Women's softball captures first regular-season title in program history

September 28, 2026

VICTORIA – Six seasons into the Western Collegiate Softball Association, the University of Victoria women’s softball team has reached a milestone six years in the making. The Vikes clinched their first regular-season title in program history this weekend, going 5-1 in six games to finish atop the WCSA standings and secure an automatic berth in the 2027 CCSA National Championship.

It is the first time Victoria has earned a national championship bid by winning the regular season, and another step forward for a program that has steadily established itself as a contender since joining the league.

“The chemistry this year is special for sure; it’s a whole-team approach, and everyone is bought in. Everyone has had to step up at different times, and that’s been instrumental in our success,” said Vikes head coach Lori Zehr.

The Vikes entered the weekend tied with UBC Okanagan for first place, with the two teams scheduled to meet twice alongside games against Regina and Saskatchewan. Victoria took care of business, winning five of its six games and leaving the weekend with the regular-season championship in hand.

“Our offence is really strong, but our defense is even better. We have had the fewest runs scored against us and we have the best run differential in the league,” Zehr said.

That balance has defined the Vikes this season.

Second-year infielder Madison Hillman has been one of Victoria’s standouts all season, while centre-fielder Lauren Parsons has become a steady presence both offensively and defensively.

“I think because she makes everything look so easy, people don’t understand that she is running 100 feet for a ball and laying out to make a catch,” Zehr said of Parsons.

In the circle, Kassidy Ralfs, Hudsyn Milne, Kaitlin Penner and Addison Barton have each stepped up at different points of the season. Their consistency has helped give the Vikes a pitching staff they can rely on, while catcher Celina Bhatti has been instrumental in making smart calls behind the plate while contributing at the plate.

And then there is Kristen Bertelsen, one of Victoria’s most consistent offensive threats this season.

That depth showed up all weekend.

Hosting Saskatchewan in a doubleheader, the Vikes opened with a 5-1 win behind an RBI single and a three-run home run from Bertelsen, with Milne going the distance in the circle.

Game two was a different story.

Saskatchewan erased an early deficit with a seven-run fifth inning to take a 9-7 lead, but Victoria answered with eight runs in the sixth. Extra-base hits from Ella Geyssen, Perry and Hillman helped seal the 15-9 victory.

Perry added three more hits, while Bhatti had four in the finale.

Five wins in six games, including two against the team they were tied with for first, were enough to secure the regular-season title. But for the Vikes, the weekend's significance goes beyond the standings.

The program has spent six seasons building toward moments like this, establishing a culture that has grown clearer with each season.

“I think our success is the culmination of building the program and our team culture for the last six years. We’re competitive, we’re also really fun, and we provide an environment where athletes can feel safe and find success,” said Zehr.

That combination has helped create a team where everyone has a role and, as Zehr puts it, everyone is bought in.

Now, for the first time, that work has translated into a regular-season championship and a guaranteed place at nationals.

While winning the regular-season title secures UVic’s berth in the 2027 CCSA National Championship, the season is not over.

The WCSA championship is still up for grabs, along with the remaining national championship berths. The Vikes will have another opportunity to compete for conference hardware when the WCSA playoffs get underway next weekend.