CW Coaches Poll: Griffins voted to finish 16th, will open season at No. 1 Saskatchewan on Friday
Canada West Communications
The MacEwan Griffins women's basketball team will be aiming for a playoff spot in 2025-26, but they'll have to earn their respect after being voted to finish 16th in the annual Canada West Coaches Poll.
Their first opponent is set to be their toughest at they face No. 1 and defending U SPORTS and Canada West champion Saskatchewan on their season-opening weekend in Saskatoon. Games are Friday (6 p.m. MT) and Saturday (5 p.m. MT, both Canada West TV).
MacEwan's home opener is Oct. 31 vs. Winnipeg (5 p.m., David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).
PURCHASE SEASON PASSES AND TICKETS HERE (MacEwan students are free!)
Winners of eight of the last 11 Canada West titles, the Huskies enter the 2025-26 season as the team to beat as conference play tips off this weekend.
Fresh off a season in which they captured both the Canada West and U SPORTS national championships, Saskatchewan were near-unanimous favourites in this year's coaches poll, collecting 15 first-place votes. The Alberta Pandas finished second in the rankings with one first-place vote, while UBC rounded out the top three and also had a first place nod.
Fans can stream every game on CanadaWest.TV - Powered by BioSteel. This season, purchasing an All-Access pass allows fans to download three games to keep forever. A regular season pass is also available, allowing fans to catch all the action across both men's and women's volleyball for one low price.
2025-26 CW WBB PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL
Team - Points (First-place votes)
- Saskatchewan Huskies - 255 (15)
- Alberta Pandas - 235 (1)
- UBC Thunderbirds - 231 (1)
- Calgary Dinos - 201
- Regina Cougars - 190
- Victoria Vikes - 178
- Trinity Western Spartans - 157
- UBCO Heat - 152
- Fraser Valley Cascades - 138
- Mount Royal Cougars - 137
- Lethbridge Pronghorns - 103
- Manitoba Bisons - 88
- Winnipeg Wesmen - 69
- Brandon Bobcats - 68
- Thompson Rivers WolfPack - 57
- MacEwan Griffins - 33
- UNBC Timberwolves - 20
MacEwan Griffins Team Preview
Coaches Poll Rank: #16
Team Overview: With 12 returning players, the Griffins are no longer just a young team looking to build for the future. They enter the campaign aiming for a playoff spot, but will need to stay healthy and get more contributions from their depth than last season in order to do so. The incoming rookies have potential to be impact players in the league, so their growth this season will certainly factor into the team's success as well.
From the coach: "Leaning on the experience gained last season, the Griffins return a young roster hungry to take the next step towards a playoff berth. After a strong off-season and another year of growth, this group is ready and eager to embrace the challenge of competing in the always tough Canada West conference." – Katherine Adams
Key Performer: Unity Obasuyi
Forward | 3rd Year | Edmonton, Alta.
After she accounted for 31.54 per cent of the Griffins' offensive production last season - the highest percentage from a single player in program history - Obasuyi will be leaned on heavily again. Her ability to score inside and outside and contribute in multiple other ways makes her a threat every time she steps onto the court.
Now in her third season, Obasuyi is the impact player the Griffins need to lead the way as they aim for a playoff spot.
