Canadian Jonah Tong Makes Second MLB Start, and Canadians Making Strides in Both the NFL and FIVB
+ Diving into rebrands, Canadian rugby success, games to watch, and more
We know it’s not a U SPORTS headline, but it’s something you should know about.
Canadian Jonah Tong (nicknamed the Canadian Cannon) made his second career start for the New York Mets this past week and continues to impress.
Who’s Jonah Tong, you may ask?
Hometown: Markham, Ontario
High School: Bill Crothers Secondary School
First two starts in the big leagues: Went 5+ innings, allowing no more than four earned runs, and striking out six in both starts, proving consistency for a Mets team that is battling for a playoff spot.
Pitching profile: Has a 98+ MPH fastball that comes with an over-the-top delivery that is drawing comparisons to former two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum.
The bigger picture: Canadian talent in the big leagues keeps growing, and Tong is part of the bigger story of homegrown talent from Canada making an impact at the big-league level.
There’s no doubting the fact that baseball just isn’t a sport that is synonymous with Canada. With big Canadian names making themselves known in the NBA and hockey taking the cake when it comes to what Canadians can relate most to in terms of the big four professional sports leagues, baseball isn’t as prevalent in Canadian sports.
But with names like Cade Smith, Josh Naylor, and Tyler O’Neill, who have had a taste of success at the major league level and are products of Canada, Tong adding his name to that list is setting a reminder that Canadian talent in Major League Baseball is trending 📈.
There are currently 23 Canadian-born players on active MLB rosters — and 19 Canadians taken in this year’s MLB Draft, an increase from the previous year.
Tong joins fellow Canadians Owen Caissie, Tristan Peters, Liam Hicks, and Denzel Clarke in making their MLB debuts in 2025.
Sure, it’s not a U SPORTS story — but with a young Canadian potentially playing a part in a playoff push for a playoff contender, it’s definitely something to keep your eyes on
Upcoming FIVB Championship: The Three W’s You Need to Know! 🇨🇦🏐
Where: Manila, Philippines📍
When: September 12-28th 🗓️
Who:
Jesse Elser (Trinity Western University)
Isaac Heslinga (University of Alberta)
Brodie Hofer (Trinity Western University)
Erik Siksna (Queens University)
Jonas Van Huizen (Fraser Valley University)
Jackson Young (Nippising University)
Landon Currie (University of Alberta)
Darian Picklyck (University of Winnipeg)
Cole Duncanson (Queens University/Grand Canyon University)
Jackson Howe (Trinity Western University)
Fynn McCarthy (University of British Columbia)
Jordan Schnitzer (Trinity Western University)
Cory Schoenher (Trinity Western University)
Max Elgert (University of Alberta)
Mason Greves (University of British Columbia)
Luke Herr (University of Manitoba)
Jeremy (JJ) Love (Brandon University)
Jordan Canham (University of Alberta)
Xander Ketryzynski (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Arthu Szwarc (York University)
Sharone Vernon (Canadian Full-time Training Centre)
Nicholas Hoag (Canadian Full-time Training Centre)
Daenan (Kofi) Gyimah (UCLA)
Skyler Varga (Long Beach State University)
Justin Liu (Stanford University)
20 of the 25 roster spots belong to U SPORTS graduates.
Sure, most, if not all, of the Maple Volleys’ makeup in the past has come from products of Canadian university athletics — but nonetheless, Canadian talent is shining on the international stage.
Canadians on the Gridiron in NFL Week 1 🇨🇦🏈
20 Canadians will be on active rosters across Week 1 of the NFL season — and yes, five of them are former U SPORTS athletes 💪.
Click on the posts below to find out which Canadians are taking the field this season and where they’ll be playing.
Rebrand Alert 🚨: University of Manitoba Bisons Release New Logo 🟤🟡
The herd has a new look.
Just this past week, the University of Manitoba Bisons unveiled their new logo — marking the beginning of a new era that emphasizes their slogan: One Herd.
Canadian Rugby Quick Hits:
Lots has happened in the past week when it comes to rugby in Canada, so let’s check it out!
The Canadian Men’s Rugby National Team has qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia after clinching a spot in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup semi-finals.
The Canadian Women’s Rugby National Team claimed top spot in their pool at the Women’s Rugby World Cup after going 3- 0 following a 40–19 victory over Scotland, while also securing a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Former two-time OUA MVP Sophie de Goede continues to submit her application for GOAT status, as she is now the all-time leading scorer in Canadian women’s rugby history with 262 career points.
A couple of big blowouts on the OUA women’s rugby scene this past week: Brock took down Trent 114–0, while Queen’s blew out York 160–0.