VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's hockey team will start their journey for the Canada West title this weekend, as they prepare to open the 2015-16 Canada West regular season with a set of back-to-back games against the Lethbridge Pronghorns.
 
Coming off of a 2-1 series loss to Manitoba in last season's Canada West semifinals, it's a new year for head coach Graham Thomas, entering his fourth year as UBC's bench boss. However, Thomas' goals, both long and short term, haven't changed much.
 
"We are excited for another season in the very competitive Canada West, and, are looking forward to continuing to build and develop our program. Our league continues to get better every year, which always ensures an exciting season and the growth in talent across the CIS."
 
Even with the loss of All-Canadian defender Sarah Casorso, and former Canada West MVP Tatiana Rafter to graduation, the Thunderbirds still boast a strong squad that features several veterans from the iteration of the squad that produced a phenomenal 17-1-6-4 regular season record just a year ago.
 
Among those returning players are forwards Nicole Saxvik and Rebecca Unrau, who both finished in the top 15 of Canada West scoring last season, and will be expected to spearhead the attack this season. 
 
On the blueline, defenders Kelly Murray and Celine Tardif are expected to be massive contributors in their second seasons in blue and gold. In her first year with UBC after transferring from Cornell University, Murray was an offensive catalyst from the backend, registering 16 points in 28 games. Tardif, as a true freshman in 2014-15, notched an impressive 13 points in 25 games.
 
Finally, some familiar faces will also be between the pipes for the T-Birds, as goaltenders Samantha Langford and Danielle Dube will both return for their final seasons of university hockey. Langford shined in the starting role last year, posting an 11-4-2 record and a 0.932 save percentage on the season.  When called upon, Dube also showed the form that made an All-Canadian keeper in 2012-13, going 6-1-0 in her seven appearances, highlighted by a sparkling 1.77 goals-against-average (GAA).
 
Thomas acknowledged the loss of Casorso and Rafter, among others, but also has complete confidence in the squad that he's assembled for the upcoming year.
 
"We have graduated some big point producers and character players this past year, but are very confident in our returning group and new incoming players to step up and fill those roles, " said Thomas. "We have continued to add to our depth and experience to ensure a competitive internal environment and to push our team to get better."
 
Thomas' incoming class of recruits includes a pair of international forwards, Swiss-born Laura Trachsel and Norwegian Mathea Fischer. Both Trachsel, 21, and Fischer, 18, have already made appearances for their respective senior national teams, and, as they are both in their first years of university eligibility, should provide an impact for the T-Birds both this season and down the road. 
 
Thomas has also done some impressive recruiting within Canada, as the team is also adding Vancouver native, defender Mikayla Ogrodniczuk. Ogrodniczuk was so sought after by the T-Birds that they secured her commitment to the program in her Grade 11 year. UBC will also add forward Shiayli Toni, a native of Saskatoon who has been honoured for both her achievements on the ice and in the classroom at the famed Athol Murray College at Notre Dame program.
 
UBC and Lethbridge will kick off the new season on Friday, October 2, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. (PT). The two sides will follow that up with round two on Saturday, October 3 at 3 p.m. (PT). Both games will be played at the Father David Bauer Arena.