Country Canada | Founded 1997 | |
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Formerly CIAU women's ice hockey, CIS women's ice hockey No. of teams 30, in four conferences | ||
U Sports women's ice hockey is the highest level of play at the university level under the auspices of U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports. Women's ice hockey has been played in U Sports since the 1997-98 season, when the governing body was known as the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union, following a long stint of teams only competing in the OUA. There are 30 teams, all of which are based in Canada, that are divided into four conferences that are eligible to compete for the year-end championship. As these players compete at the university level, they are obligated to follow the rule of standard eligibility of five years. This competition is considered as the second level in the pyramid of Canadian women's hockey, below the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) and the Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL).
Contents
- History
- Schedule structure
- Participating universities
- National Champions
- U Sports championship MVP
- Player of the year Brodrick Trophy
- Rookie of the year
- Outstanding student athlete
- RW Pugh Fair Play Award
- Coach of the year
- 1998 99
- 1999 2000
- 2000 01
- 2001 02
- 2002 03
- 2003 04
- 2004 05
- 2005 06
- 2006 07
- 2007 08
- 2008 09
- 2009 10
- 2010 11
- 2011 12
- Previous Championship tournaments
- See also
- References
History
The 1890s marked the beginning of the first women's ice hockey teams in Canadian universities. These universities included the University of Toronto in Toronto, Queen's University in Kingston, and McGill University in Montreal. In 1908, other schools such as the Calgary Collegiate Institute and Mount Royal University began to ice competitive teams as well. In the early years, teams played behind closed doors and men were not authorized to attend the matches. The referee was the only man present during the matches. Starting in 1900, male spectators were authorized to assist in women's matches in most of the Canadian provinces and some university teams. During this time, there was no university women's league and some university women's teams competed against rivals representing cities. Sometimes, they were forced to cross big geographical distances by train in order to participate in tournaments
The first provincial women's championship took place in 1914 in Picton, Ontario. Six teams participated in the event, including the University of Toronto. In 1921, the University of Toronto bested McGill University during the first Canadian women's university championship. The Toronto Lady Blues would gain 11 championship titles, compared with two titles for the Queen's Golden Gaels before the women's university league dissolved in 1933 During this time period, Elizabeth Graham, a Queen's University goaltender, carried a fencing mask during matches in 1927. She would be the first goaltender in ice hockey, before the famous Jacques Plante, to carry a protective face mask.
On December 16, 1922, the Ladies Ontario Hockey Association (LOHA) was formed, and included several Ontario university teams In 1923, the Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WIAU) is created with the aim of offering sporting events to students in Ontario. The WIAU coordinated the programs of the students, and several university women's teams were members there. In the autumn of 1923, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association held its annual meeting in Port Arthur, Ontario. It was here that the association decided not to give to the women official recognition as hockey players. From 1931 until 1941, the non-university team Preston Rivulettes were unbeaten in the LOHA and won ten consecutive championships. Numerous university women's teams are reluctant to join the LOHA because they estimated that they would be unable to compete against the Rivulettes. Due to the Great Depression, several university women's teams were dissolved. Consequently, ice hockey teams became rarer for numerous women's teams.
In 1941, the LOHA was dissolved and, in the aftermath, several teams begin to disappear. The Second World War also affected the level of participation in women's ice hockey in Canada. From 1936 to 1948, and from 1951 to 1960, there was no WIAU official women's competition. Women’s ice hockey would not return until the 1960s at the Canadian university level.
The revival in the 1960s resulted in the creation of new women's teams in several Canadian universities. In 1969, the Canada West Universities Athletic Association presents a project which gives birth to the Canadian Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Union. The first mission of which, is to organize sporting championships for university students in Western Canada. The first recognized championship (for volleyball) was presented in March, 1970 at the University of Waterloo, in Ontario. In 1971, the Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WIAU) merged with the Ontario-Quebec University Athletic Association (OQUAA) to form the Ontario Women's Interuniversity Athletic Association (OWIAA). This resulted in university women's teams multiplying and several American university tournaments inviting Canadian teams.
Regional university championships exist in various areas throughout Canada. Ontario can boast the involvement of eleven university women's ice hockey teams. Each team plays a schedule of approximately 24 matches, and there is no Eastern or Western Conference. The first three teams of every division gain entry into the qualifying rounds of a postseason competition, which takes place under the structure of a "Final Four." In 1997, the different university associations (representing both men and women) create the Ontario University Athletics organization. The month of March 1998 became a significant time period as the first Canadian national university championship in women’s ice hockey takes place. The Concordia Stingers, representing Concordia University in Montreal hosted the event and won the first U Sports championship.
Schedule structure
In the U Sports regular season, 30 teams play between 20 and 27 matches in their respective regional conferences. At the end of the season, qualifying rounds (in each regional conference) determine the champion team in each of the four Canadian regions. Afterwards, a national tournament takes place consisting of six teams: the winning team in each of the four regional championships conferences; (Atlantic University Sport, Quebec Student Sports Federation (in French, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec), Ontario University Athletics and Canada West Universities Athletic Association). In addition, the organizing team of the national tournament (the university which hosts the annual event) and the defending champion (the university team which gained the national championship of the previous season). The nine matches of the final national tournament are presented in Web broadcasting by SSN Canada.
Participating universities
For the 2016-17 season, the Canadian university women's ice hockey competition consists of four conferences and thirty teams:
National Champions
The U Sports women's ice hockey championship is awarded annually to Canada's women's ice hockey champions at the university level. The championship has been competed for since 1998, when the sport was established in the league. Previously, the most important Canadian university women's ice hockey championship was the one from the Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WIAU) (from 1921 till 1971), along with that of the Ontario Women's Interuniversity Athletic Association (OWIAA) (from 1972 till 1997) which awarded the Dr. Judy McCaw trophy to the team champion.
The governing body was known as the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union (CIAU) when women's hockey was added to its championship roster. The body's name changed to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) in 2001 and the current U Sports in 2016.
U Sports championship MVP
1997-98 Corinne Swirsky, Concordia Stingers1998-99 Lori Shupak, Alberta Pandas1999-00 Kim St-Pierre, McGill Martlets2000-01 Jen Rawson, Toronto Lady Blues2001-02 Danielle Bourgeois, Alberta Pandas2002-03 Lori Shupak, Alberta Pandas2003-04 Danielle Bourgeois, Alberta Pandas2004-05 Ashley Stephenson, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks2005-06 Tarin Podloski, Alberta Pandas2006-07 Lindsay McAlpine, Alberta Pandas2007-08 Cathy Chartrand, McGill Martlets2008-09 Catherine Ward, McGill Martlets2009-10 Stephanie Ramsay, Alberta Pandas2010-11 Jordanna Peroff, McGill Martlets2011-12 Amanda Tapp, Calgary Dinos2014-15 Kelly Campbell, University Western OntarioPlayer of the year (Brodrick Trophy)
Rookie of the year
1999-00 Danielle Bourgeois, Alberta Pandas2000-01 Erin Tady, Regina Cougars2001-02 Cindy Eadie, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks2002-03 Lindsay Taylor, Saint Mary's Huskies2003-04 Cecilia Anderson, Concordia Stingers2004-05 Courtney Schriver, Saint Mary's Huskies2005-06 Karissa Swan, Regina Cougars2006-07 Catherine Ward, McGill Martlets2007-08 Ann-Sophie Bettez, McGill Martlets2008-09 Marie-Andrée Leclerc-Auger, McGill Martlets2009-10 Caitlin MacDonald, Manitoba Bisons2010-11 Alex Normore, Saint-Francis-Xavier X-Women2011-12 Mélodie Daoust, McGill MartletsOutstanding student-athlete
The award honours Marion Hillard, a top player on the University of Toronto Varsity Blues outstanding hockey team which captured six championships from 1922-27. Hillard was President of the University Hockey Club and was a member of the women's Athletic Directorate for four years. The award recognizes excellence in a student-athlete in three areas: hockey, academics and community involvement.
1997-98 Karen Kendall, Concordia Stingers1998-99 Bridget Bates, Toronto Lady Blues1999-00 Karina Verdon, Ottawa Gee-Gees2000-01 Virginie Bilodeau, Patriotes de UQTR2001-02 Lauren Houghton, Concordia Stingers2002-03 Jenny McRae, Toronto Lady Blues2003-04 Janna Gillis, Concordia Stingers2004-05 Sue McCutcheon, Toronto Lady blues2005-06 Leah Kutcher, Dalhousie Tigers2006-07 Taryn Barry, Alberta Pandas2007-08 Shauna Denis, McGill Martlets2008-09 Danika Smith, Ottawa Gee-Gees2009-10 Kaitlyn McNutt, Dalhousie Tigers2010-11 Andrea Switalski, Mount Allison Mounties2011-12 Jill Morillo, UOIT RidgebacksR.W. Pugh Fair Play Award
The award recognizes the manners and the sportsmanship of one student-athlete on the ice rink:
2009-10 Katie Harvieux, Saint-Francis-Xavier X-Women2010-11 Nicole Pratt, Alberta Pandas2011-12 Andrea Boras, Alberta PandasCoach of the year
1999-00 Les Lawton, Concordia Stingers2000-01 Karen Hughes,Toronto Lady blues2001-02 Howie Draper, Alberta Pandas2002-03 Peter Smith, Martlets de McGill and Lisa MacDonald, Saint Mary's Huskies2003-04 Howie Draper, Alberta Pandas2004-05 Todd Erskine, Brock Badgers2005-06 Lesley Jordan, Dalhousie Tigers2006-07 Rhéal Bordage, Moncton Aigles Bleus2007-08 Peter Smith, McGill Martlets2008-09 Howie Draper, Alberta Pandas2009-10 Steve Kook, Saskatchewan Huskies2010-11 Jim Denham, Brock Badgers2011-12 Peter Smith, McGill Martlets2012-13 Graham Thomas, UBC Thunderbirds Reference ·
1998-99
G: Lesley Jordan, Saint Mary's HuskiesG: Shelly Campbell, Windsor Lancers deD: Alana Mullins, Acadia AxewomenD: Delaney Collins, Concordia StingersD: Ali MacMillan, Toronto Varsity BluesD: Colleen Sostorics, Calgary DinosF: Corinne Swirsky, Concordia StringersF: Kelly Bechard, Calgary DinosF: Tasha Noble, Saint Mary's HuskiesF : Coley Dosser, Guelph GryphonsF: Anne Rodrigue, Concordia StingersF: Sue Ann Van Damme, Toronto Varsity BluesReference
1999-2000
G: Kim St-Pierre, McGill MartletsG: Robyn Rittmaster, Calgary DinosD: Genevieve Fagnan, Concordia StingersD: Sandra Hustler, Windsor LancersD: Leanne MacDonald, Saint-Francis-Xavier X-WomenD: Colleen Sostorics, Calgary DinosF: Lisa Backman, Wilfrid Laurier Golden HawksF: Urszula May, Toronto Varsity BluesF: Lori Shupak, Alberta PandasF: Caroline Proulx, Patriotes de UQTRF: Corinne Swirsky, Concordia StingersF: Brandy West, Regina CougarsCIS championship MVP player: Lori Shupak, Alberta Pandas
G: Keely Brown, Toronto Varsity BluesD: Geneviève Fagnan, Concordia StingersD: Leanne MacDonald, Saint-Francis-Xavier X-WomenF: Julie Hornsby, McGill MartletsF: Anne Rodrigue, Concordia StingersF: Krysty Lorenz, Alberta PandasReference
2000-01
G: Kim St-Pierre, McGill MartletsG: Stacey McCullough, Alberta PandasD: Heather Vance, Toronto Varsity BluesD: Virginie Bilodeau, Patriotes de UQTRD: Carol Scheibel, Calgary DinosF: Jen Rawson, Toronto Varsity BluesF: Guylaine Haché, Moncton Anges BleusF: Brandy West, Regina CougarsF: Corinne Swirsky, Concordia StingersF: Lisa Backman, Wilfrid Laurier Golden HawksF: Danielle Bourgeois, Alberta PandasReference
2001-02
G: Kim St-Pierre, McGill MartletsG : Alison Houston, Toronto Lady BluesD: Leanne MacDonald, Saint-Francis-Xavier X-WomenD: Virginie Bilodeau, Patriotes de UQTRD: Susie Laska, Lady Blues de TorontoD: Joell Fidler, Regina CougarsF: Brandy West, Regina CougarsF: Lisa Backman, Wilfrid Laurier Golden HawksF: Lisa-Marie Breton, Concordia StingersF: Tasha Noble, Saint Mary's HuskiesF: Jen Rawson, Toronto Lady BluesF: Krysty Lorenz, Alberta PandasReference
2002-03
G: Cindy Eadie, Wilfrid Laurier Golden HawksG: Stacey McCullough, Alberta PandasD: Judy Diduck, Alberta PandasD: Suzanne Kaye, Concordia StingersD: Alison Goodman, Wilfrid Laurier Golden HawksD: Melanie Roach, York LionsF : Lori Shupak, Alberta PandasF: Marie-Claude Allard, Concordia StingersF: Kerri-Ann Rudaniecki, Guelph GryphonsF: Danielle Bourgeois, Alberta PandasF: Sophie Acheson, McGill MartletsF: Tasha Noble, Saint Mary's HuskiesReference
2003-04
In 2003, U Sports, then known as Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), added an All-Stars category for the playoffs.
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2004-05
In 2004, the then-CIS began selecting two All-Star teams (first All-Stars and now second All-Stars) and an All-Rookie Team, as well as maintaining the selection of All-Stars Team for the playoffs tournament.
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2005-06
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2006-07
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2007-08
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2008-09
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2009-10
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2010-11
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2011-12
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