The 25th annual Duckworth Challenge has the University of Manitoba Bisons versus the University of Winnipeg Wesmen in now women's soccer (third time in history) plus volleyball and basketball varsity competition.
The countdown begins to mark the historic 25 years of the cross-town rivalry as the 25th annual Duckworth Challenge volleyball portion will be played on Thursday, February 4, 2016 (women: 6 p.m. CT; men: 7:30 p.m. CT) at U of Winnipeg and the basketball portion on Friday, February 5, 2016 (women: 6 p.m. CT; men: 8 p.m. CT) at Manitoba.
Manitoba won 1-0 on the road on Saturday. October 10, 2015 in the third match of women's soccer included in the Duckworth Challenge. With Winnipeg now fielding a women' s soccer team in conference play, the two universities have made the Duckworth Challenge into a competition of five games over three sports with the winner of the title in a best three out of five. If the soccer match ends up in a tie, the Duckworth Challenge will revert back to the tie-breaking formula if needed.
In the 2014-15 season, Manitoba won the Duckworth Challenge trophy with a 3-2 victory margin. Manitoba now holds a winning Duckworth Challenge overall record of 13-6-5 in the contest's 24 year history.
Overall, Manitoba's Duckworth Challenge 25 year record in all games stands at: 58-41 with the Bisons breakdown in women's soccer matches at 3-0; basketball games overall record at: 19-29 (women's: 8-16; men's: 11-13) and volleyball matches overall record at: 36-12 (women's: 18-6; men's: 18-6).
All the games during the 25th annual Duckworth Challenge will count in the Canada West standings, as they are conference regular season matches.
Duckworth Challenge Notes: The Duckworth Challenge was started by Dr. Henry E. Duckworth (president of the University of Winnipeg from 1971-81 and Chancellor of the University of Manitoba from 1986-92) in an effort to profile the intense but friendly cross-town rivalry between the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba. It originated in the 1991-92 season. A new trophy was presented at the end of the 24th annual Duckworth Challenge.
