Toronto Varsity Blues

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toronto Varsity Blues
Logo
UniversityUniversity of Toronto
AssociationU Sports, CUFLA
ConferenceOUA
Athletic directorBeth Ali
LocationToronto, Ontario
Varsity teams43
Football stadiumVarsity Stadium
ArenaVarsity Arena
(Hockey)
Other arenasGoldring Centre for High Performance Sport
(Basketball & Volleyball)
FieldDan Lang Field
(Baseball)
SymbolTrue Blue
MascotTrue Blue
NicknameVarsity Blues
Fight songThe Blue and White
ColoursBlue and white
   
Websitewww.varsityblues.ca

The Toronto Varsity Blues is the intercollegiate sports program at the University of Toronto. Its 43 athletic teams regularly participate in competitions held by Ontario University Athletics and U Sports. The Varsity Blues traces its founding to 1877, with the formation of the men's football team.[1] Since 1908, Varsity Blues athletes have won numerous medals in Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and have also long competed in International University Sports Federation championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan American Games.[2]

The Varsity Blues program has teams in badminton, baseball, basketball, cross country running, curling, fastpitch softball, fencing, field hockey, figure skating, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, mountain biking, nordic skiing, rowing, rugby, soccer, squash, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.

Men's ice hockey[]

Main article: Toronto Varsity Blues men's ice hockey

The men's ice hockey team plays in the Ontario University Athletics conference, and are coached by Darren Lowe. The team is based at Varsity Arena. The current Varsity Blues have won ten U Sports Championships.[3] The men's ice hockey team was founded in 1891.[4] The Varsity Blues senior team won the Allan Cup in 1921 and 1927, and won the gold medal at the 1928 Winter Olympics. Conn Smythe (U of T 1920), the principal owner of the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs (1927–61) and builder of Maple Leaf Gardens (1931), chose Royal Blue and White as his team's colours to honour his alma mater. The Maple Leafs are popularly known as "The Blue & White" by many of their older fans.

Men's soccer[]

Main article: Toronto Varsity Blues men's soccer

Women's ice hockey[]

Main article: Toronto Varsity Blues women's ice hockey

Football[]

Main article: Toronto Varsity Blues football

Nordic skiing[]

The Nordic skiing team competes against Ontario universities each year at the OUA Championships in February after qualifying races earlier in the season. The team has steadily grown in size and experience since Hans Fischer stepped up to the position of coach in the 2005-06 season.

Rowing[]

The University of Toronto Rowing Club represents the Varsity Blues at local and international regattas. The UTRC was founded on February 10, 1897, and throughout the years has had many successes including Royal Canadian Henley Regatta victories, OUA titles, and a silver medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Awards and honours[]

  • Kylie Masse: U Sports Female Athlete of the Month - February 2018[5]

Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards[]

  • 2016: Kylie Masse (Swimming) [6]
  • 2002: Elizabeth Warden (Swimming) [7]
  • 1998: Foy Williams (Track & Field)
  • 1996: Justine Ellison (Basketball)

Athletes of the year[]

Year Female athlete Sport Male athlete Sport
2012–13     Zack Chetrat Swimming
2013–14 Nicole Kesteris[8] Hockey Zack Chetrat Swimming
2014–15 Sasha Gollish Track & Field Eli Wall Swimming
2015–16 Kylie Masse Swimming Sacha Smart Track & Field
2016–17 Kylie Masse [9] Swimming Rostam Turner Track & Field
2017–18 Kylie Masse Swimming Eli Wall Swimming
2018–19 Kylie Masse Swimming Ezana Debalkew Track & Field
2019–20[10] Lucia Stafford Cross country David Thomson Hockey

See also[]

  • List of University of Toronto people

References[]

  1. ^ University of Toronto Varsity Blues - Football History
  2. ^ University of Toronto Olympians
  3. ^ www.azhockey.com
  4. ^ Toronto Marlboros history
  5. ^ "February 2018 — Kylie Masse". usports.ca/. 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  6. ^ "24th Annual BLG Awards: Toronto's Masse, Calgary's Buckley named CIS athletes of the year". presto-en.usports.ca/. 2016-03-02. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  7. ^ "Hall of Fame: Elizabeth Warden". varsityblues.ca/. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  8. ^ Helen Picard (2014-03-31). "Kesteris, Chetrat named Varsity Blues athletes of the year". thevarsity.ca/. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  9. ^ Braden Keith (2017-04-01). "KYLIE MASSE NAMED UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ATHLETE OF THE YEAR". swimswam.com/. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  10. ^ "STAFFORD, THOMSON NAMED VARSITY BLUES ATHLETES OF THE YEAR". varsityblues.ca/. 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2021-07-12.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""