The University of Toronto Varsity Blues badminton team are aiming for a three-peat as they welcome the best from across the province to the Athletic Centre for the 2026 OUA Badminton Championship, scheduled to take place this week from Mar. 6-8.

Last season the Blues completed back-to-back OUA Championship victories, earning their 11^th provincial title since the merger of the men's and women's banner into a joint title in 1996. A dominant team in recent years, U of T have claimed eight of their 11 championships since 2016. Led by new head coach Brian Tjoa, they return many familiar faces while adding some exceptional new talent for their run at a third straight provincial banner on home court this season.

With incredible depth throughout their roster, the U of T women will be led by third-year duo Jackie Dent and Chloe Choi. Both have played pivotal roles in the Blues recent back-to-back championships, with Dent garnering OUA all-star and OUA rookie of the year honours along the way. In the current Badminton Canada rankings Choi sits fourth overall among women's singles competitors, while both Dnt and Choi also rank Top 4 among women's doubles players in Canada.

Meanwhile on the men's side of the draw, Toronto will lean on another duo of third-year Blues in Nathan Mills and Harold Tan. Together the pair won both provincial and national championships as doubles partners last year. Their exceptional play also earned them a spot on Team Canada at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany this past summer.

The Blues title defence will begin Friday (Mar. 6) with pool play matches versus Western, McMaster and TMU throughout the entirety of the day. Playoff rounds will next occur late on Saturday (Mar. 7) before placement and medal matches conclude the championship on Sunday (Mar. 8).

2026 OUA Badminton Championship
 
Pool A
Toronto
Western
McMaster
TMU
 
Pool B
Waterloo
York
Ottawa
Ontario Tech
Guelph
 
Friday, March 8

Pool A Matches:
9:00am – McMaster vs TMU
1:00pm – Toronto vs Western
5:00pm – Toronto vs McMaster
 
Pool B Matches:
9:00am – Ottawa vs Ontario Tech
9:00am – York vs Guelph
1:00pm – Waterloo vs York
1:00pm – Ottawa vs Guelph
5:00pm – Waterloo vs Ottawa
5:00pm – Ontario Tech vs Guelph
 
Saturday, March 9

Pool A Matches:
9:00am – Western vs McMaster
9:00am – Toronto vs TMU
1:00pm – Western vs TMU
 
Pool B Matches:
9:00am – York vs Ottawa
9:00am – Waterloo vs Ontario Tech
1:00pm – York vs Ontario Tech
1:00pm – Waterloo vs Guelph
 
Playoffs:
5:00pm – Pool B #2 vs Pool A #3
5:00pm – Pool B #3 vs Pool A #2
5:00pm – Pool A #4 vs Pool B #5
 
Sunday, March 10

9:00am – Pool B #4 vs TBD
9:00am – Semifinal - TBD vs Pool B #1
9:00am – Semifinal - TBD vs Pool A #1
1:00pm – Placement/Medal Matches