(HALIFAX, N.S.) - Atlantic University Sport released the 2023 fall sports schedules today, including women's rugby, men's football, men's and women's soccer as well as men's and women's cross country. Hosts for the 2023 fall championships were also confirmed.
Rugby
The 2023 AUS women's rugby regular season will kick off with two games on opening day Saturday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. The defending champion UPEI Panthers will host the Acadia Axewomen in Charlottetown, P.E.I., while the STFX X-Women play host to the Saint Mary's Huskies in Antigonish, N.S.
The Axewomen—2022 AUS runners up—will host their own home opener the following weekend when the STFX X-Women visit Saturday, Sept. 16 for a 2 p.m. game.
The Huskies' home opener will also take place Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. They will host the UPEI Panthers.
The 2023 Subway AUS Rugby Championship will once again feature a three-team playoff format. The team that finishes third in the regular season standings will visit the second-place team in Week 7, with the winner moving on to visit the first-place team the following week in the championship final game.
The 2023 U SPORTS women's rugby championship is being hosted Nov. 1 to 5 by l'Université Laval in Quebec City, Que.
Football
Each of the conference's five teams will play eight regular season games over the course of a 10-week schedule.
The Bishop's Gaiters joined the Atlantic conference football league beginning in the 2017 season. This marked the first time since 1990 that a new team had entered the AUS football league.
The regular season will once again kick off in August, with opening day set for Saturday, August 26.
The two-time defending AUS champion STFX X-Men will play host to the Bishop's Gaiters in their home opener August 26 at 3 p.m. ADT. The X-Men have captured five of the last seven Atlantic conference titles.
The Mount Allison Mounties—2022 AUS runners up—will host the Acadia Axemen in their home opener the same day at 2 p.m. ADT.
In week 2, Bishop's and Acadia will host their respective home openers. The Gaiters will play host to the Saint Mary's Huskies in Lennoxville, Que. Saturday, Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. EDT. The Axemen will host STFX the same day at 2 p.m. ADT.
Saint Mary's home opener will take place Friday, Sept. 15 when they host Mount Allison in a 7 p.m. ADT game.
Regular season play will wrap up with two games on Friday, Oct. 27. Saint Mary's will host STFX at 7 p.m. ADT, while Bishop's hosts Mount Allison at 7 p.m. EDT.
AUS playoffs are set to begin the following weekend when the second-seeded team hosts the third-seeded team Saturday, Nov. 4 in the playoff semifinal.
The winner will advance to the 2023 Subway AUS Loney Bowl which will be played Saturday, Nov. 11 and hosted by the top-seeded team.
The AUS champion will then move on to visit the Canada West conference champion in the 2023 U SPORTS Mitchell Bowl Saturday, Nov. 18.
The Mitchell Bowl and Uteck Bowl winners will advance to play each other in the 58th Vanier Cup on Saturday, Nov. 25. The 2023 national championship game will be hosted by Queen's University in Kingston, Ont.
Soccer
All 10 AUS men's and women's soccer teams will see action on opening weekend, Sept. 1 to 3.
The defending AUS champion Cape Breton Capers will open their seasons at home as they play host to the UNB REDS Saturday, Sept. 2 at 1 and 3:15 p.m. They will host the Moncton Aigles Bleus the following day, Sunday, Sept. 3, also at 1 and 3:15 p.m.
This season's Subway AUS Soccer Championships will once again be hosted by Cape Breton University in Sydney, N.S. They will take place Oct. 26 to 29.
Cape Breton University will host the U SPORTS men's soccer championship Nov. 9 to 12 in Sydney, N.S., while Queen's University plays host to the women's national championship in Kingston, Ont.
Cross Country
The men's and women's cross country teams will open up their season with the Acadia Invitational Meet Saturday, Sept. 9 in Wolfville, N.S.
STFX will host the second invitational meet Saturday, Sept. 23 in Antigonish, N.S.
The third and final invitational meet will be hosted by UNB on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Saint Mary's play host this season to the Subway AUS Cross Country Championships Oct. 28 in Halifax, N.S.
The 2023 U SPORTS Cross Country Championships will be hosted Saturday, Nov. 11 by Western University in London, Ont.
Complete 2023 rugby, football, soccer and cross country schedules are now available at the following links:
- Football
- Rugby
- Women's Soccer
- Men's Soccer
- Women's Cross Country
- Men's Cross Country
The 2023-24 winter sports schedules will be announced in June.
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