Martlets Artistic Swimming: A+
The Martlets delivered a historic 2025–2026 campaign, establishing themselves as the undisputed top program in the country. They swept every event they entered at the Canadian University Artistic Swimming League (CUASL) National Championships, finishing first among 16 teams and capturing all six gold medals across both the experienced and novice categories. Their dominance extended all season, with first-place finishes at the Eastern Divisional meet (nine teams) and the McGill Invitational (eight teams). At nationals, McGill claimed all five major trophies, including top overall program, while Sonia Dunn and Hailey Hertzog earned Experienced and Novice Athlete of the Meet honours, respectively. Under head coach Lindsay Duncan, this performance secured the program’s 18th national title and further cemented its status as a powerhouse in Canadian university artistic swimming.
Redbirds Ice Hockey (19–17–0): B+
Redbirds Hockey battled through another demanding season, finishing third in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East before their run came to an end in the quarterfinals with a two-game sweep at the hands of the Queen’s University Gaels, the eventual OUA bronze medallists. The season showcased standout performances from several key players. Charles-Antoine Dumont led the way with an OUA First Team All-Star selection and a nomination for McGill Male Athlete of the Year due to his remarkable offensive capabilities, while Thomas Bélzile secured a spot on the OUA Second Team All-Stars. The Redbirds made meaningful contributions off the ice as well, with Mikisiw Awashish being recognized with the OUA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award. With five seniors set to graduate, the Redbirds will look to build on this year’s positives as they prepare for a new chapter next season.
Martlets Ice Hockey (4–27–0): C
The Martlets endured a challenging 2025–2026 season, finishing with a 4–27–0 record and 4th place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ). Despite the results, there were notable individual contributions, as captain Anika Cormier led the team offensively in points and goalie Jade Rivard-Coulombe started 25 of 31 games. The season concluded with a tough matchup against the Concordia University Stingers, who went on to claim silver at the U SPORTS National Championship. Throughout the year, the team embraced a rebuilding phase, focusing on developing a young and resilient roster. The Martlets also gained valuable experience competing against the Italian National Team during their pre-Olympic training camp in Montreal. A bright spot for the team came in the form of rookie Élodie Boutin, who earned recognition with a selection to the RSEQ All-Rookie Team, a nod to the exciting potential of this team’s future.
Swimming: Martlets A+ / Redbirds A+
McGill Swimming had another incredible season, with both the Martlets and Redbirds finishing first in every RSEQ University Cup meet they entered. At the RSEQ Championships in Sherbrooke in February, the number three-ranked Martlets claimed their sixth straight RSEQ title and their 24th consecutive conference meet victory. The Redbirds matched them, claiming their sixth consecutive men’s banner. Two of the younger athletes truly stood out this season, with freshman Rebecca McGrath breaking two records, winning five gold medals, and earning Swimmer of the Meet and Athlete of the Week honours at the RSEQ championship. Sophomore Loïc Courville-Fortin swept the 100 and 200 backstroke and the 200 individual medley, breaking both school and RSEQ records on his way to earning RSEQ Athlete of the Year. Head Coach Peter Carpenter was named RSEQ women’s coach of the year for the seventh time, the cherry on top of a successful season.
Martlets Women’s Basketball (17–11): A
This was the season Martlets Basketball re-established themselves as strong competitors within Canadian basketball. Under Head Coach Rikki Bowles, who has guided the team through consistent improvements during her tenure, McGill finished second in the RSEQ regular season and advanced to the league championship game for the first time since 2018. There, they delivered the upset of the year: Second-seeded McGill defeated the division-leading Laval University Rouge et Or 51-45 to claim the program’s 14th provincial banner, with Daniella Mbengo scoring 18 points off the bench to solidify the victory. Bowles was voted RSEQ Coach of the Year, while Lily Rose Chatila, who averaged 16.3 points per game, earned first-team all-star honours, and Emilia Diaz-Ruiz was named to the second team and received the league’s Leadership and Citizenship Award. The Martlets made their first trip to the U SPORTS National Championships since 2018, falling to third-seeded University of Calgary Dinos 58-45 in the quarter-finals. Although the season may not have ended how they had hoped, it is safe to say the program is on an undeniable upward trajectory.
Redbirds Men’s Basketball (3–20): C
It was a difficult year for Redbirds Basketball, though they still had flashes of promise and success throughout the season. McGill finished the first half of their schedule at 1–7, heading into winter exams on a tough break. The second semester followed the first’s track record, with the Redbirds falling to 1–12 at one point, ultimately missing the playoffs and finishing fifth in the five-team RSEQ conference. That said, the margins of each game were often thin: A last-second three-point attempt was blocked away as the Rouge et Or escaped with a 69-67 win, a game McGill very nearly had in the bag. Third-year forward Saransh Padhy was the team’s anchor, averaging 12.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Padhy shot 56.0 per cent from the field and earned a spot on the RSEQ second all-star team. First-year guard Sean Duff was also a strong contributor, ranking second in the RSEQ with 33 three-pointers and was voted the conference’s top rookie. With a young roster gaining experience, the program’s trajectory is pointing upward.
Track & Field: Martlets B+ / Redbirds A-
This was a season of overwhelming strength and triumph, despite heartbreak off the track. In November, McGill announced the elimination of its 125-year-old track and field program, along with 23 other varsity teams and clubs. The decision drew fierce backlash: A petition to reinstate the program drew over 10,000 signatures, and Athletics Canada called the cut a blow not just to one program but to athlete development across the country. The athletes responded by having one of the best seasons in recent memory. The Redbirds captured five gold medals at the RSEQ Championships, broke two school records and one conference mark, and finished second among 10 schools. Long jumper Robert Gerstner earned the RSEQ’s major award for most outstanding field performance of the year after leaping 7.56m at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Invitational, a new school record and the top mark in U SPORTS this season.
The Martlets captured three gold medals and finished third at the RSEQ Championships. Pole vaulter Julie Bortolato won gold at the RSEQ Championships with a vault of 3.76 metres, a jump that surpassed the long-standing McGill record of 3.65m set in 2004. Alongside Bortolato, jumper Rebecca Warcholak also won gold at the RSEQ Championships, giving the Martlets two individual champions to anchor their podium haul. It was clear to see that the athletes left everything on both the track and the field for their final season.
Redbirds Badminton (9–3): A-
The Redbirds had an impressive season, building off their results from last year. The team finished in second place overall in the RSEQ. At the start of the season, McGill Men’s Badminton dominated the league, with significant wins over all teams, except the Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins. However, at their second meeting, the Redbirds prevailed, pulling off a narrow 3-2 victory. Their performance at the Canadian College/University Championships was also spectacular, with senior Nicolas Germain leading the team to a seventh-place finish over the Université de Sherbrooke. Germain notably reached the quarter-finals of both the men’s singles and doubles draws. Geramin is the only McGill Badminton player ever to reach two quarter-final rounds in two separate events.
Martlets Badminton (7–5): B+
Martlets Badminton had another successful season, finishing in third place in the RSEQ standings. The team started the season by dominating the first two meets in September and November with decisive wins over Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) Citadins, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Les Patriotes, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), and Université de Sherbrooke. However, in November, the Martlets narrowly lost to Laval University and UdeM. Unfortunately, the Martlets were not able to muster a comeback, falling to Laval in the semi-finals of the RSEQ Championships.
Martlets Volleyball (8–17): C+The Martlets had an anti-climactic season, ending with a 6–15 record in the RSEQ Conference. The team started off their regular season with tough three-set losses to the UQÀM Citadins, UdeM Carabins, Université de Sherbrooke, and the UQTR Patriotes. However, in the latter half of the season, the Martlets stormed back, beating ÉTS in a thrilling five-set match. The team ultimately still fell short of catching the second-ranked team in the league, Laval. Despite the late-season resurgence falling short, the Martlets closed out the year ranked sixth in the RSEQ, with senior Selima Guidara earning RSEQ second-team all-star honours.