By Adam Kalab
The wait is finally over. Laurentian’s varsity athletes are gearing up for the fall sports season after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Voyageurs will have teams competing in seven sports this fall, and there will be plenty of action here in Sudbury.
Most sports have a condensed schedule and either division realignment or regional qualifiers, to reduce the amount of travel between schools. The seasons may be shorter than normal, but that just promises to make the action more intense. Here’s a quick breakdown of all the teams that will be competing this fall.
Men’s Lacrosse
The only team not part of the Ontario University Athletics Association (OUA), the men’s lacrosse team will be the first ones to get back into action when they host the Nipissing Lakers Sunday, September 19th at the Laurentian Stadium. The Voyageurs will be in a division with the Lakers, the Toronto Varsity Blues, and the Trent Excalibur.
The short, six-game schedule will see each team play each other once at home and once on the road. Laurentian’s other home games will be on September 25 and October 16. The Baggataway Cup Championship will be hosted by the Nipissing Lakers from November 5-7. The top two teams in each division will qualify for the six-team final tournament.
Men’s and Women’s Soccer
The soccer teams kick off their season a week later, also against the Lakers. Laurentian is in a realigned division with familiar foes in the Lakers, the Varsity Blues, and the Ryerson Rams. Rounding out the six-team division are two new opponents, the McMaster Marauders, and the Algoma Thunderbirds. The regular season features a home-and-home series against each team.
Teams will face off at one school Friday night, then rematch at the other school Sunday afternoon. For example, the Voyageurs will play their first game at Nipissing Friday, September 24, then they’ll host the Lakers Sunday, September 26. The season wraps up on October 30. The top two teams from each of the three divisions automatically qualify for the playoffs, then the two best third-place teams will also qualify.
For their five home games, the Voyageurs will play the first two at the Laurentian Soccer Fields, then the last three will be held at the James Jerome Sports Complex (across the road from Science North).
Men’s and Women’s Golf
Laurentian’s golfers will compete at a regional qualifier hosted by the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks October 3-4. The top four teams and top five individuals will advance to the OUA Championships the following week, hosted by the Ryerson Rams.
Men’s Baseball
The province has been divided into four qualifying regions, and teams will compete in a regional tournament October 9-10. Laurentian has been selected to host Region D, at the Terry Fox Sports Complex. The winner of each qualifying tournament will advance to the OUA Championship the following week. Details on the teams the Voyageurs will face are still to be determined.
Men’s and Women’s Rowing
Voyageur rowers will compete in the single-day OUA Championship on October 30, hosted by Trent. Previously, this was a two-day event.
Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country
The cross-country teams will race at the OUA Championships on November 6 in London, as the Western Mustangs host the event. The only change this year is men and women will run the same distance, with both genders racing 8 km. If the Voyageurs can finish among the top 6 teams, or if any athletes can place in the top 20 as an individual, they will qualify for the U Sports Championships in Quebec City (hosted by the Laval Rouge et Or) November 20.
Men’s and Women’s Basketball
The basketball season tips off the first weekend of November. After a division realignment, the Voyageurs are grouped with eight other teams: the Nipissing Lakers, Queen’s Gaels, Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, York Lions, Ryerson Rams, Toronto Varsity Blues, Ottawa Gee-Gees, and Carleton Ravens. The Voyageurs will play each team twice in a double-header style, playing back-to-back games at the same venue (with a couple of exceptions).
The 16-game season will see 8 games played at the Ben Avery Gym, 3 of those coming in November. The Voyageurs will play their home opener Sunday, November 7th against Ontario Tech, and then host Toronto for two games the following weekend. Details on the playoff format are still to be determined.
Full schedules for most sports are available at luvoyageurs.com.