The Laurier Golden Hawks hit the ice in February for more than just two exciting hockey match ups as they took the opportunity to celebrate inclusivity, authenticity, and the power of sport to bring people together through their second annual Hockey Pride Night.
 

As part of the OUA's league-wide Pride initiative, the Golden Hawks men's and women's hockey teams hosted Pride Games on February 6 and 12, 2026. The environment of varsity sports created a welcoming environment for all fans, athletes, and members of the community.
 

The initiative also featured both teams taking the ice in custom-designed Pride jerseys, created by Hailey Tripodi. The jerseys blended the classic look of the Golden Hawks' traditional home jerseys with vibrant Pride-inspired details across the chest and back.
 

All proceeds from the Hockey Pride jersey auction were donated to Spectrum Waterloo Region, in support of their Spectrum Sports Programming.
 

Spectrum Waterloo Region supports 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals through peer support, advocacy, education, and community programming, offering more than 40 monthly groups and activities across the region.
 

The success of the Hockey Pride Nights reflected the community's strong enthusiasm and commitment to inclusion. A total of 52 of the 54 game-worn Pride jerseys were sold, raising more than $850 for Spectrum Waterloo Region. The initiative also drove significant attendance growth, with the women's Pride Game increasing 148% above the regular season, non-school day average and the men's game increasing by 75%.
 

Laurier Athletics amplified the campaign through 19 social media posts, including jersey reveals and live game coverage, generating more than 193,000 impressions and 102,000 accounts reached.
 

 

Fans can re-live the excitement and celebration through the Laurier Athletics' recap video.