VANCOUVER, B.C. – A pair of Guelph Gryphons women's rugby student-athletes were recognized on Thursday night (Oct. 30) in Vancouver as U SPORTS announced their major award winners and All-Canadians for the 2025 women's rugby season.
Abby Auger and
Madison Minnis were both named U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians. The Gryphons defeated StFX on Wednesday, and will now prepare for a national semifinal matchup with the University of Victoria Vikes on Friday, Oct. 31 at 7pm (ET). Guelph's Friday night national semifinal vs UVic will be broadcast live online on
CBCSports.ca, CBC Sports Youtube and Ici Tou.TV. See below for more information on the two Gryphons women's rugby players who earned All-Canadian status in 2025.
Gryphons Women's Rugby – 2025 U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians
Abby Auger (Flanker/No. 8)
Maddy Minnis (Centre)
Abby Auger - Second Team All-Canadian
Fifth-year neuroscience major
Abby Auger earns her first career nod as a U SPORTS All-Canadian as part of the second team. The Guelph native has established herself as one of the premier second row players in the country. Auger has started in eight games (including postseason) for her team and has scored two tries on the season. Auger is a two-time OUA All-Star and was named as a first-team All-Star for the first time this season.
Maddy Minnis - Second Team All-Canadian
Maddy Minnis has earned All-Canadian status for the first time as she's been named to the U SPORTS Second Team. The Barrie native has had an outstanding season for the Gryphons, making an impact in her first season at centre for the team. The ecology major has started in every game for the Gryphons this season and is one of the team's leading scorers as she was second on the team in tries scored with six.
For more information on the rest of the 2025 U SPORTS women's rugby All-Canadians and major award winners, see below
or visit usports.ca.
2025 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Major Award Winners
Outstanding Player of the Year: Carissa Norsten, UVic Vikes
Rookie of the Year: Grace Dingwall, Ottawa Gee-Gees
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Heavlyn Sekyere, Waterloo Warriors
Coach of the Year: Brittany Waters, UVic Vikes
2025 U SPORTS Women's Rugby First Team All-Canadians
#8: Jiggy Schonfeld, Queen's Gaels
Centre: Ngozi Mosindi, Ottawa Gee-Gees
Centre: Maggie Mackinnon, UVic Vikes
Prop: Sophie McDonald, Ottawa Gee-Gees
Prop: Sierra Gillis, UVic Vikes
Lock: Maxie Grant, Queen's Gaels
Lock: Teya Ashworth, UBC Thunderbirds
Scrum Half: Corinne Fréchette, Laval Rouge et Or
Fly Half: Mahalia Robinson, Concordia Stingers
Flanker: Brielynn Murrant, Acadia Axewomen
Flanker: Lizzy Gibson, Queen's Gaels
Winger: Charity Williams, UBC Thunderbirds
Hooker: Kiki Idowu, UBC Thunderbirds
Fullback: Carissa Norsten, UVic Vikes
Fullback: Corine Bellavance, Laval Rouge et Or
2025 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Second Team All-Canadians
Centre: Maddy Minnis, Guelph Gryphons
Centre: Rowan Gallagher, UPEI Panthers
Prop: Jessie Penney, StFX X-Women
Prop: Brooke Rempel, Brock Badgers
Lock: Akwaima Akpan, StFX X-Women
Lock: Faith Tilley, UVic Vikes
Scrum Half: Justine Blatt-Janmaat, UVic Vikes
Fly Half: Ella O'Regan, UVic Vikes
Flanker: Sierra Hasse, Carleton Ravens
Flanker: Abby Auger, Guelph Gryphons
Flanker: Sadie Gluvic, UBC Thunderbirds
Winger: Grace Dingwall, Ottawa Gee-Gees
Winger: Kennedi Stevenson, Queen's Gaels
Winger: Adia Pye, UBC Thunderbirds
Hooker: Marie-Léandre Laliberté-Desgagné, Laval Rouge et Or
