EDMONTON – The UBCO Heat women's curling team had a strong showing at their first-ever Canada West Championship this past weekend at the Saville Centre, earning a fourth-place finish.
 
Competing at the 2026 Canada West Championship hosted by the Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas, the Heat earned a spot in the playoff round after finishing with a 4-3 record in pool play. UBCO, skipped by Jillian Evans and featuring third Abbigail Paetsch, second Parker Rempel and lead Melanie Webster, earned victories over Brandon, Calgary, Lethbridge and Victoria to secure their spot among the final four teams.
 
Sitting as the third seed heading into the playoffs, the Heat faced the second seed Regina Cougars in the semifinals, dropping a 7-4 decision to the eventual silver medalists.
 
Taking on the Calgary Dinos in the bronze medal game, with a spot to the U SPORTS/Curling Canada Championships on the line, the Heat and Dinos sat tied at three after four ends. However, Calgary took control of the match in the second half, scoring four consecutive points to win bronze and earn the final national's berth.
 
Meanwhile, the Heat men's curling team finished in a tie for sixth at their inaugural Canada West Championship.
 
Featuring skip Tyler Antunes, third Neil Imada, second Dylan Hyshka and lead Evan Isaac, UBCO finished pool play with a 3-5 record, missing out on the tiebreak for the final playoff spot by a single win.
 
The Heat posted wins over rival universities Thompson Rivers and UBC, while also knocking off the Lethbridge Pronghorns over three days of pool play.