Both the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's and women's squash teams head to White Oaks Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., to compete in the 2026 OUA Squash Championships from Feb. 6-8.

For the men, Toronto have delivered on another exceptional Jester's season so far with a 7-1 record, including a three-match win streak to end the regular season. U of T have claimed a medal at the provincial showcase in five of the last six seasons. They are more determined than ever to bring home gold, positioning themselves once again for medal contention and potentially their first OUA championship since 1982-83.

The roster continues to showcase a strong group of veterans like OUA all-star Will Harris and Jack Fairs Award winner Ahmed Abdelkader. Combined with 2025 OUA Squash rookie of the year Shamil Khan and first-year standout Anthony Allum, the collection of talent provides a potential recipe for major success.

As for the U of T women, the Blues finished the regular season with a 6-2 record for a second consecutive year. After grabbing silver at the OUA Championship last season, they are ready to compete for the top spot once again. Toronto last accomplished a gold medal victory in 2013-14.

Sisters, Keira and Ainsley Rawlins, have been exceptional for the Blues throughout 2025-26 campaign, ranking as the second and fourth best rated players in Jester's competition. Meanwhile, second-year standout Shirin Batra adds even more depth to the lineup having won a national silver medal at the 2025 Jester's Canadian University and College Championships. Both Keira and Shirin were named OUA all-stars at last year's provincial showcase.

"We are ready for the OUA Championship after coming into this season stronger than ever," said Blues women's squash head coach Amr El Mehelmi. "After finishing as runner-up last year, our goal this year is gold. We'll leave everything on the courts. Best of luck to all the competing teams, and thank you to everyone who puts in the effort year-after-year to make the championship a great experience for all participants."

Round-robin games are set to be played across Friday (Feb. 6) and Saturday (Feb. 7), before medal matches on Sunday (Feb. 8). The U of T women open the showcase with round-robin matches versus Waterloo, Guelph and Brock, while the Toronto men will challenge Queen's, York and Ottawa.