Quigley Cup preview: Badgers set for championship rematch clash with Marauders

For the second year in a row, the Brock Badgers and McMaster Marauders will face off for the league’s biggest prize — the Quigley Cup. 

The contest takes place on Friday, March 7, with doors for the event opening at 5 p.m. and the game set to begin at 6 p.m. An awards ceremony and medal presentation will follow shortly after the game’s conclusion. 

The host Brock Badgers, who are No. 7 nationally ranked, claimed their third consecutive Ontario University Athletics (OUA) title last year after defeating the Marauders 3-1. The No. 9 nationally ranked McMaster Marauders are seeking to avenge last year’s contest and are hoping to win their first provincial title since the 2016-17 season. 

With one bid on the line for the U SPORTS Championship taking place in Winnipeg, MB from March 13 to 15 and a sold-out Bob Davis Gymnasium, this matchup is set to be an exciting one. 

Both teams had strong regular seasons as the Badgers finished second with a 16-4 record to qualify as the second seed while the Marauders began the playoffs as the fourth seed with a 14-6 record. 

Offensively, the Badgers hold the advantage, notching 12.44 kills per set and 933 total kills — both good for second in the province. On the defensive side of the court, the Marauders are exceptional as they finished second in the OUA in both digs per set (15.75) and total digs (1134). 

This matchup is not short of star power as the two teams combined for a total of six all-star selections. 

McMaster is led by Sullie Sundara who finished eighth in the OUA with 3.21 kills per set and 3.8 points per set while Brock has a strong outside hitter of their own in Emily Foest, a Third Team All-Star, who was tenth in the province with 3.09 kills per set and 3.5 points per set. 

In addition to Foest, the Badgers rely on right side Sadie Dick, who is a First Team All-Star for the second time in her career, as well as second-year setter Mackenna Knox who earned a Second Team All-Star selection in her first year as a starter.  

Dick finished ninth in the OUA in total points with 255.5 and tenth in points per set with 3.5 and total kills with 210 while Kox was first in the province and second in the country in assists per set with 10.10. 

First-year middle and OUA All-Rookie Team member Charlotte Ross leads the Badgers with 31 service aces and 74 blocks, with the latter putting her third in the OUA. 

For the Marauders, they saw all-star contributions from two hitters on the outside pins in Olivia Julien and Emma McKinnon. 

Julien was last year’s Rookie of the Year and had a sensational sophomore campaign as she led the team in kills (199) and points (250.5) and finished second in the OUA in service aces per set with 0.61 and service aces with 43. During the regular season McKinnon was second on the team in kills with 168, and she totalled 192.5 points.

The Badgers won both matchups against the Marauders this season with 3-1 and 3-0 victories on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23, 2024. Last season, the Marauders ended the Badgers’ season in the consolation semifinals of the U SPORTS Championship with a clean 3-0 sweep at home at Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton.

The 2025 Quigley Cup is officially sold out and there will be no tickets available at the door. Fans are encouraged to use the free coat check that is available across from Bob Davis Gymnasium at Gym 2.  

There will also be a watch party in the Dance Studio above Bob Davis Gymnasium that is free to attend and alcohol will be available for purchase. Doors for both the game and the watch party open at 5 p.m.  

For those who can’t make it to either, the game can be seen online at OUA.tv.