Varsity Athletics | 9/29/2026 10:00:00 AM

York University Lions women's rugby player Mistura Are and football player Caelan Gray-Stapleton have been named York athletes of the week for the period ending Sept. 27 

Are, a fourth-year psychology student, posted four tries – three of which came in the first half – to help York earn its first win of the season over the Trent Excalibur. The Lions starting 8, who represented Canada at the 2026 FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens earlier this month, opened the scoring just over two and a half minutes into Saturday's match and added two more first-half scores to stake her side to a 28-5 lead at the break. With the score 35-22 in favour of the Lions with just under 15 minutes left, Are's entered the try zone for the fourth time on the day, making the score 40-22 and putting it out of reach to secure what was a 52-27 Lions win.

Are and the Lions will look for their second consecutive victory on Sunday afternoon when they take on the Waterloo Warriors. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. from the Columbia Icefield.

Gray-Stapleton, a first-year running back from Toronto, Ont., had his coming out party on Saturday afternoon, despite a 36-13 loss to the Laurier Golden Hawks. The pride of Birchmount Park C.I. made his his first career OUA start in the backfield and carried the ball 17 times for 120 yards. His longest run of the day was a 42-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. This was the Lions best rushing output of the season, and the first 100-yard game by a York rusher since Week 8 of the 2024 season when Melchis Ilunga ran 13 times for 108 yards on Oct. 11 against the Guelph Gryphons.

Gray-Stapleton and the Lions will travel to Windsor to conclude a two-game road swing Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. You can watch the game live on OUA TV.