Thousands sign petition to save University of Winnipeg women’s soccer team

Over 3,000 people have signed a petition to bring back the University of Winnipeg women’s soccer team after it was abruptly cut last week.

The university announced they were discontinuing the soccer program due to significant financial challenges, but when players brought forward ideas to save their team they were turned down.

“We had so many questions that we weren’t finding answers to,” said Isabella Caligiuri, Freshman, Wesmen Women’s Soccer. “Which is why we started this petition in hope of creating awareness for our situation.”

“We were told that fundraising is not an option,” said Caligiuri. “Even big amounts that we mentioned in the meeting, absolutely not an option.”

“Even though other teams are fundraising to support their programs,” she added. “We’ve been shut down multiple times.”

Feeling helpless in their situation and receiving no answers from the university, the players decided to bring more awareness to their situation by creating the petition.

“We were very blindsided last week so to see all the support from people even that don’t play soccer or aren’t from Manitoba,” said Chiara Distasio, Freshman, Wesmen Women’s Soccer. “It’s been really good.”

“I’ve had people text me from across Canada West saying we support you, people from other teams in Canada West have contacted me saying they support me and my team,” said Silvana Scaramuzzi, Junior from Wesmen Women’s Soccer.

“It’s really good to see that.”

The players say it’s been really difficult processing the suspension of their team and feel the university hasn’t been there for them in the way they promised.

“They said that they would support us through it all,” said Distasio. “But we haven’t seen anybody supporting us at all.”

With women’s sports continuing to grow across the country, players say the timing for this to happen couldn’t be worse.

“Women’s sports, especially soccer in Manitoba is growing every year,” said Caligiuri. “So seeing that the program is cancelled puts these dreams of youth athletes and women, kind of gone.”

“It is really difficult because a lot of schools have finished their 2025 signing,” explained Scaramuzzi. “I’ve been in contact with some schools, and they’re pretty much done.”

As of now, the Wesmen women’s soccer team remains suspended for the upcoming season, but players are hopeful their petition will make the university reconsider.

The University of Winnipeg told CityNews that the suspension of the soccer program is part of a larger effort to ensure they remain financially stable, with the effort also including university-wide budget cuts, a hiring freeze and staff layoffs.

“These are some of my closest friends,” said Scaramuzzi. “And it sucks.”