U Sports men's ice hockey

U Sports men's ice hockey
Formerly CIAU men's ice hockey,
CIS men's ice hockey
Sport Ice hockey
Founded September 1, 1961
First Championship 1962–63
No. of teams 35
Country Canada
Most recent
champion(s)		 Alberta Golden Bears
Most titles Alberta Golden Bears
(16, 29.1% of 55 Cups)
TV partner(s) Sportsnet
TVA Sports
Official website U Sports men's ice hockey

U Sports men'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. As these players compete at the university level, they are obligated to follow the rule of standard eligibility of five years.

University hockey teams in Canada compete in leagues as part of U Sports, the national governing body for Canadian university athletics (in Canadian English, the term "college" is reserved for schools that would be called "junior", "community", or "technical" colleges in the U.S.). U Sports sponsors both men's and women's hockey. Like in the United States, teams compete in athletic conferences based on geographical locations of the schools. Unlike the NCAA the U Sports does not award players with athletic scholarships, resulting in a lack of divisional separation such as found between NCAA divisions. Individual conferences hold postseason tournaments, followed by the round-robin U Sports Championship tournament in late March.

History

Windsor Lancers goalie in CIS playoff game (February 16, 2012)

The Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union was established in 1961 by Major W.J. McLeod, Athletic Director of the Royal Military College of Canada.[1][2] By the 1962-63 season, the CIAU had created a National Championship for their ice hockey playoffs: the David Johnston University Cup.

The first ever national championship was competed for in Kingston, Ontario between the UBC Thunderbirds and the McMaster Marlins. The Marlins would win the game 3-2.

The CIAU had competition in Canadian post-secondary varsity hockey at a national level. but rivalries only existed on an exhibition basis. The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association now Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association held national championships between 1975 and 2001. At one time, seven conferences in the CCAA sanctioned hockey, but only two do today — the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference and the Quebec Student Sport Federation (now known by its French initialism of RSEQ).

In 1978, the governing body of the league changed its name to the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union. The body's name was changed in 2001 to Canadian Interuniversity Sport, and most recently in 2016 to the current U Sports.

The most successful team in U Sports history, and reigning champion, is the Alberta Golden Bears with 16 David Johnston University Cup titles, winning 29.1% of all championships awarded. This is followed by the Toronto Varsity Blues with 10 (last in 1984) and the UNB Varsity Reds with 7 (last in 2017). The reigning champions are the Alberta Golden Bears, who defeated the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Fredericton in March 2018.

On August 12, 2016, Kori Cheverie was announced as an assistant coach for the Ryerson Rams men’s ice hockey team, making her the first female full-time assistant coach in U Sports men’s hockey history.[3]

Teams

Atlantic University Sport

Canada West Universities Athletic Association

Ontario University Athletics

UOIT Ridgebacks warming up for an exhibition game in Fall 2013.

East

West

Guelph Gryphons and Windsor Lancers square-off during 2012-13 season.

Annual awards

The following are annual U Sports trophies and awards:[4]

  • David Johnston University Cup - Awarded annually to the U Sports men's ice hockey champions
  • Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy – Annual “Player of the Year” awarded to the most outstanding player in U Sports.
  • U Sports Defenceman of the Year - Awarded annually to the most outstanding defenceman in U Sports.
  • U Sports Goaltender of the Year – Awarded annually to the most outstanding goaltender in U Sports.
  • Clare Drake Award - Annual "Rookie of the Year" award presented to "the most outstanding first-year player in U Sports who has exhibited exemplary skill and leadership".
  • R.W. Pugh Award – Awarded annually to the most sportsmanlike player in U Sports.
  • Dr. Randy Gregg Award - Awarded annually to reward excellence in the student-athlete. The player who receives this award has exhibited outstanding achievement in ice hockey, academics, and community involvement.
  • Father George Kehoe Memorial Award – Coach of the Year award.
  • U Sports All-Canadian Teams - Each year U Sports names a "First Team", "Second Team", and "All-Rookie Team".

Champions

References

  1. ↑ Knowles 2000, p. 72.
  2. ↑ History of CIS
  3. ↑ "Rams announce Cheverie as new assistant coach". Ryerson Rams athletics. 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  4. ↑ http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mice/2010-11/releases/20110323-awards
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