GRYPHONS NO. 3 IN INAUGURAL CIS WOMEN'S RUGBY POLL
The Pronghorns, who defeated the St. Francis Xavier X-Women in last year's CIS final to become the first team to capture back-to-back Monilex trophies since Alberta in 2002 and 2003, received 88 points in the inaugural coaches poll.
StFX, which claimed its lone CIS title in 2006 and has won 11 conference titles in 11 years since women's rugby was added to the AUS program in 1998, is ranked No. 2 with 69 points.
Following in order are 2008 CIS bronze medallist and OUA champion Guelph (65), reigning QSSF champion Laval (48), five-time CIS titlist Alberta (47), two-time Monilex trophy winner Western Ontario (46), McMaster (25), Concordia (22), Trent (13) and UBC (11).
The 2009 regular season kicks off this coming weekend with nine games in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. Canada West squads join the action on Sept. 25, with Lethbridge opening its title defence at home against Calgary on Sept. 26.
The six-team CIS championship will be hosted by UBC in Vancouver from November 5-8.
In soccer, the Trinity Western Spartan women and York Lion men, both reigning national champions, lead the CIS coaches polls for the second straight week.
There are no changes to this week's women's rankings with Montreal, Victoria, Brock, Ottawa, Laurier, Cape Breton, UBC, Dalhousie and McGill still following the Spartans in order.
No. 5-Ottawa was the lone Top-10 team in action as the regular schedule got under way on Labour Day weekend. The Gee-Gees amassed four out of a possible six points on the road thanks to a 2-2 tie against Nipissing and a 3-0 win over Laurentian.
Trinity Western opens its title defence this weekend with road tilts against Saskatchewan on Saturday and Alberta on Sunday.
One major change to the second men's rankings of the young campaign sees Carleton drop five spots to No. 10 following a difficult opening weekend. The Ravens settled for a 1-1 draw against Laurentian before dropping a 1-0 decision to Nipissing.
The only other Top-10 squad in action on Labour Day weekend, No. 9-Toronto, blanked Trent 6-0 and tied Queen's 0-0.
Following York in the new coaches poll are Trinity Western, Montreal, Laval, Dalhousie, Victoria, Wilfrid Laurier, UBC, Toronto and Carleton.
The reigning CIS champion Lions open conference play with home dates against Brock on Saturday and McMaster on Sunday.
WOMEN'S RUGBY
(regular season record) / (votes) / (previous rankings)
1. Lethbridge (0-0) / 88 points / (-)
2. StFX (0-0) / 69 / (-)
3. Guelph (0-0) / 65 / (-)
4. Laval (0-0) / 48 / (-)
5. Alberta (0-0) / 47 / (-)
6. Western Ontario (0-0) / 46 / (-)
7. McMaster (0-0) / 25 / (-)
8. Concordia (0-0) / 22 / (-)
9. Trent (0-0) / 13 / (-)
10. UBC (0-0) / 11 / (-)
Other teams receiving votes: Brock (7), McGill (4), Queen's (2), Saint Mary's (1).
WOMEN'S SOCCER
(regular season record) / (votes) / (previous rankings)
1. Trinity Western (0-0-0) / 50 points / (1)
2. Montreal (0-0-0) / 44 / (2)
3. Victoria (0-0-0) / 37 / (3)
4. Brock (0-0-0) / 36 / (4)
5. Ottawa (1-0-1) / 31 / (5)
6. Wilfrid Laurier (0-0-0) / 29 / (6)
7. Cape Breton (0-0-0) / 18 / (7)
8. UBC (0-0-0) / 15 / (8)
9. Dalhousie (0-0-0) / 13 / (9)
10. McGill (0-0-0) / 10 / (10)
Others receiving votes: Memorial, Toronto.
MEN'S SOCCER
(regular season record) / (previous rankings)
1. York (0-0-0) / (1)
2. Trinity Western (0-0-0) / (2)
3. Montreal (0-0-0) / (3)
4. Laval (0-0-0) / (4)
5. Dalhousie (0-0-0) / (6)
6. Victoria (0-0-0) / (7)
7. Wilfrid Laurier (0-0-0) / (8)
8. UBC (0-0-0) / (9)
9. Toronto (1-0-1) / (10)
10. Carleton (0-1-1) / (5)
About Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Fifty-two universities, 10,000 student-athletes and 550 coaches vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.universitysport.ca.
Source: CIS Communications