2016 U SPORTS National Champions
2016 SEASON RECAP
The StFX X-Women claimed the 2016 Monilex trophy with a 27-19 victory over Ottawa in the CIS championship game. The win marked their fifth national title in team history, having previously won gold in 2014, 2012, 2010 and 2006. StFX also earned victories over Concordia (24-17) in the quarterfinals, and Guelph (38-24) in the semi-finals at the national event hosted by Victoria.
Sabrina McDaid, a fifth year fly half, earned tournament all-star and MVP honors, scoring 19 points in the tournament. Fifth year lock Ellen Murphy and third year prop Joanna Alphonso were also honored as tournament all-stars. The team earned the Fair Play award for their conduct throughout the weekend.
The StFX X-Women entered the 2016 CIS championship as Atlantic University Sport (AUS) champions, returning to the national championship for the 19th consecutive season. The X-Women are 18-time AUS champions, having won from 1998-2014 and again in 2016. They defeated conference rival Acadia 62-0 in the AUS final, avenging their loss in 2015 to the same squad and re-claiming the conference banner.
Ranked No. 4 nationally at the conclusion of regular season play, the X-Women sported a perfect 6-0 record to finish atop the AUS conference. This marked their 14th first place finish since the 2002 season (official inception of the AUS league). The 2016 StFX squad led the conference in points scored (371), tries (61), and conversions (33), and allowed the fewest points scored against (41). In exhibition non-conference play, the X-Women posted a 6-1 record.
The X-Women were led this season by six AUS all-stars, including two-time reigning AUS most valuable player Joanna Alphonso, a third year prop from Ajax, ON. A co-captain with Alphonso, fourth year center Jaelei Meyer (Carlyle, SK) was also named to the conference all-star team, as was fourth year flanker Brooke Newsome (Brantford, ON), who led the AUS conference in tries (10) and points (50). Fourth year back row Miranda Sample (Havelock, QC), fourth year fullback Breanna Allison (Cole Harbour, NS) and fifth year prop/lock Ellen Murphy (Augustine Cove, PE) were also AUS all-stars. Veteran fifth year fly half Sabrina McDaid (Scarborough, ON), a 2015 CIS All-Canadian along with Alphonso, led the AUS in conversions (21) and was second in points (47).
2016 U SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
Championship Record: 3 wins and 0 losses
Quarterfinals: Defeated Concordia 24-17
Semi-finals: Defeated Guelph 38-24
Gold Medal Game: Defeated Ottawa 27-19
2016 AWARDS
CIS 1st team All-Canadian: Joanna Alphonso
CIS 2nd team All-Canadian: Breanna Allison
CIS Tournament MVP: Sabrina McDaid
CIS Tournament All-Stars: Joanna Alphonso, Sabrina McDaid, Ellen Murphy
CIS Tournament Fair Play Award
AUS Most Valuable Player: Joanna Alphonso
AUS All-Stars: Breanna Allison, Joanna Alphonso, Jaelei Meyer, Ellen Murphy, Brooke Newsome, Miranda Sample
2016 AUS NOTES
AUS Regular Season Record: 6 wins, 0 losses
AUS Regular Season Standing: 1st place, 12 points
AUS Playoff Record: 1 win and 0 losses
Defeated Acadia 62-0 in the AUS final