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

The Toronto Varsity Blues are 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 trace their founding to 1877, with the formation of the men's football team.[1] Since 1908, Varsity Blues athletes have won numerous medals in Olympic and Paralympic Games and have also long competed in International University Sports Federation championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan American Games.[2]

Varsity sports

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 basketball

The Varsity Blues men's basketball team competes in the 18-team Ontario University Athletics conference, in the Central division.[3] The team has won 14 Wilson Cup conference championships, second only to the Western Mustangs, including the first ever awarded for the 1908–1909 season.[4] The team most recently won the Wilson Cup in 1995.[4] The team has yet to play in a national championship gold medal game. The team's head coach has been Madhav Trivedi since 2022.[5]

The Varsity Blues women's basketball team in 2023.

Women's basketball

The Varsity Blues women's basketball team competes in the 18-team Ontario University Athletics conference, in the Central division.[6] The team has won nine Critelli Cup conference championships, most recently in 2002.[7] The team won a national championship in 1986 and also won silver medals in 1994 and 1996.[7] Tamara Tatham was appointed the team's head coach in April 2021 after serving as the interim head coach during the 2020-21 season.[8]

Football

The Varsity Blues football team was first organized in 1877 and hold the distinction of winning the first Grey Cup in 1909 and the first Vanier Cup in 1965.[1] The team won national dominion championships in 1895, 1905, 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1920 when university teams played against other amateur clubs.[9] The team also won the first Yates Cup conference championship in 1898 and has won 25 overall, which are the second-most in U Sports, but have not won since 1993, when they also won the 29th Vanier Cup.[9]

Men's ice hockey

The Varsity Blues goalie in 2014.

The Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team plays in the Ontario University Athletics conference and is coached by Ryan Medel. The team is based at Varsity Arena. The current Varsity Blues have won ten U Sports Championships.[10] The men's ice hockey team was founded in 1891.[11] 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 and White" by many of their older fans.

Women's ice hockey

The Varsity Blues women's ice hockey team competes in the 18-team Ontario University Athletics conference, in the OUA East division.[12] The team has won 19 McCaw Cup conference championships, most recently in 2023.[13] The team won a national championship in 2001 and also won silver medals in 1998 and 2003.[13] Vicky Sunohara has served as the team's head coach since the 2011-12 season.[14]

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.

Men's soccer

The Varsity Blues men's soccer team competes in the 18-team Ontario University Athletics conference, in the East division.[15] The team has won 50 Blackwood Cup conference championships, including seasons where they were co-champions and division champions.[16] The team won a national championship in 1988.[16] Ilya Orlov has been the team's head coach since January 2019.[17]

Women's soccer

The Varsity Blues women's soccer team competes in the 18-team Ontario University Athletics conference, in the East division.[18] The team has yet to win a conference championship or a national championship.[19] The team is led by associate head coach Angelo Cavalluzzo.[20]

Women's track & field

Middle and long distance runner Sasha Gollish was named 2015 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Female Athlete of the Year (track events) for her performance at the CIS Championships, winning three gold medals in the 1000m, 3000m, and 4x800 m relay events and two silver medals in the 600m and 1500m events, the most individual medals ever won by a distance athlete.[21][22][23] She was also named MVP of the 2015 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championships after winning three individual gold medals in the 600m, 1500m, and 3000m events.[21] In November 2015, she was named one of the Top 8 Academic All-Canadians by Canadian Interuniversity Sport.[24]

The Varsity Blues women's volleyball team in 2020.

Men's volleyball

The Varsity Blues men's volleyball team competes in the 13-team Ontario University Athletics conference.[25] The team has won 15 Forsyth Cup conference championships, most recently in 2004.[26] The team most recently won the Wilson Cup in 1995.[26] In the national championship tournament, the team won a silver medal in 1991 and a bronze medal in 1985.[27] The team has been led by head coach John Barrett since the 2011-12 season.[28]

Women's volleyball

The Varsity Blues women's volleyball team competes in the 14-team Ontario University Athletics conference.[29] The team has won 12 Quigley Cup conference championships, most recently in 2020.[30] The team won a national championship in 2016, becoming the first OUA team to win since 1976, and also won a silver medal in 1971.[30] Kristine Drakich has served as the team's head coach since the 1989-90 season and was named U Sports coach of the year in 2015.[31]

Awards and honours

Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards

Five Varsity Blues athletes have won Lois and Doug Mitchell U Sports Athletes of the Year Awards.[32]

Athletes of the year

YearFemale athleteSportMale athleteSport
2012–13  Zack ChetratSwimming
2013–14Nicole Kesteris[35]HockeyZack ChetratSwimming
2014–15Sasha GollishTrack & FieldEli WallSwimming
2015–16Kylie MasseSwimmingSacha SmartTrack & Field
2016–17Kylie Masse[36]SwimmingRostam TurnerTrack & Field
2017–18Kylie MasseSwimmingEli WallSwimming
2018–19Kylie MasseSwimmingEzana DebalkewTrack & Field
2019–20[37]Lucia StaffordCross countryDavid ThomsonHockey

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Football History". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  2. ↑ University of Toronto Olympians
  3. ↑ "2023-24 OUA Men's Basketball Standings". Ontario University Athletics. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Awards". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Madhav Trivedi". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ "2023-24 OUA Women's Basketball Standings". Ontario University Athletics. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  7. 1 2 "Awards". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Tamara Tatham". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Toronto Varsity Blues All-Time Game Results" (PDF). Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  10. ↑ www.azhockey.com
  11. ↑ Toronto Marlboros history
  12. ↑ "2023-24 OUA Women's ice hockey standings". Ontario University Athletics. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Awards". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Vicky Sunohara". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  15. ↑ "2023-24 OUA Men's Soccer Standings". Ontario University Athletics. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  16. 1 2 "Awards". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Ilya Orlov". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  18. ↑ "2023-24 OUA Women's Soccer Standings". Ontario University Athletics. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Awards". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Angelo Cavalluzzo". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  21. 1 2 "Sasha Gollish". July 3, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Sasha Gollish wins Indianapolis Monumental Half, breaks course record," Canadian Running Magazine.
  23. ↑ "Distance runner Sasha Gollish, 33, recognized as Athlete of the Year", City Centre Mirror.
  24. ↑ "Sasha Gollish honoured as one of the Top 8 Academic All-Canadians," U of T Engineering News.
  25. ↑ "Men's Volleyball Standings". U Sports. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  26. 1 2 "Awards". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  27. ↑ "CIS Championship Results" (PDF). usports.ca. U Sports. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  28. ↑ "John Barrett". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Women's Volleyball Standings". U Sports. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  30. 1 2 "Awards". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Tamara Tatham". Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Awards Athletes of the Year". U Sports. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Hall of Fame: Elizabeth Warden". varsityblues.ca/. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  34. ↑ "24th Annual BLG Awards: Toronto's Masse, Calgary's Buckley named CIS athletes of the year". presto-en.usports.ca/. March 2, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  35. ↑ Helen Picard (March 31, 2014). "Kesteris, Chetrat named Varsity Blues athletes of the year". thevarsity.ca/. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  36. ↑ Braden Keith (April 1, 2017). "KYLIE MASSE NAMED UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ATHLETE OF THE YEAR". swimswam.com/. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  37. ↑ "STAFFORD, THOMSON NAMED VARSITY BLUES ATHLETES OF THE YEAR". varsityblues.ca/. April 8, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
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