Recapping the entire athletic season across all of the school’s varsity teams
Depending on what sport you follow, the Stingers were a force to be reckoned with, while in others, the Stingers may have disappointed you. Either way, let’s take a look at the “year that was” for Concordia’s varsity teams.
Football
In Mickey Donovan’s second season as head coach, the Stingers finished with a 4-4 record which was good enough to give them a second-straight playoff appearance. The year was highlighted by an impressive season from American-born starting quarterback Trenton Miller, who ended up being crowned RSEQ MVP. Despite losing the first game of the year by a score of 37-0 against Sherbrooke, the team was able to bounce back by beating teams like McGill and Bishop’s. Their biggest moment was arguably when they defeated the McGill Redmen, 43-41 in order to secure their playoff spot. The team eventually lost to Laval in the first round of the playoffs.
Women’s Rugby
The women’s rugby team was arguably one of the most successful Stingers teams this season, finishing with a record of 6-1, which was good enough for second place in the RSEQ division. Led by Alexandra Tessier and Frédérique Rajotte, the team made it to the RSEQ finals where they eventually lost to the University of Ottawa by a score of 25-17. The team then went onto the CIS National Championships in Kingston, Ont., where the team played three games. The team defeated Victoria in their first game, but lost their next two, including the bronze medal game. The bronze medal game was also against the University of Ottawa.
Men’s Rugby
The men’s rugby team was unable to match the success of their female counterparts, but had a good season nonetheless. The team finished with a record of 4-3 and finished in second place in Pool A of the RSEQ division. Concordia remained consistent with wins against teams like Sherbrooke, beating them twice, while struggling against Université de Montreal. In the final game of the season, the Stingers played against École de Technologie Supérieure and defeated them by a score of 33-15. This match-up was a precursor to the RSEQ quarter-finals, as both teams played against each other again. However this time, the Stingers would lose by a slim margin of 19-18. This loss ended their season.
Women’s Soccer
The Stingers women’s soccer team finished the season with a record of 4-9-1 which was good enough for sixth place in the RSEQ division. Kaitlyn Fournier and Laura Lamontagne led the team in goals with four each. The team started off the season with a loss against cross-town rivals McGill, however, the team was able to come away with wins against teams like UQÀM, UQTR and Bishop’s. The end of the season was not kind to the team, as they rounded out the season with three straight losses. The Stingers ended up missing the playoffs.
Men’s Soccer
The team started off the season on a positive note with a win against the McGill Redmen on the Stingers home field. However, after starting the season 2-2, the team went on a six-game losing streak, which was snapped after a 2-1 win against Sherbrooke. The team came away with a 3-9 record to end the season which put them sixth in the RSEQ division. The only team that placed below them was Sherbrooke, who only had one win. The team was unable to make the playoffs. Elias Barutciski and Amadou Lam led the team in scoring with three goals each.
Women’s Hockey
The women’s hockey season was fairly inconsistent this year when comparing their tournament success and their regular season performance. In January, the team defeated Plattsburgh State to capture a championship at the Theresa Humes Tournament. However, the Stingers were unable to match that success during the regular season, as they finished the year with a record of 6-12-2. The team finished in fourth place in the RSEQ division, with only Carleton finishing below them. The Stingers played against Université de Montreal in the first round of the playoffs but were eliminated in two games.
Men’s Hockey
The highlight of the Stingers season was their last game of the season which was a 4-2 victory against the McGill Redmen in the 29th Corey Cup. The rest of the season, however, was not as triumphant, as the team placed seventh in the the CIS East Division and finished with a record of 10-12-6. Captain Olivier Hinse, was believed to be leaving the team after this season due to graduation, however, on April 2, Hinse confirmed that he will be back for his fifth year with the team. The Stingers played against the Redmen in the first round of the playoffs, but were eliminated in an overtime contest in Game Two.
Women’s Basketball
The team began the season with a three game losing streak, which included losses to UQÀM, Laval and McGill. In the fourth game of the season, the Stingers were able to get a win on the board with a 69-34 win against Bishop’s. The rest of the season was up and down for the team. Later on in the season, the team went on a three-game winning streak that was eventually snapped by McGill. The Stingers ended the season with a 7-9 record which put them in fourth place in the RSEQ division. The team was eliminated from the first round of the playoffs after an 85-60 loss to the McGill Martlets.
Men’s Basketball
The team came into the regular season with championship titles at the Concordia Classic Tournament and the Saskatchewan Tournament. The men started off their regular season with two straight victories against UQÀM and Laval respectively. Midway through the season, the Stingers went on a seven-game winning streak and flirted with first place in the RSEQ division. The team eventually finished second in the division, with an overall record of 10-6. The Stingers played against UQÀM in the first round of the playoffs but were eliminated by a score of 70-63.
Wrestling
Much like the women’s rugby team, the wrestling team had quite the successful year. While the team rarely competed in Montreal, the team made themselves known in universities across the country. Early in the season, Concordia hosted a tournament in which the women’s squad came second, while the men came in fourth. Throughout the year, Trevor Banks who wrestles in the 54 kilogram division, dominated with first place finishes in the UNB Open, the Western Invitational Tournament and the Brock University Tournament. At the end of the year at the CIS Wrestling Championships, the women’s team finished in ninth, while the men finished third.
