired as an assistant coach of Seattle’s Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) expansion team on Aug. 21. Bumstead, who became a member of the Huskies coaching staff in 2021, joins former Huskie hockey standout Kaitlyn Willoughby in the PWHL, as Willoughby prepares for her third season in the league with the Montreal Victoire in 2025-26.