On March 24, Waterloo’s two graduate students Nikki McDonald and Tatum James were selected as the Athletes of the Week through their performance shown at the 2026 Miller Waste U Sports Women’s Hockey Championship. The Waterloo Women’s Hockey team hosted this national championship in Elmira and competed with the top eight university programs countrywide.
Nikki McDonald
During the game against Manitoba, McDonald powered through two oncoming defenders and snapped the puck into the top right corner. This goal set the tone, and she made the victory with a near-identical effort in the third period while finishing with a backhand deke past the Manitoba goalie to win Player of the Game. “Tatum was doing her job tying up and batted the puck to me both times,” McDonald shared the credit afterward. “Honestly, I was just in a good spot, and able to make the most of it.”
She began to skate when she was very little, from the age of two or three, and by the time McDonald was four, she was already participating in organized hockey. Over the years, she has grown to love the experience of training and competing with her close friends. This foundation has influenced how she handles hardships. When we asked what helps her to stay grounded during difficult times, she replied that perspective is the key to her resilience. She would remind herself that playing hockey is a privilege, and focus on the enjoyment that it brings her. McDonald maintained that attitude throughout the championships, finishing the competition with three goals after scoring another one against UBC.
For McDonald’s first award of Warrior Athlete of the Week, she shared, “It’s certainly an honour to be recognized, especially with nationals being my final week as a varsity athlete.” She showed gratitude, stating: “I am surrounded by amazing teammates, coaches, and staff that push me every day, so this recognition also belongs to them as well.”
Tatum James
Just 17 seconds into the Manitoba game, centre Gracey Smith won the opening draw. James then swiftly passed the puck to McDonald, creating the critical opportunity for the team to make two goals against Manitoba.
Her influence continued into Sunday’s consolation final match with UBC by assisting McDonald twice. This moment earned James the Player of the Game honours and ultimately led to her third nomination of the Warriors Athlete of the Week in her career.
