2025-2026 Rustlers Year in Review

Our student-athletes are continually challenged to succeed in the three Cs: classroom, community, and competition.

Every year Rustler Athletics programs continue to reach new heights. The 2025–26 season was no exception as the teams continued to excel in almost every sport.

Competitively the Rustlers earned ACAC Championships in women’s volleyball and women’s hockey. The with the men’s futsal team finished their season with an ACAC Bronze. The women’s volleyball program won their 4^th consecutive national title, a feat no other women’s volleyball team in the ACAC has achieved, over the conferences 60 year history.  Lakeland continued its streak of hosting championships, hosting the men’s basketball championship and co-hosting the women’s championship.

Individually student athletes from a variety of teams earned all conference awards, ACAC all academic awards, national scholar.  Significant awards to note were first year  women’s hockey student athlete, Marly Dumanski, received the female rookie of the year across all sports and female hockey player Keyra Buziak received ACAC female athlete of the year across all sports.  Women’s volleyball player, Avery Bates, earned MVP at the CCAA national championships for her efforts over the year and national championship.

Academically - Rustler student-athletes continued to strive for excellence in the classroom compiling a collective GPA of 3.04. Twenty athletes were awarded CCAA National Scholar awards while twenty nine student–athletes were awarded ACAC Academic Athlete awards. Four student-athletes were presented with CCAA Academic All Canadian awards.

In the Community Rustler student athletes continued to coach youth in club programs and camps in their sports. Rustler programs also initiated fundraisers, assisted local charities, and raised awareness around poverty and cancer. In the 2025–26 year, student athletes and coaches contributed over 11,000 hours in and around the Lakeland community leading and engaging.

In the end of the year just under 150 student athletes competed wearing the Rustler brand had great success in all three of the success pillars.  If 2026–27 is anything like this past year we will continue to expect great things from our student athletes.