Calgary Dinos Triumph in U SPORTS Men's Curling Championship
The University of Calgary Dinos men's curling team has captured the U SPORTS national championship in a dramatic 7-6 victory over Carleton University, achieving this milestone just four years after the sport returned to campus. The championship match took place on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Caledonia Curling Club in Regina, showcasing exceptional skill and determination from both teams.
A Special Victory for a Reborn Program
This championship holds extra significance for the Dinos program, which is in only its fourth year back on campus after a period of absence. The team's rapid ascent to national prominence demonstrates the dedication of players, coaches, and supporters who have worked tirelessly to rebuild the curling tradition at the University of Calgary.
"This is so special. We're all on cloud nine right now," said Dinos third Ky Macaulay. "We had a good meeting before the game and we all knew we had a job to do. We just stayed true to ourselves. Even when the going got tough, we stuck together and ran into them a little more than they ran into us."
Strategic Mastery in the Championship Match
Facing Carleton University, one of only two teams that defeated them during the round robin stage, the Dinos approached the final with a refined strategy. Their previous 6-2 loss to the Ravens on Wednesday served as a valuable learning experience that informed their championship approach.
"Having played them in the round robin, they beat us pretty handily, but we knew that wasn't our best showing," Macaulay explained. "We wanted to force them to one in that opening end and then we wanted to score two or more with the hammer. Rock for rock, we knew there would be no room for mistakes."
Game Breakdown: A Nail-Biting Contest
The championship match unfolded with precision and intensity:
- Carleton started with the hammer but was limited to a single point in the first end
- Calgary blanked the second end and scored three in the third—the first three-point end conceded by Carleton throughout the entire tournament
- The Ravens responded with three points of their own in the fourth end
- Calgary regained control with two points in the fifth end for a 5-4 lead
- Both teams scored single points in the sixth, seventh, and eighth ends, forcing an extra end
- In the decisive extra end, Calgary skip Kenan Wipf used the hammer to secure the championship victory
"That extra end—I wouldn't say it was ever comfortable," Macaulay recalled. "You're always just kind of waiting for that other shoe to drop. But, once the stone left Kenan's hand, I felt pretty good. We all trust him so much."
Path to the Championship
The Dinos earned their spot in the national final by defeating Memorial University 8-6 in the semifinal earlier that day. In that match, Calgary scored three points in the opening end and never trailed, though Memorial demonstrated their competitive spirit by tying the game at 5-5 after five ends and 6-6 after seven ends. The Dinos ultimately secured their championship berth by scoring two points in the eighth end with the hammer.
The championship victory represents not just athletic excellence but also the successful revival of a university sports program. The Dinos curling team, consisting of skip Kenan Wipf, third Ky Macaulay, second Ethan Drysdale, and lead Spencer Else, has now etched their names in University of Calgary sports history with this remarkable achievement.
