Trent University - Athletics

Athletics

There are many varsity and intramural sports at Trent. Trent competes at the varsity level under the name Excalibur in men's and women's rugby union, volleyball, fencing, rowing, competitive swimming, and soccer.

Trent University installed a new artificial turf athletics field in the summer of 2005. The field was built as part of Trent's bid to hold the 2007 U19 Women's Lacrosse Championships. There is seating for 1,000 spectators.

Trent Summer Sports Camp, a sports and leadership camp affiliated with the university's athletics department, offers a full range of activities to children 4 to 16 during the summer months. The camp's director is the Ultimate Warrior.

Trent University takes pride in its rowing club. Each autumn, Trent in conjunction with the Peterborough Rowing Club hosts the Head of the Trent rowing regatta, a 5 kilometre head-style race along the Trent Canal and Otonabee River, finishing under the Faryon Bridge on the Trent University campus. The day-long event is open to university, club, and high school crews. Head of the Trent weekend is also homecoming at Trent University and includes a wide range of athletic and festive events. The Head of The Trent is one of the largest events of its kind in the world, and the largest single-day regatta in North America. A new rowing/paddling tank, named in honour of former head coach Carol Love, was recently opened in the new Trent Community Sports and Recreation Center (formerly the Trent Athletics Complex). This complements the new Pond-to-Podium project ngoing in Peterborough as part of a larger talent identification effort.

Trent's lacrosse team went through the 2008 campaign with a perfect regular season of 10-0 winning the Eastern Championship. However fell short in the Bagataway Championships to the eventual CUFLA champions the Guelph Gryphons. All-Canadians included Mack O'Brien, Josh Wasson and Kalvin Thomas. Thomas was named the league's Most Out Standing Goalie with Wasson earning an honorable mention for league MVP. Jesse Thomas and his coaching staff were selected as Coaching Staff of the Year in 2008 by their peers for leading Trent to a perfect 10-0 in the regular season and reaching the Baggataway National Championship Semi Finals in only their second season of play.

The 2009 CUFLA season saw Trent's lacrosse team reach its 2nd consecutive Baggataway Final Four Championship. Veteran leadership from Senior players such as Josh Wasson Mack O'Brien Seamus McGee and Brock Boynton as well as Juniors Brock Koczka Sean McGee and Kalvin Thomas earned the Trent Excalibur team to a 8-2 season finishing first in the Eastern Conference.

In 2002-2003, the women's volleyball team obtained varsity status. Competing in the OCAA (Ontario Colleges Atheltics Association), Trent, over the last 10 years has grown into a top team in the east division. Under the guidance of Coach Peter Carter (the programs only head coach), Trent has seen tremendous growth in recruiting and success. In 2009-2010, the Trent Women qualified for its first ever provincial championship (at Cambrian College). The 2010-2011 season saw Trent post a program best 18-2 regular season record, and another appearance at the provincial championships (at Loyalist College). After once again qualifying for the 2011-2012 provincial championships, Trent won the bid to host the 2012-2013 provincial championships, earning an automatic birth.

The Trent Women’s volleyball team has had one athlete (Becki Rodin) inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame.

Trent's cricket team recently went billeting (2006) in New Zealand, competing with teams from south eastern Asia to Australian teams. They had a great showing in the international tournament ultimately losing to Indonesia in the quarter finals. This week-long tournament involved teams from over twenty different countries from the region. However, the loss was rife with controversy. During the three-day struggle with Indonesia and on the last day a sticky wicket caused Trent's star player, Reginald Walkterton III, to lose grip of the bat and accidentally hit the ball with his elbow. The cricket ball went forward and Reginald ran and scored the tying run. However, the referees declared the run to be illegal since the ball was struck by an elbow as opposed to the bat and Indonesia won the game.