UPEI staff and alumni win second PEI women’s curling championship
The Jane DiCarlo rink, from the Crapaud Community Curling Club, won its second PEI women’s curling championship in a row at the West Prince Curling Club in Woodstock on January 25.
DiCarlo, third stone Veronica Mayne, second stone Sabrina Smith, lead Whitney Jenkins, and coach Kathy O’Rourke completed the four-team women’s championship with a 6-0 (won-lost) record to earn a spot at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, which will take place in Thunder Bay, Ontario, from February 14–24, 2025.
The UPEI community will be well represented by both alumni and staff at the national women’s curling championship. DiCarlo, who skips the team, is acting manager with UPEI Recruitment and First-Year Advisement, while Jenkins is an administrative assistant at the UPEI Bookstore. All four team members are UPEI alumni and former Panther student-athletes. They each represented UPEI in curling at Atlantic University Sport and U SPORTS championships.
DiCarlo and Mayne curled together in four AUS championships (2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016) and played at three U SPORTS championships (2013, 2014, and 2015). Their top national finish was fourth in 2015.
Smith, who is an early childhood educator, represented UPEI in 2017 at the AUS championship, and Mayne, who is a grade 2 teacher at Englewood School, joined her in 2018. Jenkins represented UPEI at the national university championship in 2010.
“Our team is so proud of the hard work we put in this season. We added Kathy O’Rourke as our coach, and she has been a great addition to the team. We appreciate all the time and work she has given us,” said DiCarlo. “Winning provincials was different this year with a bit of added pressure as defending champs. I am so glad we were able to stay focused on our goal, play consistently, and patiently. We are great friends on and off the ice, and we are so excited to represent PEI on the national stage.”
The DiCarlo rink plays their first match at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts on February 14 against the Rachel Homan rink, which is led by the reigning women’s world champion.
Congratulations and “good curling” to Jane, Veronica, Sabrina, and Whitney from UPEI!
