Will it be home sweet home again for the Trent University Excalibur men’s field lacrosse team as they aim to defend their national championship this coming weekend in Peterborough, Ont?
For the second consecutive year, the Excalibur will host the 2023 Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) Baggataway Cup at the Justin Chi Stadium Nov. 3-5. The team also hosted the championship in 2012.
In the 2022 season, the Excalibur went undefeated and captured the university’s first national title with a 12-3 win over the defending champion Brock University Badgers in the Baggataway Cup final.
“We are thrilled to welcome student-athletes, fans and alumni for the second year in a row, to the 2023 Baggataway Cup Championship,” said Trent Athletics’ director Nathan McFadden.
“The weekend will be an opportunity to witness the spirit of competition as the best teams in the country vie for the coveted Baggataway Cup at Trent’s Justin Chiu Stadium,” said Nathan McFadden, director of Trent Athletics. “We encourage visitors to explore our beautiful campus while cheering on our Trent Excalibur.”
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The Excalibur were undefeated at Justin Chiu this season. They finished the season tied with the Carleton University Ravens of Ottawa for first place with an 8-2 record but finished in second place based on a tie-breaking procedure.
“We’ve had a remarkable season here at Justin Chiu Stadium,” said Excalibur head coach Mark Farthing. “Competing for the national championship is the ultimate achievement, and we’re thrilled to pursue it once more, supported by the most passionate fanbase in CUFLA.”
Tournament schedule
The first quarter-final game is at 4:30 p.m. between the Guelph University Gryphons (West Division No. 2) and the McGill University Redbirds of Montreal (East Division No. 3)
The second quarter-final at 7:30 p.m. is a rematch of last year’s championship as the Excalibur (East Division No. 2) battle the Badgers (West Division No. 3)
Saturday’s semifinals feature the Western University Mustangs of London, Ont., against the winner of the first quarter-final game at 1:30 p.m. The other semifinal at 4:30 p.m. will see the East Division-leading Carleton Ravens play the winner of the second quarter-final.
The championship final will take place on Sunday at 2 p.m. followed by an awards presentation.
Trent University says the tournament will be a family-friendly event featuring food trucks, a concession stand but no alcohol will be served.
Day passes for the quarter-final or semifinal games are $10, with tickets for Sunday’s gold medal game $15. Championship tournament passes are $30. Trent students, children under 12, and youth who wear their Trent Excalibur Summer Camp shirts can attend for free.
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