Courtesy: U Sports Swim Coaches Association
Fourty-one (41) Canadian swimmers have been selected to represent the Canadian University All-Star Team in first-ever head-to-head Competition against top British University swimmers.
The recently completed Canadian University Swimming Championships served as the selection competition for swimmers to represent the Canadian universities in a dual competition against the top British University swimmers in Loughborough, England, on July 3-4, 2025.
“Traveling to England to go head-to-head against the best English student-athletes is a great opportunity for our top U Sports athletes to compete internationally, and will motivate our swimmers to be at their very best this summer,” said Derrick Schoof, president of the U Sports Swim Coaches Association and head coach at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The UBC squad won both the 2025 national titles on both the Women’s and Men’s sides.
The selection process was top-two swimmers in each event, including stroke 50s, with the caveat that no swimmer that swam in the Paris Olympics or is selected to the upcoming 2025 FISU Student Games or 2025 World Aquatics Championships is eligible to be selected.
“What is impressive is we have eleven universities represented—literally from coast to coast,” said Byron MacDonald, the head coach of the University of Toronto. MacDonald came up with the idea of pursuing the dual meet concept with the British schools. The coaches have literally organized this entire event from infancy to reality and know it will be a real boon to university swimming programs in Canada.
The hope is that it will continue on an ongoing basis in future summers. There is already interest from another European country that would like to explore having their university students be involved in 2026.
WOMEN’S ROSTER
Name | University | Hometown |
Eloise Allen | UBC | Gibsons, BC |
Angelica Bath | Toronto |
North Vancouver, BC
|
Una Borchgrevink | UBC |
Baerum, Norway
|
Olivia Brendzan | Alberta | Edmonton, AB |
Bridget Burton | UBC | Mill Bay, BC |
Gabrielle Dunn | Alberta | Edmonton, AB |
Erin Epp | Victoria | Kelowna, BC |
Hannah Johnsen | Calgary |
Thunder Bay, ON
|
Ella Howe | Manitoba | Saskatoon, SK |
Naomie Lo | McGill | Toronto, ON |
Emilia Mastromatteo | McGill | Kenora, ON |
Nina Mollin | Toronto |
Schaumburg, Illinois
|
Emma Spence | UBC | Regina, SK |
Camryn Stannard | UBC | Parksville, BC |
Iris Tinmouth | McGill | Comox, BC |
Raphaelle Tremblay | Laval |
Riviere-du-Loup, QC
|
Teagan Vander Leek | Toronto | Edmonton, AB |
Zea Wetzlaugk | Western |
Amsterdam, Netherlands
|
Brooklyn Wiens | UBC | Red Deer, AB |
MEN’S ROSTER
Name | University | Hometown |
Joel Blanco | UBC |
Maple Ridge, BC
|
Garrett Brendzan | Alberta | Edmonton, AB |
Albert Bouley | Toronto | Toronto, ON |
Tanner Cole | UBC | Edmonton, AB |
Loic Courville-Fortin | McGill | Repentigny, QC |
Bill Dongfang | Toronto | Victoria, BC |
Nicholas Duncan | Calgary | Calgary, AB |
Wells Ginzer | UBC |
Heritage Point, AB
|
Kent Goni Avila | Laurier |
Richmond Hill, ON
|
Andrew Herman | Toronto |
Redondo Beach, California
|
Kai Lilienthal | UBC |
Sydney, Australia
|
Quinn Matteis | Toronto | Chatham, ON |
Thomas McDonald | Calgary | Elora, ON |
Justice Migneault | UBC |
Port Coquitlam, BC
|
Stephen Moore | Calgary |
Salmon Arm, BC
|
Hunter Payne | Calgary | Brantford, ON |
Olivier Risk | UBC | Ottawa, ON |
Charlie Skalenda | Calgary | Toronto, ON |
Luke Stewart-Beinder | Western |
Maple Ridge, BC
|
Nathan Thomas | Toronto |
Pointe-Claire, QC
|
Ben Winterborn | Toronto | Kingston, ON |
Kevin Zhang | Waterloo |
Mississauga, ON
|
What is the format of the meet: Long or Short Course?
I wonder how this is funded. But we should have more of these kinds of meets! They are exciting!
At least on the U SPORTS side, it’s primarily self-funded with possible support from some universities/provinces for the athletes. (Also it only being a two-day dual makes it much more manageable financially than a typical international ‘Games’ type meet.)