The Calgary Dinos women's ice hockey team represents the University of Calgary in U Sports women's ice hockey. The Dinos compete in the Canada West Conference in the U Sports athletic association. The program has won one conference championship in 2012 and have made five national championship appearances with a gold medal win in 2012.
History The women's hockey program started in 1995 when Shannon Miller and Kathy Berg founded the Olympic Oval High-Performance Training Program in Calgary for female players. The program was pitched to Cathy Priestner Allinger, the general manager of the Olympic Oval at the time, and the University of Calgary (U of C). Despite a lack of funding, there was interest for the program with the inclusion of women's hockey at the upcoming 1998 Winter Olympics. Priestner Allinger secured enough money to hire Miller as a full-time hockey coach and they were able to establish three skill levels (midget, junior, and senior) and two teams (Oval Lightning development team and Oval X-Treme elite team), and eventually the U of C Dinos varsity team.
Berg stepped in as the director of the program in 1997, the inaugural year of the Dinos women's hockey team, when Miller left to focus on coaching the Olympic team.
In February 1998, the U of C hosted the first Canada West championship. The Dinos won their first two games; 10–0 against the University of Lethbridge and 3–1 against the University of Saskatchewan before losing to the University of Alberta in the semifinals. They advanced to the bronze medal game, winning 5–1 against Saskatchewan for third place. Kelly Bechard was named to the All-stars tournament team.
Former two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time world champion Danielle Goyette was named head coach of the team in May 2007 and continued in that role through to the cancelled 2020–21 season, being named the Canada West Coach of the Year for 2019–2020. Carla MacLeod was named head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season.
On September 16, 2010, Hayley Wickenheiser announced that she would return to the University of Calgary to complete her Kinesiology degree. She also announced that she would join the Dinos women's hockey team. On October 8, 2011, Hayley Wickenheiser played in her first CIS game with the Dinos. She earned first star honours and had two goals and one assist. By season's end, Wickenheiser appeared in only 15 of 24 games due to injury and commitments with Team Canada. She tied for the conference scoring lead with 40 points and led Canada West with 17 goals on the season. Her 2.67 points-per-game average led CIS hockey. She recorded four short-handed goals on the year along with five game-winners and finished with a +22 rating. She led Canada West in all of these categories, respectively. She is the first Dino in program history to be named the Canada West MVP and the first conference all-star since the 2000 season. On March 9, 2011: As a first-year forward for the University of Calgary, Hayley Wickenheiser was named the Canadian Interuniversity Sport player of the year in women's hockey. She then became the first ever Dino to win the Brodrick Trophy as CIS MVP.
On February 25, 2012, Iya Gavrilova scored the game-winning goal in the deciding game of the 2012 Canada West tournament, as the Calgary Dinos claimed their first ever tournament title.
Season–by–season results Source:
In the 1997–99 seasons, there was no regular season. Teams competed in tournaments and the champion was determined by a Canada West Tournament.
Except between 2000-2009 when the Dinos participated in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC), they have primarily participated in the Canada West conference.
National Tournament championsConference champions
ConferenceSeason TotalsConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament ResultsConferenceOverall Finish GP W L T % 2025–26 28 16 12 0 3rd in CW 34 21 13 0 Lost Quarterfinal Series 0–2 (Trinity Western) Did not qualify 2024–25 28 8 20 0 7th in CW 36 10 24 0 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2023–24 28 12 16 0 5th in CW 32 13 19 0 Won Quarterfinal Series 2–1 (Saskatchewan)Lost Semifinal Series 1–2 (UBC) Did not qualify 2022–23 28 15 13 0 4th in CW 36 19 13 4 Lost Quarterfinal Series 0–2 (Saskatchewan) Did not qualify 2021–22 20 7 13 0 7th in CW 27 10 17 0 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2020–21 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2019–20 28 18 10 0 2nd in CW 33 21 12 0 Lost in Semifinal series 1–2 (Mount Royal) Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2018–19 28 5 23 0 8th in CW 31 5 29 0 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2017–18 28 8 20 0 7th in CW 34 12 22 0 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2016–17 28 5 23 0 7th in CW 32 8 23 1 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2015–16 28 12 16 0 6th in CW 30 13 17 0 Lost Quarterfinal Series 0–2 (Regina) Lost in quarterfinal 0–4 (Montreal) 2014–15 24 14 10 0 4th in CW 23 17 16 0 Won Quarterfinal Series 2–0 (McGill)Lost Semifinal Series 0–2 (Alberta) Lost in Quarterfinals 2–8 (McGill) 2013–14 28 12 15 0 6th in CW 30 13 16 0 Lost in Quarterfinal Series 0–2 (UBC) Did not qualify 2012–13 28 23 5 0 1st 36 29 7 0 Won Semifinal Series 2–1 (Alberta)Lost Championship Series 1–2 Won Quarterfinal 4–0 (St. FX)Won Semifinal 5–4 (OT)Lost Championship 2–3 (Montréal) 2011–12 24 20 4 0 1st in CW 30 26 4 0 Won Semifinal Series 2–0 (Lethbridge)Won Championship Series 2–0 (Alberta)Won Quarterfinal 1–0 (McGill)Won Semifinal 4–2 (Alberta)Won Championship 5–1 (Montréal) 2010–11 24 16 6 0 3rd in CW 27 18 9 0 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2009–10 24 7 17 0 6th in CW 30 12 18 0 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2008–09 22 17 5 0 2nd in ACAC 30 22 8 0 Won Semifinal Series 2–0 (MacEwan) Won Championship Series 3–2 (Mount Royal) Did not qualify 2007–08 22 12 10 0 3rd in ACAC 28 15 13 0 Won Quarterfinal Series 2–0 (NAIT)Won Semifinal Series 2–1 (SAIT)Lost Final Series 1–3 (Macewan) Did not qualify 2006–07 22 7 14 1 5th in ACAC 28 8 18 2 Lost Semifinal Series 1–2 (Mount Royal) Did not qualify 2005–06 20 2 18 0 6th in ACAC 20 2 18 0 Lost Quarterfinal Series 0–2 (SAIT) Did not qualify 2004–05 20 3 16 1 6th in ACAC 20 3 16 1 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2003–04 20 7 10 3 4th in ACAC 20 7 10 3 Won Semifinal Series 2–1 (Grant MacEwan)Lost in Final Series 1–3 (Mount Royal) Did not qualify 2002–03 20 4 8 7 4th in ACAC 23 5 10 7 Lost Semifinal Series 1–2 (Grant MacEwan) Did not qualify 2001–02 11 1 9 1 6th in CW 11 1 9 1 Did not qualify Did not qualify 2000–01 16 1 14 1 7th in CW 16 1 14 1 Did not qualify Lost in quarterfinals 1–12 (Toronto) 1999–00 12 9 3 0 12 9 3 0 Won semifinal 3–2 (Regina) Lost final 2–3 (Alberta) Did not qualify 1998–99 6 4 1 1 1st in CW 6 4 1 1 Won semifinal 4–0 (UBC)Lost Championship 2–3 (Alberta) Did not qualify 1997–98 — — — — — 4 3 1 0 Won quarterfinal #1 10–0 (Lethbridge)Won quarterfinal #2 3–1 (Saskatchewan)Lost semifinal 0–1 (Alberta) Did not qualify Note: OTL have been included as ties
Coaches Current coaching staff NamePositionFirst SeasonJosh GoslingHead Coach2023–24Mackenzie EbelAssistant Coach2025–26Rick DeschampsAssistant Coach2024–25
All-time coaching records TenureCoachSeasonsRecordPct2023–PresentJosh Gosling344–56–02021–23Carla MacLeod229–30–42014–21Danielle Goyette776–119–12013–14Kelly Bechard113–16–02007–13Danielle Goyette6122–59–02005–07Dean Holden210–36–22003–05Julie Healy210–26–42002–03Kevin Brost15–10–72000–02Kathy Berg22–23–21997–2000Julie Healy316–5–1
Current roster Current to the 2025–26 season
Awards and honours Kelsey Roberts, Canada West Female Second Star Athlete of the Week (Week 14: Jan.7, 2020) Iya Gavrilova, 2015 Brodrick Trophy winner Hayley Wickenheiser, First Star of Game (October 8, 2010) Elizabeth Lang, Fastest Hat-Trick in CW History (Time 5:55) (November 27, 2022)
USports Awards Amanda Tapp, 2012 CIS Championship MVP Hayley Wickenheiser, 2011 Brodrick Trophy (CIS MVP) Sydney Mercier, 2023 U SPORTS Rookie of the Year
All-Canadians Elizabeth Lang, 2023-2024 All-Canadian Second Team All Kelsey Roberts, 2019-2020 All-Canadian First Team All Star Alexandra Vafina, 2015-2016 All-Canadian First Team All-Star Iya Gavrilova, 2015-2016 All-Canadian First Team All-Star Iya Gavrilova, 2014-15 All-Canadian First Team All-Star Stephanie Ramsay, 2012-13 USports First Team All-Star Hayley Wickenheiser, 2012-2013 All-Canadian First Team All-Star Hayley Wickenheiser, 2011-2012 All-Canadian Second Team All-Star Carol Scheibel, 1999-2000 All-Canadian Second Team All-Star Colleen Sostorics, 1998-1999 All-Canadian Second Team All-Star Kelly Bechard, 1997-1998 All-Canadian First Team All-Star Colleen Sostorics, 1997-1998 All-Canadian Second Team All-Star
Canada West Awards Jenna Smith, 2011 Canada West Rookie of the Year Danielle Goyette, 2019-2020 Canada West Conference Coach of the Year Hayley Wickenheiser was named the Canada West female athlete of the week on November 2, 2010 after scoring three goals and adding an assist in two games against the University of Alberta. Sydney Mercier, 2023 Canada West Rookie of the Year Amelia Awad, 2025-26 Canada West Goaltender of the Year Hall of Fame Hayley Wickenheiser: Canada West Hall of Fame - 2021 Inductee
Player of the Year Sydney Mercier, 2023 USPORTS Rookie of the Year Kelsey Roberts, 2019-2020 Canada West Conference Women's Hockey Player of the Year Iya Gavrilova, 2015 Canada West Conference Player of the Year Hayley Wickenheiser, 2011 Canada West Player of the Year
Canada West All-Rookie April Klarenbach, Forward, 2024–25 Canada West All-Rookie Team
Canada West All-Stars Year Player Position Team2011Hayley WickenheiserForwardFirst2011Melissa ZubickDefenseFirst2011Amanda TappGoaltenderFirst 2012 Canada West First Team All-Star: Iya Gavrilova, Forward 2012 Canada West First Team All-Star: Stephanie Ramsay, Forward 2012 Canada West First Team All-Star: Hayley Wickenheiser, Forward 2012 Canada West Second Team All-Star: Melissa Zubick, Forward 2015 Canada West First Team All-Star: Iya Gavrilova, Forward 2020 Canada West First Team All-Star: Kelsey Roberts, Goaltender 2020 Canada West First Team All-Star: Elizabeth Lang, Forward 2020 Canada West Second Team All-Star: Paige Michalenko, Defense 2022 Canada West Second Team All-Star: Elizabeth Lang, Forward 2023 Canada West First Team All-Star: Alli Borrow, Forward 2023 Canada West Second Team All-Star: Gabriella Durante, Goaltender 2023 Canada West All-Rookie Team: Keagan Goulet, Defense 2023 Canada West All-Rookie Team: Sydney Mercier, Forward 2024 Canada West All-Rookie Team: Brooklin Fry, Defense 2024 Canada West All-Rookie Team: Kyla Mitenko, Forward 2024 Canada West Second Team All-Star: Courtney Kollman, Forward 2024 Canada West First Team All-Star: Elizabeth Lang, Forward 2026 Canada West First Team All-Star: Amelia Awad, Goaltender 2026 Canada West Second Team All-Star: Brooklyn Anderson, Forward
University Awards 2019-20 University of Calgary Athlete of the Year: Kelsey Roberts
Dinos in pro hockey = CWHL All-Star = NWHL All-Star= Clarkson Cup Champion= Isobel Cup Champion
Player Position Team Years League Titles Iya Gavrilova Forward Calgary Inferno CWHL 2016 Clarkson Cup Hayley Wickenheiser Forward Calgary Inferno CWHL 2016 Clarkson Cup
International Alexandra Vafina : 2015 Winter Universiade , 2017 Winter Universiade
Sydney Mercier, Forward, : Ice hockey at the 2025 Winter World University Games
Gabriella Durante, Goaltender: Ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Women's tournament.
References
External links