The return of sports at Carleton University is right around the corner. After a year and a half without any game action to cheer for, it will be a thrilling experience when play resumes later this month.
Women’s rugby will kick off the 2021-22 season on Sept. 11 with football beginning the following weekend and men’s and women’s soccer starting on Sept. 24. The biggest event of the sporting calendar, the annual Panda football game between Carleton and the University of Ottawa, is scheduled for Oct. 2.
Carleton will allow fans to attend games on-campus but capacity will be limited to 25 per cent and social distancing will be enforced. Masks must be worn at all times, no food or drink will be permitted and all spectators must be vaccinated as mandated by the university.
According to Athletics, tickets will go on sale soon and will be limited to groups of six people or fewer from the same household. Athletics is planning to bring back BirdGang season passes for students, according to Sheryl Hunt, assistant director of marketing and brand strategy.
Whether you’re a freshman looking to experience your first game or a senior eager to return, here’s everything you need to know to be a Ravens fan this year.
Can men’s basketball remain dominant?
For two decades, Carleton’s men’s basketball has embarrassed opponents across the country, even running up the score in summer exhibition games against visiting NCAA teams—or scaring away great teams like Duke University. The program has also been called the greatest college basketball dynasty of all time.
Much of this success can be credited to legendary head coach Dave Smart, whose strategies have often baffled opponents. Smart went 591-48 over nearly two decades as head coach, winning 13 national championships.
Smart was promoted from head coach to director of basketball operations in 2019 and Carleton women’s basketball head coach Taffe Charles took over the job. Charles won a U Sports championship with the Carleton women’s team in 2018 and immediately won a national title with the men’s team in 2020 after the switch.
Carleton is likely to remain dominant with Smart and Charles’ leadership and top U Sports recruits. Many star players are also returning, including Lloyd Pandi and Alain Louis, who were both finalists for the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) U Sports Player of the Year this summer.
As for the women’s team, the Ravens have finished second in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East division the last two seasons. Even though this season’s roster will feature many rookies, head coach Dani Sinclair’s team will be looking for a second-ever national title.
Will roster turnover help women’s hockey?
The Ravens women’s hockey team will look dramatically different compared to the last team to take the ice back in 2019. Key players like Leah Scott, Jennifer Semkowski, and Hannah Dinovitzer, all of whom played five full seasons with the Ravens, have completed their U Sports eligibility and are no longer with the team. Goaltender Allie Lehmann is also off the roster after turning pro and moving to Europe.
With the 2020-21 season being cancelled, eight new Ravens missed what would have been their rookie season. Including this year’s new recruits, a total of 13 players—plus potential walk-on players—will be making their U Sports debut this year for Carleton.
New players include Rhys Cole-Ashbury, a strong defender from the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) who will add needed toughness to the roster. Nicole Hunter, another new addition, is a defender who moves the puck well and scored 13 points in her last PWHL season. Lastly, Swiss forward Sydney Berta, who played A- and B-division pro hockey in Switzerland, will look to make an impact in her first season at Carleton.
Can men’s soccer break the curse in front of the hometown crowd?
Carleton’s men’s soccer has finished first in the OUA in each of the last three seasons, but their success in Ontario has not translated to the national championships, where Carleton has never reached the finals.
Making a deep run at nationals is even more important this year, as Carleton will host the U Sports men’s soccer national championship. Hosting will mean Carleton automatically qualifies for the tournament.
Unfortunately for Carleton, a number of star players may not return for the 2021 season. Stefan Karajovanovic, who thrilled fans with 35 goals in 37 games over three years, signed with the Halifax Wanderers of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) earlier this year. It’s unclear if Karajovanovic will be eligible to return to Carleton this season.
Ravens men’s soccer alum Stefan Karajovanovic looking like a veteran in his pro debut with @HFXWanderersFC ⚽️
🎥: @onesoccer / @CPLsoccer pic.twitter.com/dPHRbcxiDl
— Carleton Ravens (@CURavens) June 27, 2021
Cristopher Malekos and Tony Mikhael were also drafted into the CPL earlier this year, with Mikhael picked by Valour FC and Malekos selected by hometown Atlético Ottawa, although he didn’t sign with the team.
Their potential departures from the Ravens will be a significant blow, but Carleton is not without other talented players. Gabriel Bitar and Dario Conte, two experienced Carleton starters, still hold U Sports eligibility, and the team also has many new players who could emerge as stars.
Carleton’s women’s soccer struggled in the 2019 season, finishing eighth in the OUA East with a 2-8-4 record. It was their second season under head coach Dom Oliveri, who had success coaching at Algonquin and will look to inspire Carleton to a nationals appearance at Cape Breton University this fall.
Can men’s hockey achieve redemption?
Men’s hockey ended their 2020 season on a sour note. After dominating the regular season and earning the first overall seed in the OUA, Carleton swept the Royal Military College of Canada in a best-of-three series.
Carleton then met the Concordia Stingers in the second round. Concordia beat Carleton in game one, the longest postseason hockey game in OUA history, before the Ravens were toppled again in game two in a massive upset.
Still, the Ravens had improved on their previous season and were looking to improve in 2020-21. They never got that chance.
Now, men’s hockey will look to continue that success and achieve redemption for their 2020 collapse. Many of the players from 2020 still hold U Sports eligibility, meaning they’ll be able to play this year if they choose to stay.
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Whether you’re new to Carleton sports or a seasoned veteran, this year will offer many enticing storylines to follow. After 18 months without university sports, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of the Ravens.
Featured graphic by Sara Mizannojehdehi.
