Petes Add 14 More Prospects to Complete 2026 OHL Priority Selection

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Petes rounded out their 2026 draft class Saturday, selecting 14 players on the second day of the OHL Priority Selection.

petes third round pick mason quinn on the draft stage with general manager and vice president of operations mike oke, team scouts, and ohl commissioner bryan crawford (photo courtesy of peterborough petes, via charles warburton)

After choosing Vaughan Kings forward Landon Roulston in the first round Friday night, the Petes continued adding to their prospect pool with players from Ontario and the United States.

The club's first pick of the day came in the third round when Peterborough selected Toronto Marlboros right winger Mason Quinn 59th overall.

Other selections included:

• Round 5, Pick 94: Colton Lapierre (D), Toronto Red Wings U16

• Round 6, Pick 119: Zidane Jasey (G), Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16

• Round 7, Pick 134: Marco Nichele (D), Ottawa Jr. 67's U16

• Round 7, Pick 136: Brady Cunningham (D), Lincoln Stars

• Round 8, Pick 145: Dylan Delgado (RW), Detroit HoneyBaked 15s

• Round 8, Pick 154: Ty Civello (LW), Don Mills Flyers U16

• Round 9, Pick 174: Nicholas Hahn (D), Team Wisconsin 15s

• Round 10, Pick 194: Nathan Slack (RW), Don Mills Flyers U16

• Round 11, Pick 214: Andrew Vaduva (G), Burlington Eagles U16

• Round 12, Pick 234: Hudson Clayton (D), Burlington Eagles U16

• Round 13, Pick 254: Quinn Creally (RW), Upper Canada Cyclones U16

• Round 14, Pick 274: Evan Vukelic (C), Shattuck-St. Mary's Sabres 15s

• Round 15, Pick 294: Aiden Plooy (D), Upper Canada Cyclones U16

petes fifth round pick colton lapierre with mike oke (photo courtesy of peterborough petes, via charles warburton)

Petes General Manager and Vice President of Operations Michael Oke said the organization was pleased with the players selected over the two-day draft, noting they demonstrated the skill, character and competitiveness the club looks for in prospective players.

mike oke along with petes eighth round pick ty civello (photo courtesy of peterborough petes, via charles warburton)

The 14 day-two selections join first-round pick Landon Roulston as part of Peterborough's 2026 draft class. Details for the club's annual development camp are expected to be announced in the coming week.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Six Names Have Been Inducted Into Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame For 2026

Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame has inducted six names into its class of 2026 in a ceremony at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Saturday night.

(Back Row From Left to Right): John Grant, Jr., Jeff Twohey and Al Crowe
(Middle Row From Left to Right L-R: Terry Paul and Tim Watts
(Front Row) Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

The following are the class of 2026 inductees:

Al Crowe (Builder: Fastball)

Al Crowe was a good multisport athlete. He was a member of the 1969 Lakefield High School District School Boy Curling Championship team and served as vice skip for the team at the COSSA Curling Championship and the OFSSA Championship in 1969.

Fastball was his game, starting in the Lakefield Men’s League before joining the Peterborough Men’s City Softball League. Crowe achieved great success when he began coaching in the PMCSL, winning the George Dormer Trophy nine times for first-place league finishes and the Taylor Trophy nine times. He coached teams to OASA Intermediate A titles in 1993 and 2003 and also coached the Curve Lake team to the Ontario Native All Ontario Championship in 1996 and 2003.

Not only did Crowe give his time to the men’s city league, but he also coached minor boys’ fastball teams from 1989 to 1995, winning an OASA Pee-Wee A title in 1993. Crowe has been honoured with numerous awards for his dedication to fastball in Peterborough. Including the Doug McCamus Award for Minor Fastball, the Dave Leether Award from the Umpires Association for Most Gentlemanly Player, City League “Mr. Softball” for dedication to fastball and the Brent McCue Heart Award for dedication to fastball.

Crowe served 31 years with the OPP, receiving the OPP Exemplary Service Medal in 1992 and a 30-year service award in 2002. Al Crowe gave his time and talent to the sport of fastball and now joins his father Bob Crowe as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

John Grant Jr. (Athlete: Lacrosse)

John Grant Jr. had a spectacular career in lacrosse. Born and raised in Peterborough, Grant Jr. has accomplished every honour possible in the game. He excelled at both box and field lacrosse as a junior, college, senior and professional player.

He has won five Mann Cups, achieved three silver and one gold at World Lacrosse Championships, three gold World Indoor Lacrosse championships, one gold and one silver Heritage Cup, one NLL and five MLL championships. The list of individual awards is impressive: 1994 OLA Junior A MVP, 1995 MSL Rookie of the Year, 1999 USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year, 1999 National Collegiate Attackman of the Year, 2007 NLL Rookie of the Year, 2000 MSL MVP, 2001 MLL Offensive Player of the Year, 2004, 2007 Mann Cup MVP, 2007 and 2012 NLL MVP, 2007 NLL Championship MVP, 2007 and 2008 MLL Offensive Player of the Year as well as MVP.

Grant Jr. has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. Grant Jr. racked up over 3,000 points over his 25+ years of playing lacrosse at the very highest level.

His slick and shifty ball-handling skills would rank him among the very best, if not the best, in the world. John has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. He joins his father, John Grant, as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

Terrance “Terry” Paul (Athlete: Rowing)

Growing up in Peterborough, Paul played many sports and was a member of the junior program at the Kawartha Golf & Country Club. While at PCVS, he was influenced by Carol Love and Graham Wilkinson to join the Peterborough Rowing Club. He joined the club as a coxswain and became hooked on the sport. He attended Brock University, where he honed his rowing skills with the Brock Badgers.

Following graduation, Paul moved to Victoria, B.C., and joined the Canadian National Rowing Team. Terry won a Men’s Eights gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, as the team’s Coxswain. He has participated in every Olympic Games since 1988 and coached until 2022.

Terry has had an extensive coaching career in the US College system at Cornell and then internationally with Canada and Switzerland. He coached the men’s pairs to a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Terry is currently employed by the BC government as Performance Director for Rowing BC.

Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett (Athlete: All-Round)

Peterborough-born Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett, a multi-sport athlete, achieved success in every sport she played in.

She was a member of the Canadian team that competed in the Long Ball Golf competition in Las Vegas in 2002, where she finished 10th, and was the Ontario Long Drive champion in 2001 and 2002. She was the low net champion at the Kawartha Golf and Country Club in 2002. Kelleigh has played hockey since the age of five, starting in the PGHA. Over her long career, she has won numerous tournaments and OWHA provincial titles, including a Midget B gold, two golds and one silver in Senior AA and one gold in Senior AA Eastern Canadian championships.

In 2000, the Senior AA team also won its third consecutive National Capital tournament in Ottawa. From 2007 to 2014, Kelleigh won two gold, one silver and one bronze OWHA Senior C Championships with the Keene women’s team. She was a member of the Peterborough Skyway Senior AA Women’s Hockey team from 1993-1996, which played in the Central Women’s Hockey League and won the league championship in their second year. She was a member and team captain of the silver-medal-winning Ontario Select team, which travelled to Switzerland to play in an international tournament in 1986.

Traynor-Hartnett    was instrumental in forming a women’s division in the Police International Hockey Association tournament while a police officer with the Durham Police. During her tenure with the team, the Durham Bullets Women’s team won six championships.

She also played fastball in the city league and with the Cobourg Angels (winning a PWSA Achievement Award). She played slo-pitch, winning the Eastern Ontario Champion, placing second at the 2000 National Championship in Kamloops, B.C. She won a Field Hockey bronze medal at the Ontario Summer Games in 1985, an OCAA Soccer Bronze with Fleming College in 1988 and was the 1986 senior high jump high school champion and placed 2nd at COSSA and 3rd at OFSSA.

She was a member of the 55+ 2023 Ontario Champions and 2024 Canadian 55+ silver medalist team. From 2013, Traynor-Hartnett    has also been an assistant coach, head coach and trainer in the Peterborough Ice Kats system. She retired from the Durham Police Department in 2019, receiving the ‘Excellence in Service’ Award for 30 years of service.

Tim Watts (Athlete: Archery)

Watts comes from the Warsaw community. He fell in love with the sport of archery at a young age. He started competing at age 15 in 1987 and since then, he has competed in over 700 tournaments all over the world.

In Ontario, archery has five disciplines, each with an annual provincial championship. During his archery career, he has hit the podium 80+ times, including 34 provincial championships. He has won provincial championships in all 5 disciplines. The archer who competes in all five disciplines with the highest combined total is crowned Grand Champion. The award was established in 1999 and Tim has been the Grand Champion 18 times.

At the national level, there are four disciplines every year. Watts has achieved podium results 25 times, winning 12 National titles. One of the few archers in Canada to have won the National title in all four disciplines.

After winning the National 3D title as part of team Ontario, Tim qualified for the 2011 Canadian 3D team competing at the World 3D Championships in Austria. He won a silver medal and to date, he is the only Canadian Compound Archer to win a World Championship medal. He has been the Tournament Director for Archery Ontario since 1990.

He worked for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and has been the Peterborough Coordinator for the National Archery School program since 2014. This program introduces archery to thousands of Ontario youth.

Watts is a highly accomplished Canadian archer, a columnist for Ontario Out of Doors. Based in Peterborough and affiliated with the Peterborough Fish and Game Club, he is a decorated competitor in compound, 3D and field archery, holding national records and winning multiple gold medals in the 50-plus category.

He won three gold medals at the 2022 Canadian National Archery Championships (Men’s Hunter, 50-plus Field, 50-plus Target) and has over 35 years of competitive experience. He set a Canadian record in 2023 for 50+ men's compound unlimited in a field round with a score of 392.

Jeff Twohey (Builder: Hockey)

Born in Lindsay, Twohey has made his home in Peterborough for over 40 years. It is not a stretch to say that hockey is his life. Starting out in 1980 as a trainer for the

Peterborough Petes: Twohey rose through the ranks of the Petes organization in many capacities, from marketing to Assistant GM and, finally, General Manager. Over his tenure with the Petes he saw the team win OHL Championships in 1989 and 1993 as an Assistant GM and 1996 and 2006 as General Manager and trips to the Memorial Cup on four occasions. The Petes recorded 600 wins during Jeff’s time as GM. The position of the GM also requires scouting and recruiting and working with team scouts to select young players that will be the right fit for a particular OHL team. Fifty-four of his players were drafted to the NHL, with nine drafted in the first round.

Twohey served on a number of OHL Committees including Priority Selection, Competitions, Officiating, CHL Import Draft, Protected List, NCAA Issues, All-Star Selection, CHL Canada-Russia Selection and OHA Rep evaluating Canada’s World U18 and U20 prospects.

He is the recipient of the Bill Long Award in 2006 for distinguished service, the OHL Milestone Award in 2008 for 25 years of distinguished service to the OHL and he was inducted into the Lindsay and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

After leaving the Petes, Twohey spent a couple of years with the Oshawa Generals before serving as an Amateur Scout for the Dallas Stars and the NHL's Arizona Coyotes from 2014 to 2018. The role of a hockey scout is arduous, requiring many hours away from home and miles of travel across North America and Europe. During his time with the Coyotes. Twohey scouted over 250 live games. Jeff is now scouting for the Florida Panther. His love for hockey has translated into a long and successful career.

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NHL Alumni Take to the Peterborough Memorial Centre Ice For Rivalry Night: The Battle of Ontario

Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators alumni are hitting the Peterborough Memorial Centre ice for ‘Rivalry Night: The Battle of Ontario,’ on Nov. 6 in support of Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF).

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The alumni teams both feature former NHL players, some of whom would have competed in the classic playoff games in the early 2000s that started the rivalry. 

“We are really excited to be hosting Rivalry Night: The Battle of Ontario, with the Peterborough Memorial Centre,” said Vince Bierworth, GPHSF executive director. “Ottawa and Toronto were a huge playoff rivalry in the early-2000’s. We still see the rivalry in regular-season games and the playoffs today. Most recently in the playoffs in the spring of 2025. It is a great rivalry with a passionate fan base. We are excited to host the Toronto and Ottawa fans at Peterborough Memorial Centre.  Proceeds from the event will support our concussion fund. This fund helps to provide education and awareness for youth sport concussion through funding Peterborough Athletics Concussion Awareness (PACA) and providing the HOPE Bursary in Honour of Steve Montador.”

“Rivalry Night: The Battle of Ontario is going to be an exciting evening for hockey fans and a wonderful opportunity to support an important cause in our community,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “Bringing the Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni and Ottawa Senators Alumni to the Peterborough Memorial Centre will showcase the passion and excitement of this historic rivalry while helping raise funds for concussion education and awareness initiatives that support local youth and families. I encourage residents and visitors alike to come out, enjoy a great night of hockey and support the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation.”

A full roster for each team will be announced closer to the event.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. online, in person at the PMC Box Office or by phone at 705-743-3561. Tickets start at just $30 each, with a limited number of VIP upgrade tickets available, which include a pre-game meet-and-greet with either the Ottawa Senators or the Toronto Maple Leafs.

PMC Scoop and GPHSF mailing list members have early access to tickets with a pre-sale on Wednesday and Thursday.

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Five Counties Children’s Centre Receives $30,000 Donation From Kawartha Tri‑Sport Towards Essential Services

After a three-day fundraising event in Ennismore, Kawartha Tri‑Sport Tournament organizers donated $30,000 to Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC) towards its essential services, announced on Monday.

Christina Scott, Kawartha Tri-Sport organizer (right) with Kassie Graham, FCCC’s Community Engagement Coordinator (right) with the donation of $30,000. Photo courtesy of FCCC.

These services include speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and specialized programs that build abilities for life.

The funds are part of the $100,000 that was raised overall at the most recent Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament – the 10th anniversary of the event that features baseball, hockey and golf.

“We are incredibly grateful to Kawartha Tri‑Sport and everyone who took part in this year’s tournament,” said Scott Pepin, FCCC CEO. “This generous contribution will directly support children and youth in our community, helping them access the therapy services they need to grow, learn, and thrive. We’re honoured to be part of an event that brings people together to make such a meaningful difference.”

Along with Five Counties, Kawartha Tri-Sport organizers donated funds to Down Syndrome Canada and to local families in need of support.

“We are so proud to give back to the community that has given so much to us and our families,” says Christina Scott, Kawartha Tri-Sport organizer. “Supporting Five Counties is just one small way we can make a difference together. Kawartha Tri-Sport is so grateful to be part of something that makes a positive impact.”

The annual Kawartha Tri‑Sport tournament was launched in 2016. It brings together athletes, volunteers, and supporters for a weekend of friendly competition and community spirit. Since its inception, the Kawartha Tri-Sport event has raised more than $400,000 for local charities.

Scott says charities supported by Tri-Sport often have a personal connection to the organizers. “We are so honoured to support organizations that make a difference in people’s lives,” said Scott. “We are also still overwhelmed by what’s been achieved. It all comes down to the people that support our mission every year and the generosity of our community, businesses, participants, family and friends.”                                             

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Peterborough Lakers Drop Home Opener to Defending Mann Cup Champion Six Nations Chiefs

The Peterborough Lakers could not repeat last year’s home opener result and fell to the defending Mann Cup champion Six Nations Chiefs, 11-6, at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of Christine Liu and the Peterborough Lakers.

Davin Bomberry opened the scoring just 67 seconds in for the Chiefs to record the first goal of the season. Nearly six minutes later, Dylan Hutchinson tied the game for the Lakers. Six Nations went on a four-goal run after the Peterborough score while Chiefs goalie Doug Jamieson clamped things down for a 5-1 first-period score.

The visitors added to their run with a pair of Chris Cloutier goals and the Lakers found themselves in a 7-1 hole. Rob Hellyer scored for the Lakers to try and build momentum for the team but Six Nations responded nearly four minutes later. Peterborough took advantage of some disciplinary issues from the Chiefs and scored two-straight power play goals thanks to Justin Sykes and Hellyer to make it 8-4 going into the final frame.

The Chiefs opened another period with a run, this time with three goals, including a shorthanded and power play score. Carter Page and Matt Gilray scored later for the Lakers, but it was too little too late, and the defending champs left Peterborough with an 11-6 victory to start the season.

The win puts the Chiefs at a 2-0 record after they shut out Owen Sound 12-0 on Monday, with nearly their entire roster in place. The Lakers were shorthanded, missing several regulars due to prior commitments and injury. 

“Unfortunately, it’s May 21st. Our roster is healing from the winter,” said Mike Hasen, Lakers head coach. “They’re going to be here and it’s going to be a lot better.”

The loss put the Lakers at a 0-1 record and they look to rebound against the Brampton Excelsiors, who come to town this Thursday night.

“(We) competed against the best team in Canada,” explained Hasen. “There were a lot of good pieces on the floor here tonight. Scoreboard-wise, we kind of poo-pooed it a little bit but when our group really gets here, we’ll start clicking and you’ll see what these guys are going to do for us.”

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Peterborough Lakers Introduce Shuttle Trolley to Transport Fans to Select Home Games; Starts On Thursday's Home Opener

The Peterborough Lakers have introduced a trolley on select home games this season to transport fans to and from the game, starting with the Home Opener this Thursday against the Six Nations Chiefs.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

Sponsored exclusively on opening night by 180 Hunter Bar & Restaurant, the trolley will pick up fans starting at 6:45 p.m. for transport to the Memorial Centre, with additional pickups leading up to game time.

There is no cost to fans to ride the Trolley.

The Trolley will return fans downtown approximately 15 minutes after the game.

The Lakers schedule is as follows:

• May 21 vs. Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• May 28 vs. Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• May 30 at Owen Sound North Stars at 4 p.m.

• June 1 at Oakville Rock at 7:30 p.m.

• June 4 vs. Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 10 at Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 18 at Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• June 21 at Cobourg Kodiaks at 6 p.m.

• June 25 vs. Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 29 at Oakville Rock at 7:30 p.m.

• July 2 vs. Cobourg Kodiaks at 8 p.m.

• July 7 at Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• July 9 vs. Owen Sound North Stars at 8 p.m.

• July 16 vs. Oakville Rock at 8 p.m.

• July 23 vs. Cobourg Kodiaks at 8 p.m.

• July 24 at Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• July 28 at Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• July 30 vs Owen Sound North Stars at 8 p.m.

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Peterborough Lakers Introduce New Fundraising Intermission Activity For 2026 Season

The Peterborough Lakers have introduced ‘Toss For a Cause’ as a new fundraising intermission activity for fans of all ages.  

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The fundraiser partners with local teams and groups to raise money for their organizations. Proceeds from the May 21st home opener will support Kawartha Fury Lacrosse.

Fans can purchase three balls for $5.00 from one of three locations throughout the arena and are encouraged to toss them on the floor at the second intermission. The closest ball to the centre dot wins a prize. 

Balls can be purchased at the Front Lobby, East Lobby or Club Lounge.

The Lakers are looking for teams and groups interested in participating and raising funds for their group. Contact Pete Dalliday petedalliday@gmail.com.

The Lakers schedule is as follows:

• May 21 vs. Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• May 28 vs. Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• May 30 at Owen Sound North Stars at 4 p.m.

• June 1 at Oakville Rock at 7:30 p.m.

• June 4 vs. Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 10 at Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 18 at Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• June 21 at Cobourg Kodiaks at 6 p.m.

• June 25 vs. Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 29 at Oakville Rock at 7:30 p.m.

• July 2 vs. Cobourg Kodiaks at 8 p.m.

• July 7 at Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• July 9 vs. Owen Sound North Stars at 8 p.m.

• July 16 vs. Oakville Rock at 8 p.m.

• July 23 vs. Cobourg Kodiaks at 8 p.m.

• July 24 at Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• July 28 at Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• July 30 vs Owen Sound North Stars at 8 p.m.

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Peterborough Lakers' Back-End Locked and Loaded For 2026 Season

The Peterborough Lakers have locked down their defensive core and goaltending for the 2026 season.

Robert Hope has won four Mann Cups for the Peterborough Lakers and is also the head coach for the Peterborough Jr. A Lakers. Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

Over the last week, a number of veteran defenders have returned for another run at the Mann Cup national championship.

Fourteen-year veteran and captain, Robert Hope, returns this year. A Peterborough native and Jr. A Laker graduate, Hope was named captain in 2017 and has led the team to four Mann Cup championships. 

He is joined by fellow Peterborough natives Dustyn Birkhof and Dylan Hutchison. Assistant captain Matt Gilray also returns for his 10th season.

The Lakers expect sophomore Chris Harland to play a bigger role this season after gaining experience with the Arena Lacrosse League’s Toronto Monarchs.

Brenden Boyle was drafted by the Lakers in 2024 and has committed to the team for the season after playing in Nanaimo for the last two summers.

All three Lakers’ goaltenders are back, with Nick Rose and Drew Hutchison returning to the team after the NLL season’s conclusion. The two face off against each other in the NLL Cup championship with Rose’s Toronto Rock taking on Hutchison’s Halifax Thunderbirds in a best-of-three series. 

Curve Lake’s Deacan Knott is between the pipes until their return.

The Lakers schedule is as follows:

• May 21 vs. Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• May 28 vs. Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• May 30 at Owen Sound North Stars at 4 p.m.

• June 1 at Oakville Rock at 7:30 p.m.

• June 4 vs. Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 10 at Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 18 at Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• June 21 at Cobourg Kodiaks at 6 p.m.

• June 25 vs. Brooklin LC at 8 p.m.

• June 29 at Oakville Rock at 7:30 p.m.

• July 2 vs. Cobourg Kodiaks at 8 p.m.

• July 7 at Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• July 9 vs. Owen Sound North Stars at 8 p.m.

• July 16 vs. Oakville Rock at 8 p.m.

• July 23 vs. Cobourg Kodiaks at 8 p.m.

• July 24 at Brampton Excelsiors at 8 p.m.

• July 28 at Six Nations Chiefs at 8 p.m.

• July 30 vs Owen Sound North Stars at 8 p.m.

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Trent Excalibur Hires New Head Coach For Women's Rugby Ahead of 2026-27 Season

Trent Athletics has named Luke Bentvelzen as the new head coach of the Excalibur women’s rugby program for the 2026-27 season.

Photo courtesy of Trent Athletics.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Luke to the Excalibur coaching staff and to our women’s rugby program,” said Nathan McFadden, director of athletics and recreation. “He brings an exceptional breadth of experience in rugby, along with a strong commitment to leadership, education, and student-athlete development. Luke has already made a meaningful impact within the local rugby community, and we’re excited to see him bring that energy and expertise to Trent as we continue to build a competitive and supportive environment for our women’s rugby student-athletes.” 

Bentvelzen is a former professional rugby player and veteran coach who has worked with athletes at all levels of the game in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Most recently, he served as head coach of the senior women’s program at the Peterborough Rugby Union Football Club, where he led the team to an undefeated 2022 season and promotion to the provincial league. 

Outside of coaching, Bentvelzen has worked with the Male Allyship and Leadership Coordinator with the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, where he has led violence prevention and education initiatives across the local sport community. He worked with organizations including the Peterborough Petes and minor hockey associations, designing and facilitating on topics such as healthy relationships, consent, bystander intervention and positive team culture according to a press release.

Bentvelzen currently serves as Coordinator of Training and Education with Rugby Canada, where he supports coach and athlete development programming across the country. He previously served as Coordinator of Leagues and Competitions at Rugby Ontario, contributing to the structure and delivery of competitive rugby throughout the province. 

“I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to work with a fantastic staff at an institution with a great academic reputation,” said Bentvelzen. “There is a great group of coaches and returning players that I think can lay a foundation of continued excellence.” 

He added that he hopes to elevate both the program’s performance profile and its regional impact.

“We want to be a destination for student-athletes to begin or continue their rugby journey in an environment that supports their holistic development,” said Bentvelzen.

The Excalibur women’s rugby team will begin preparations for the upcoming season later this summer.

Trent Excalibur Rowing Captures Women’s National Sculling Championship at U.S. Regatta

The Trent University Excalibur rowing team returned home with three gold medals, one silver medal and the National Women’s Overall Sculling Championship title at the 2026 Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta over the weekend.

Photo courtesy of Trent Athletics.

The team consisted of 21 varsity and novice student-athletes under the guidance of varsity rowing head coach Ugette Vanderpost and novice women’s rowing coach Kate Mackenzie. The Excalibur earned the championship title by accumulating the highest point total across the women’s sculling events.

“After five long months of rigorous winter training and only a short window on the water before racing, this team showed extraordinary resilience and unity at the prestigious Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta,” said Vanderpost. “We came away with incredible results, but what impressed me most was how these student-athletes responded to every challenge - near wins, unexpected losses, difficult weather, injuries, fatigue, and fierce competition.”

Hosted by Thomas Jefferson University on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J., the annual Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta is the largest collegiate regatta in North America, with over 100 universities from Canada and the U.S competing. This year was the 50th anniversary of women being able to compete at the event.

Tess Friar in the Women’s Single, placed first in her time trial, semifinal and final while leading from start to finish. She finished more than 26 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher in the final.

Caitlin Cox earned silver in the Women’s Double, finishing just four seconds behind Queen's University. Nina Sadlik and Avery Nelder added points with a sixth-place finish in the same event.

The championship was sealed in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls, where Ellie Hutt, Lillian Terpstra, Mia Switzer and Nelder captured gold in 7:24, defeating the crew from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by six seconds.

One of the weekend’s most memorable moments came from the Frosh/Novice Women’s Eight. Just 10 minutes before launching for the Grand Final, the crew discovered a damaged part that made their boat unusable. According to Trent Athletics, after the team scrambled to find a replacement, Queen's University offered its varsity eight boat. The Trent student-athletes raced in an unfamiliar shell with different oars and a completely reversed seating order.

Trent rowed to a gold-medal finish, defeating La Salle University and the University of Pittsburgh by 20 seconds.

“Despite these challenges, we trusted each other, executed our race plan, and came out with a dominant gold,” said student-athlete Sam Moss. “To represent Trent at the largest collegiate American regatta and to do so well brings me so much pride. To do it alongside the best crew makes it that much better.”

Trent Excalibur rowing full team results are as follows:

Gold Medals:

• Varsity Women’s Single (1x): Tess Friar - 8:24.350 finish, 26.25 seconds ahead of second place finisher Drexel University.

• Varsity Women’s Quadruple Sculls (4x): Ellie Hutt, Lillian Terpstra, Mia Switzer and Avery Nelder -  7:24 finish, beating Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Oklahoma City University.

• Frosh/Novice Women’s Eight (8+): Isabelle Plourde, J. VandenAkker, A. Ferguson, L. Lajoie, E. Batchelor, S. LeMoine, Sam Moss, E. Narraway, and H. Scullion - 07:36.380 finish. Defeated LaSalle University by 20 seconds at the finish.

Silver Medals:

• Women’s Double (2x): Tess Friar and Caitlin Cox - 7:46 finish, four seconds behind Queen’s University.

Additional Standout Performances

• 4th Place – Men’s Single (1x): Gus Suddard

• 6th Place – Women’s Double (2x): Nina Sadlik and Avery Nelder

• 7th Overall – Men’s Double (2x): Sam Ferrer and Brayden Walsh

• 8th Overall – Men’s Single (1x): Luke Sullivan

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