X-Women Hockey: Champions in Motion

In an intense battle between the StFX Women's hockey team and the University of New Brunswick Reds in March of 2025, the X-Women defeated the Reds 2-1, earning the title of the 2025 AUS Women's Hockey Champions. This season, the X-Women look to defend their title for the 2026 season. As of the current rankings, the X-Women sit in the top five nationally in U-Sports and are ranked second in the AUS division, with a current season record of 17-5. 

Captained by Landyn Pitts, the X-Women have shown excellence, grit, determination, and power within the AUS. This past weekend, the X-women defeated the Saint Mary’s Huskies with a dominant 6-0 victory. Tea Pearce was named Player of the Game, while Laci Boyd and Lainey Joyce received second and third star honours. Goals were scored by Pearce, Ireland McCloskey, Toby Graham, Joyce, Boyd, and Alexis Perry. In goal was Brooklyn Oakes with a shutout performance.

This past weekend, both games carried meaningful recognition and awareness initiatives. Friday’s game marked Bell Let's Talk Night, supporting mental health awareness, with towel and buff giveaways, and the opportunity to fill out speech bubbles. Led by Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members Skye Koyote and Zach Houde, this event closed out a week of campus-wide mental health awareness events. 

“Mental Health week at StFX is in honour of Bell Let’s Talk Day, where we are trying to help break the stigma and keep the conversation around mental health moving in athletics, especially. As a 5th-year athlete, I have had my share of injuries and tough moments in the sport, as well as many really special ones, and I was really excited to bring some speakers in with the two webinar sessions we had, as well as organizing our yoga night, the speaker panel, and raising awareness at the X-Women’s hockey game Friday night. My fellow SAAC mental health rep, Zach Houde, was so fun to work with, and we couldn’t have put on any of the events without help from the Athletics staff. Having the opportunity to drop the puck at the game with Zach was very cool for sure, and I’m very honoured to have been given the opportunity to do so, but that’s not why we do what we do. We put in the extra time, so that other people can feel important and cared for, and to continue the conversation around mental health because it’s not an easy one” - Skye Koyote (SAAC Mental Health Representative).

On Saturday, the X-Women faced the Dalhousie Tigers and earned a 5-1 victory. Jorja Burrows was named the Gabriel Pizza player of the game, with twenty saves that helped the X-Women to victory. The game was played in recognition of Motionball, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness, fostering inclusion, and providing opportunities for Special Olympic athletes. “Having Special Olympic athletes with us tonight is what Motionball is all about… bringing people together through sport and celebrating inclusion, teamwork, and community,” said Alison LeBlanc, a second-year Human Kinetics student and an executive member of the StFX Motionball committee as one of the varsity athlete coordinators.

As the season continues, the X-Women look to continue their top performance this weekend against the Mount Alison Mounties.