Tag: Sports

Archival tag

Preview of the 2018-19 women’s hockey team highlights their camaraderie

Lions logo
York U Lions

This year is all about Whānau for the Lions women’s hockey team.

Dan Church

A Māori language word for extended family, Whānau represents how close and tight-knit the squad has become over the past several years as they’ve bonded together both on and off the ice. Lions head coach Dan Church sees the camaraderie the team shares as a huge positive for the group and the most important factor in the team having success this year.

“The key to our success this year is the Whānau, which is family,” says Church. “Whānau is about the depth of community and culture that we’ve been able to create in almost 50 years of women’s hockey here at York and it’s about wearing the logo with pride. The camaraderie that we’ve developed will be a huge part of our success this year. We’re a team where the sum of our parts is the most important thing. It won’t just be one person getting the job done for us; collectively, we’re going to perform as a unit and try to be the most competitive team on the ice every game.”

With only two graduating players from last year’s roster, the Lions’ tight-knit core group of players comes into the year mostly intact. Offensively, the Lions will be led by returning veterans Kelsey McHolm and Erin Locke. McHolm led the Lions in goals last year with seven while Locke led the team in points with 12. Joining them up front will be Tegan Duncan, who missed some time last year but is someone Church will look at to make an impact with the forward group. Fifth-year veteran Chelsea Tucker and sophomores Brooke Anderson and Courtney Gardiner will also be counted on to chip in offensively and lead the Lions’ attack.

On the back end, the Lions defence will be a mix of veteran savvy and talented newcomers that Church thinks will be strong in their own end and also help out the forward group by contributing offensively.

“One of our anchors on defence is our team captain Jenna Gray, who is really important for us and plays physical and a solid two-way game,” says Church on who he expects to lead the defence this year. “Taylor Davison is also a real standout for us since she’s such a great skater and has come a long way defensively in her time with the team, and Cynthia St-Cyr has a great stick and uses her size and strength well. We also have Kayla Hosegood and Sarah Power, who provide great depth to our defence and really give us a chance to be successful.

“We also have three outstanding new defenders in Julia McLennan, Caroline Eagles and Natalie Dean coming in. We were hoping to land one of them, so being able to recruit all three is a huge bonus. They should all really enhance our lineup both offensively and defensively, and I’m really excited to have them join our team this year,” he said.

In goal, returning veterans Lauren Dubie and Eva Hall will be joined by new recruit Serena Vilde in the crease this season. Dubie has been solid for the team as she’s received the lion’s share of the starts in the past two seasons, while Hall has been bitten by the injury bug during her first three years but is healthy coming into the season and has the talent to steal games for the team. Vilde is a tall goaltender with the potential to be successful in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and will push the veterans for playing time this season.

The Lions fell short of the playoffs last year as they finished six points out of a playoff spot and in 10th place in the OUA standings. A 0-6 start to the year put them behind the eight ball early in the season, but the team played much better the rest of the way and showed they have the potential to compete with the top programs in the OUA.

“My expectation for us this year is that we continue to grow,” says Church on what he expects from his team this year. “I’m not sure what the cap on that will be, but if we can pick up where we left off, at the end of the year we’ll be in a position to compete for a championship and move into the top half of the OUA.”

The Whānau with this team is strong and this season they hope to show the rest of the OUA what a united group is capable of as they make a run up the OUA standings, adds Church.

Weekend wrap: Lions score two in final minutes and defeat Gryphons in shootout

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University men’s hockey team scored three goals in the third period, including two in the final minutes to tie up the game, to ultimately defeat the University of Guelph Gryphons 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday evening at Canlan Ice Sports.

There were many chances in the first period, but neither the Lions or the Gryphons were able to capitalize. The Gryphons had two good chances in the 17th and 18th minutes but could not get a shot past Mack Shields. The Lions went on two power plays, but were unable to beat the Gryphons goalie, Andrew Masters. More details on the York Lions website.

Earlier in the weekend on Friday, the men’s hockey team lost their first game of the season on the road against the Brock University Badgers on by a score of 5-3.

Brock forward Cosimo Fontana scored the first goal of the game at 3:37 of the first period. York’s Dexter Bricker responded with an assist by Josh Lafrance and Stefano Pezzata six minutes later to even the score.

Brock scored two more times in the first period on goals by Frank Pucci and Ryan Burton, taking the lead 3-1 against York. More details.

Offence leads the way for Lions in 5-1 victory over Warriors

The York University Lions played against the University of Waterloo Warriors in their last home game of the regular season on Sunday and picked up a big 5-1 win. Prior to the game, York recognized the Lions’ graduating athletes in a pre-game ceremony.

The first goal of the game came from midfielder Jorgo Nika, who recorded his fourth goal of the regular season. The second goal came four minutes later by graduating student Lay, which was his first of the season, with an assist by Maurizio Ragone. More details.

On Friday, the men’s soccer team beat the University of Guelph Gryphons 1-0 on the road.

The two top-seeded teams in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West division battled it out throughout the game and proved why they are the top two teams. In the first half of the game, neither York nor Guelph were able to secure a goal against the other and York was able to fire one shot against Guelph. Guelph was able to fire two against York, however, they were unable to find the back of either net. More details.

Lions overpower Warriors in last home game of regular season

The York University women’s soccer team played the Waterloo Warriors in their last home game of the regular season on Sunday, Oct. 14 at Alumni Field and picked up a tremendous 4-0 win, their sixth shutout of the regular season.

The Lions were visibly stronger than the Warriors offensively with more than double the amount of shots throughout the game at 13 for York and six for Waterloo. In just the sixth minute of the game York’s Kiyani Johnson opened the scoring with a header off of graduating senior Muhtaj’s assist. More details.

Two days earlier, the women’s soccer team played against the University of Guelph Gryphons on Friday at the Gryphon Soccer Complex and fell by a score of 1-0 after two tremendous wins against Algoma University last weekend.

The game started off with York gaining control of the offensive action. In the second minute of the game, York’s Christina Morelli fired the first shot of the game towards the Gryphon’s net, which was saved by Guelph’s goalkeeper Libby Brenneman. The game didn’t see another try by either the Lions or the Gryphons until 20-minutes later when Guelph’s Victoria Hinchliffe shot on York’s net, however, she missed wide right. More details.

York takes down Excalibur to move to consolation final

The York University women’s rugby team hosted the Trent University Excalibur on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field in an exciting game that ended in a 36-24 win for the Lions.

The Lions were able to get on the scoreboard first, less than two minutes into the game, as Megan Pakulis faked a pass and ran by the Excalibur defence to score a try. The Excalibur responded in the ninth minute, scoring a try to tie the game at 5-5. The Lions were able to keep possession allowing Asia Hogan-Rochester to score her first try in the 17th minute, followed by Natasha Naismith with the conversion. More details.

Lions comeback bid falls short in loss to Ravens

After falling behind early, the York Lions football team made a spirited comeback effort in the second half, but it was not enough as they fell to the Carleton University Ravens by a score of 35-20. The Lions were down 18-0 after the first quarter but pulled within three points with the score at 20-17 after three quarters. The Ravens had a bit more left in the tank though and pulled away in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory.

The Ravens got on the board early with a rouge point from kicker Mike Domagala on the game’s opening kickoff, and Domagala followed that with a 48-yard field goal on the Ravens first drive to give them a 4-0 lead. After a Lions field goal attempt by kicker Dante Mastrogiuseppe missed a few drives later, Ravens returner Chris Manchulenko ran the ball back 93 yards to put Carleton deep in Lions territory. On the ensuing possession, quarterback Michael Arruda found Phil Iloki in the end zone for the game’s first touchdown, and a few minutes later Arruda completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Khalik Johnson to make the score 18-0 before the game was 13 minutes old. More details.

Six Lions compete in Marauder Bayfront Open

Six York Lions cross country athletes competed in the annual Marauder Bayfront Open in Hamilton, Ont. over the weekend. Ali Ghadghoni led the way for the Lions in the men’s 8km race, finishing in 58th place in a time of 26:29. Ghadhoni was coming off a top-10 finish in his last race at the Don Mills Open and just missed setting a personal best time.

Also racing for the men were Christopher Pietrangelo, Austin Kpiebewieng and Justin Kpiebewieng. In his first race of the season, Pietrangelo set a personal best in a time of 29 minutes flat, while the Kpiebewieng twins finished just behind in 29:17 and 29:23 respectively. More details.

Weekend wrap: Lions tennis teams win bronze medals at OUA championships

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York Lions men’s and women’s tennis teams brought home some hardware over the weekend as both teams claimed the bronze medal at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships.

The men’s team defeated the McMaster University Marauders 7-0 in the bronze medal match, while the women’s team also defeated the Marauders to claim a spot on the podium by a score of 6-1.

In the men’s draw, York opened the tournament with an upset victory over the Waterloo Warriors in the quarterfinals on Friday. The Lions lost a match earlier in the season to the Warriors by a score of 5-2 and entered the tournament as the fifth seed. More details on the York Lions website.

York completes sweep against Algoma with 7-1 win

The York University men’s soccer team beat the Algoma University Thunderbirds 7-1 in their second game against them this weekend in Sault Saint Marie, Ont. It almost took the Lions the entire duration of the first half to score. However, once they started, they didn’t stop.

Algoma midfielder and forward Naif Hadi recorded their first goal of the game in the seventh minute. The Lions, who had eight unsuccessful scoring attempts against the Thunderbirds in the half, managed to find the back of the net within the last two minutes. More details.

The day before, the men’s soccer team topped the Thunderbirds 2-0 in a road game in Sault Saint Marie, Ont. York dominated throughout the entire game, with 21 shots to Algoma’s three. In the first half of the game, York shot eight times against the Thunderbirds who got in three shots.

Omar Marzouk, a second-year forward, was the sole scorer of the entire game and also had the most chances with seven shots and two goals. More details.

Lions fire 30 shots at Algoma net, pick up 4-1 victory

The York University women’s soccer team dominated Algoma University in their second game against the Thunderbirds on the weekend. The game finished with a score of 4-1 and gave the Lions their seventh win of the regular season.

Much like their previous game against Algoma, the Lions took control of most of the offensive plays of the game and fired a total of 30 shots at the Thunderbirds’ net throughout the entire game, in comparison to the Thunderbirds’ two shots, one of which resulted in a goal for Algoma at the 90th minute of the game. More details.

A day prior, the women’s soccer team beat the Thunderbirds 1-0, securing the win in the first of two games this weekend against Algoma. The Lions offence controlled most of the game. In the first half of the game, the Lions shot nine times against Algoma and the Thunderbirds were not able to shoot once against the Lions.

In the second half of the game, first-year forward Kalifornia Mitchell scored the only goal of the game at the 68th minute. More details.

York takes down rival Varsity Blues

Jaslan Stirling scored her third hat trick of the season to lead the York University Lions women’s field hockey team to a big 4-2 road victory over the University of Toronto Varsity Blues at Back Campus Fields on Wednesday evening.

The second-year forward made it look easy, netting three goals against the top team in the OUA division. Stirling continues to dominate the league, leading the OUA with 16 goals and 32 points on the season. With the win, the Lions moved ahead of the Varsity Blues by one point for first place in the OUA standings. More details.

Lions win season opener 2-1 against Varsity Blues

The York University men’s hockey team beat the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 2-1 in their first game of the regular season on Wednesday at Canlan Ice Sports.

The game was action-packed as soon as the puck dropped in the inaugural game of the 2018 season. York’s goalie Mark Shields was remarkable throughout the game, saving 38 out of 39 of U of T’s shots.

The first period of the game saw zero goals from either the Lions or the Blues. U of T controlled the action in the first period, shooting 15 times against York’s net throughout the first 20 minutes. However, Shields was able to stop all of U of T’s shots. More details.

Lions fall to Badgers in quarterfinal match

The York University women’s rugby team hosted the Brock University Badgers on Friday evening at Alumni Field in an OUA quarterfinal playoff match and came away with a tough 20-13 loss.

The Badgers were able to get on the scoreboard first, with a try scored by Jenna Rainville. Naimh Haughey and Aleah Boersma each scored a try for the Badgers in the 19th and 23rd minutes, followed by Meagan Hart with the conversion to jump out to a 17-0 lead. The Lions pressured the Badgers, allowing Lauryn Legerton to score a try in the 31st minute. More details.

Learn about the six inductees to the 2018 York Sport Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame sports 2018

York University Athletics and Recreation and the School of Kinesiology and Health Science officially welcomed six new inductees to the York University Sport Hall of Fame on Sept. 29 at the annual induction ceremony.

Four former student-athletes, one coach and, for the first time ever, a team were welcomed into the Class of 2018. This year’s inductees were basketball player Mark Bellai, track and field athlete Craig Cavanagh, field hockey player Tammy Holt, rugby player Cheryl Phillips, tennis coach Eric Bojesen and the 1969-70 men’s hockey team, which entered the Hall of Fame as its inaugural team inductee.

Hall of Fame sports 2018
York University’s 2018 Sports Hall of Fame inductees, left to right: Craig Cavanagh, Cheryl Phillips, Tammy Holt and Mark Bellai. Not pictured are Eric Bojesen and the 1969-70 men’s hockey team

The induction ceremony was held at the Second Student Centre on the York University Keele Campus. As part of this year’s ceremony and in honour of the Hall of Fame’s 25th induction class, all past inductees were provided with commemorative York Sport Hall of Fame rings. Those in attendance were given their rings during a special presentation that featured the greatest student-athletes, coaches and builders in York history.

2018 inductees

Mark Bellai (BA ’93) starred with York’s men’s basketball team for five years and graduated as one of the most prolific scorers in league history. A team captain for four of his five years with the team, Bellai averaged 19.9 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game, earning three Ontario University Athletics Association (OUAA) first-team all-stars and three team MVPs in his career. He graduated from York as the second leading scorer in OUAA history and is still currently ranked in the top 20 in the OUA. A deadly shooter with range, Bellai is York’s all-time leader in three-pointers made and remains fourth all-time in scoring. He also attracted national attention during his time at York and was invited to participate in selection camps for both the Canadian national and Olympic basketball teams.

Craig Cavanagh (BSc ’00) is one of the most prolific jumpers in York history. A well-rounded athlete and long jump specialist, Cavanagh earned four Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) medals (two gold, two sliver) and four OUA gold medals in long jump during his four years at York. He also picked up a silver medal in triple jump at the 1998 OUAA championships and stepped onto the track to claim a silver medal in the 60-metre dash at the 1999 CIAU championships. Cavanagh was named to five CIAU all-star teams (two first-team, three second-team) and five OUAA all-star teams (four first-team, one second-team) during his career. He also helped York win one CIAU team bronze medal and three OUAA team bronze medals and was named York male athlete of the year in 1998-99.

Tammy Holt (BA ’95) experienced success at every level of field hockey throughout her career and became one of the most decorated players in York history. She spent five years with the Yeowomen from 1989-91 and 1994-95, and helped the team win two CIAU silver medals, one CIAU bronze medal, two Ontario Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Association (OWIAA) championships, two OWIAA silver medals and one OWIAA bronze medal during her York career. A speedy and gritty player with scoring touch, Holt earned three CIAU first-team all-Canadian selections and three OUA first-team all-star selections throughout her career at York. She experienced success at the national level, earning a silver medal for Canada at the 1991 Pan American Games, and participated for Canada at the 1990 and 1994 World Cup, the 1995 Olympic qualifying tournament and the 1991 FISU Games.

Cheryl Phillips (BA ’06) was a standout on the women’s rugby team during her university career and is the first Hall of Fame inductee in the history of the York women’s rugby program. Phillips was a dominant force on the field for the Lions, becoming the first OUA Russell Division most valuable player in school history and only the second first-team all-Canadian. She was twice named an OUA first-team all-star and was the OUA’s leading scorer in 2005, accounting for 65 of the team’s 69 total points. She was also a member of the Canadian 7s and 15s rugby team and competed with the national team at multiple international events.

Eric Bojesen coached the York tennis team for 16 seasons (1987-2002) and led both the men’s and women’s programs to elite status in Canadian university sport. Bojesen was instrumental in developing the men’s program and had the team reinstated to the OUAA in 1987 after several years of absence. He led the tennis teams to the most dominant stretch in program history in the 1990s, as the men’s team captured medals at the OUAA championships for seven straight years from 1991-97 (three gold, three silver, one bronze) and the women’s team won medals at the OWIAA championships for five straight years from 1992-96 (one gold, two silver, two bronze). Bojesen also ended his York tenure on a high note as the women’s team won the bronze medal in 2000 followed by back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002, and the men’s program picked up the silver medal in 2002. Overall his teams won 16 medals in his 16 years as head coach and 12 of his players were named OUAA/OWIAA all-stars. In recent years, Bojesen has made a name for himself as a player on the senior tennis circuit, winning multiple senior national championships as a singles and doubles player, and becoming ranked as high as 44th in the world in the senior men’s rankings.

The 1969-70 men’s hockey team etched its name in the history books in the winter of 1970 by becoming the first York team to compete for a national championship in a team sport. Led by head coach Bill Purcell, the team was dominant through the Ontario Intercollegiate Athletic Association (OIAA) regular season as they went undefeated with a 10-0 record, outscoring their opponents by a total of 74-23. The team defeated the Laurentian Voyageurs by a score of 8-2 in the OIAA championship game to end the Voyageurs’ five-year OIAA championship-winning streak and qualify for the CIAU national championships. The Yeomen dropped their first game at the CIAU tournament to Saint Mary’s, but rebounded to win successive games by a combined score of 18-6 and finish in third place.

As the first York team to compete on the national stage, the team created a great deal of excitement within a university whose varsity athletics program was in its infancy stages. The team’s high-scoring roster was anchored by centre Murray Stroud, who led the league in scoring with 35 points and was named national player of the year. The roster also featured three provincial all-stars in goalie Bill Holden, Dave Kosoy and left-winger Steve Latinovich. Stroud, Latinovich and Purcell have all been inducted as individuals into the York University Sport Hall of Fame.

The success of the 1969-70 team ushered in a new era of excellence for the men’s hockey program that saw the Yeomen become a national power, winning three national championships and four OUA championships throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

About the Sport Hall of Fame

Created in 1980, the Sport Hall of Fame honours individuals who have significantly contributed to York’s interuniversity sport program as athletes, coaches and administrators, and who have exemplified the spirit and ideals of York University sports in their professional and community lives. The selection committee consisted of varsity alumni, current student-athletes and several university administrators.

Weekend wrap: York University Sport Hall of Fame welcomes six new members

Lions logo
York U Lions

York University Athletics and Recreation and the School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, officially welcomed six new inductees to the York University Sport Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon at the annual induction ceremony.

Four former student-athletes, one coach and, for the first time ever, a team were welcomed into the Class of 2018. This year’s inductees were basketball player Mark Bellai, track and field athlete Craig Cavanagh, field hockey player Tammy Holt, rugby player Cheryl Phillips, tennis coach Eric Bojesen and the 1969-70 men’s hockey team. More details on the York Lions website.

Thrilling win on Homecoming weekend for Lions

The York Lions won a thrilling game in front of a full house at Alumni Field on Saturday against the visiting University of Waterloo Warriors by a final score of 34-32. The game was full of momentum changes and wasn’t decided until the final seconds, when Lions rookie Matt Dean blocked a field goal attempt by Warriors kicker Caleb Girard to seal the win and send the Homecoming game crowd into a frenzy.

The Lions got off to a good start to open the game as a 34-yard touchdown run by quarterback Brett Hunchak gave the home team an early 7-0 lead. After a Dante Mastrogiuseppe rouge point made it 8-0, the Warriors responded with an impressive 11-play, 75-yard drive to pull within one. Waterloo quarterback Tre Ford found Gordon Lam in the end zone on a 25-yard pass to put the first points on the board for the visiting team. More details.

Lions continue their undefeated streak with two wins and a tie

The York University Lions field hockey team kept up their stellar season and stayed undefeated with two wins over the University of Guelph Gryphons and the Queen’s University Gaels, and a tie against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues over the weekend.

The Lions opened up the action against the Varsity Blues on Saturday morning, competing to steal the spot from the top team in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) division. The two teams, who are both undefeated this season, played a tough match that ended with a 0-0 tie. With the tie, the Lions stayed two points behind the Blues for first place. More details.

York pulls out 2-1 win over Brock

The York University men’s soccer team faced the Brock University Badgers for the second time this season, this time at Alumni Field on Sunday afternoon.

The fast-paced game saw a 2-1 win for York University in their second-last home game of the regular season. The game saw an early goal from York’s second-highest scorer, Christian Cavallini, in the 17th minute, giving York an early lead against the Badgers, the seventh-ranked team in the OUA West division. More details.

On Friday night, The York Lions men’s soccer team played against the McMaster University Marauders at Alumni Field in pouring rain and tied 1-1 during York’s first game of the weekend.

The game started off with a recognition of the 2008 York men’s soccer team who won the CIS national championships that year. They were the first York men’s soccer team to win a CIS championship since 1977. Since the 2008 team’s win, the men’s team has won three more national titles and the team was recognized for the 10th anniversary of their historic win. More details. 

 Ghadghoni and Pisani crack top 20 at Don Mills Open

York Lions cross country runners Ali Ghadghoni and Katrianna Pisani raced into the top 20 this weekend as the men’s and women’s cross country teams competed at the Don Mills Open at the University of Waterloo.

Ghadghoni led the way for the men’s team, placing ninth in a time of 27:02 in the 8K race, not far behind Chris Moore of the Waterloo Warriors, who won the race in a time of 25:59. Lions rookie Austin Kpiebewieng also toed the start line for the Lions and came across the line in a time of 28:55, in 40th place. More details.

Lions top Badgers 2-0 in Sunday afternoon game at Alumni Field

The York University women’s soccer team played their second game of the weekend at Alumni Field against the Brock University Badgers on Sunday, Sept. 30. The home team beat the Badgers in a 2-0 win with both goals scored by fifth-year veteran Christina Morelli and assisted by forward Stephanie Lamanna.

The first half of the game saw very strong defence from both sides. York defenceman Teni Odetoyinbo made great plays on two Badgers attempts to shut down their scoring chances, while goalkeeper Tamara Orlando protected York’s net as she produced three saves in the first half. More details.

Two days earlier, the Lions women’s soccer team played against the McMaster University Marauders at Alumni Field after three straight away games, and dropped a close 1-0 game. The loss was payback, as the Lions were able to previously beat the Marauders during an away game three weeks ago when the Lions won 1-0.

The first half of the game saw many good saves from both the Lions and the Marauders. McMaster had a few opportunities to score against the Lions; however, Lions goalkeeper Tamara Orlando was able to save two of McMaster’s shots. Marauders goalkeeper Jayashree Pathak countered with three strong saves of her own in the first half on two attempts from midfielder Catherine Umoloc and one by Jotam Chouhan. More details.

Lions fall to No. 6 Gaels in last regular season game

The York University Lions women’s rugby team competed hard in Kingston, Ont., on Saturday afternoon, but were ultimately defeated 90-5 by the Queen’s University Gaels.

The Lions were able to get on the scoreboard thanks to Lauryn Alexander-Legerton, earning five points for the Lions, scoring her first try of the season.

With the win, the Gaels have secured second place in the Shiels Division and get a bye in the first round of playoffs. Leading the way for the Gaels was Nadia Papov with one try and eight conversions, and Sophie De Goede with two tries and two conversions. More details.

Big game against Waterloo on tap for Homecoming weekend

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions football team will look to rebound from consecutive loses when they host the University of Waterloo Warriors on Saturday for the annual Homecoming game.

Kick-off is set for 5 p.m. at Alumni Field and the game can also be seen online at OUA.tv.

The Lions have dropped two games in a row after beating the University of Windsor Lancers in Week 3 by a score of 29-22. They have had a pair of tough road games the last two weeks, visiting the No. 1 ranked Western University Mustangs in Week 4 and traveling to Ottawa to play the No. 8 ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gee’s last weekend. The Lions have played well against some of the top teams in the country this season, but head into Week 6 of the 2018 season with a 1-4 record and sit in ninth place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) standings.

The Lions receiving corps has been one of the bright spots for the team all season long and have proven they are capable of game-breaking plays. Leading the way is veteran Colton Hunchak, who despite missing the Week 4 game against the Mustangs, leads the OUA in receptions with 40 on the season. He’s also racked up 394 receiving yards on the season and has caught four of the team’s six touchdown passes on the year. Not far behind Hunchak is Eric Kimmerly, who has caught 22 passes for 209 yards on the season, followed by Alex Daley, who comes into Week 6 with 19 catches, 202 receiving yards, and one touchdown reception. Sophomore Luther Hakunavanhu has also stepped into a bigger role in the team’s offense this year, setting career-highs with 17 receptions and 205 yards half-way through the season. Hakunavanhu also caught the first touchdown pass of his career against Queen’s in Week 2.

While the Lions have struggled with consistency on defence at times this season, they’ve shown they are capable of holding top-ranked teams offences in check. In Week 1 they held the Queen’s University Gaels to 17 points in the first-half and followed that up only allowing 10 points in the first half to the University of Guelph Gryphons. They also held the Lancers, who had one of the top-ranked offences in the OUA coming into the game, to 22 points in their Week 3 win. Veteran defensive back Jacob Janke leads the Lions in tackles with 29.5 on the season and is tied for sixth in the OUA. Not far behind is linebacker Damian Jamieson, who ranks second on the team and 11th in the OUA with 25 tackles. Defensive end Tevin McCarty is also coming off his most productive game of the season, as he picked up two sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery against the Gee-Gee’s last week.

The Lions will face a Warriors team that sits in fourth place in the OUA standings with a 3-2 record. They will be looking to bounce back from a blowout loss to Western last week, that saw them lose by a final score of 67-7. While the Mustangs held Waterloo’s offence in check, the Warriors will still come into the game with one of the top-ranked offences in the league. They rank fifth in points per game (30.6) and are led by quarterback Tre Ford, arguably the top pivot in the OUA this season. Ford has completed 75.3 per cent of his passes and leads the OUA in yards passing (1687) and touchdown passes (16). His main target has been Tyler Ternowski who has caught 35 passes for an OUA-leading 786 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Defensively the Warriors have been a work in progress, allowing the most yards in the OUA per game at 504.6. They’ve been especially susceptible to the pass, allowing 386 yards per game in the air. With two high-powered offences matching up, the Homecoming game could be a high-scoring affair.

With a win against the Warriors, the Lions could put themselves in a position to challenge for a playoff spot. They have bye in Week 7, so they should be well-rested for the final two games of the season against the Carleton University Ravens and cross-town rival University of Toronto Varsity Blues. The Warriors will also be off in Week 7 and will return to action in Week 8 against the McMaster University Marauders.

The Homecoming game will feature many on-site promotions. Come early, the first 100 fans receive a York Lions caps! Also wear red and cheer loud all game for chances to win a “Rock Your Red,” “Best Seats” or “Fan of the Game” contests with great prizing from SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Wilson and the York Lions. Also join us pre-game as we celebrate our graduating athletes in an on-field ceremony and at halftime when we officially announce the name of our new York Lions mascot! The Pride Shop will be onsite selling the latest in Lions apparel.

Spot a YU Lion Contest

The York Lions new logo

The Kahunaverse street team is on the hunt for the new Lions logo! If you wear your newly branded YU Lions gear on the Keele Campus and are spotted by a Kahunaverse team member you could be entered to win one of ten special edition YU hoodies.

The draw will take place at the Homecoming football game against the University of Waterloo Warriors on Saturday, Sept. 29. At the game, there will be merchandise and food trucks onsite and the first 100 fans will receive a York Lions baseball camp.

Tickets are free for York students by showing your YU card and Faculty & Staff will receive a special $2.50 ticket price for the Homecoming game.

Wear your new York gear and you could win more York gear!

Weekend wrap: Lions start season with a win and a tie on opening weekend

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions field hockey team opened the 2018 season at home with a big win and a tie Sunday, defeating the McGill University Martlets 9-0 and tying 1-1 against the University of Guelph Gryphons.

Head Coach Zeeshan Minhas said before the season that he has high expectations for the predominately young squad and they did not disappoint. The Lions have started the season off strong with 10 goals in the first two games.

The Lions played their first game of the day against the University of Guelph Gryphons. Frankie St. Louis assisted rookie forward Chloe Walton’s goal in the 20th minute, her first goal as a York Lion, to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. The Gryphons reacted quickly evening the score in the 30th minute at 1-1. The Lions recorded three shots in the first half and four shots in the second. More details on the York Lions website.

Lions win streak moves to three games with victory over Badgers

York University’s women’s soccer team won their game on Sunday against the Brock University Badgers, the sixth-place team in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West division. The Lions, who played their second of three consecutive away games, beat the Badgers 2-0 at Brock’s Alumni Field.

It was Sia Papadopoulos who scored the two goals for York, both of which were assisted by midfielder Farkhunda Muhtaj. Papadopoulos scored the first goal at the 35th minute of the game and scored the second and final goal of the game at the 56th minute. Papadopoulos has been having a spectacular season after only appearing in six games last season as a result of injuries. She is currently ranked top 10 for the most goals in the OUA. More details.

York tops Brock 3-2 in Sunday afternoon road game

The York University men’s soccer team beat the Brock University Badgers 3-2 in an action-packed game at the Badger’s Alumni Field on Sunday, Sept. 16.

The Lions got off to a quick start and within the second minute of the game, York’s Maurizio Ragone scored the first goal against Brock’s goalkeeper Alexander May. The Badgers responded and in the 15th minute, Brock’s Alexander Makubuya also scored the team’s first goal of the game to tie the game 1-1. The Badgers scored another goal before the first half ended to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. More details.

Lions lose on road against number one ranked Mustangs

The York Lions traveled to London, Ont., on Saturday to take on the Western University Mustangs, who proved why they are the top-ranked team in the country, winning by a final score of 76-3.

The Mustangs started strong, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions to jump out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The Lions hung tough defensively though, stopping the Mustangs on their next possession, thanks to two big plays by the defensive line. Western was moving the ball down the field and into Lions territory until defensive end Rossini Sandjong-Djabome picked up a sack against Mustangs quarterback Chris Merchant for a five-yard loss on a first down play. On the very next play, rookie defensive lineman Kwadwo Boahen and Tevin McCarty combined for a sack on second down to force a Mustangs punt. More details.

Lions split with Gaels, drop matches to Mustangs in first action of 2018 season

The York University Lions tennis team took on the Queen’s University Gaels and Western Mustangs over the weekend in their first matches of the 2018 season.

On Saturday, the Lions men’s team opened the season with a win defeating the Gaels by a score of 8-1. They won five of six singles matches and all three doubles matches as they cruised to the victory.

The Lions rookies had a strong day as Tegbir Hara, Jeremy Guttman, Pierre Spender and Andrew Razaev all won their singles matches. Sophomore Karan Negi also won his match, picking up a straight sets 6-2, 6-4 victory. Hara and Guttman had particularly strong days for the Lions in their debuts and Hara also teamed with Razaev to win their doubles match 8-4. More details.

York Lions men’s hockey team set to embark on the Mark Cross HumboldtStrong Remembrance Tour

In memory of former Lions hockey player Mark Cross and all those affected by the tragic Humboldt Broncos team bus crash on April 6, the York Lions men’s hockey team will be travelling to Saskatchewan to participate in the Mark Cross HumboldtStrong Remembrance Tour, Sept. 20 to 23.

Cross spent five seasons with the Lions from 2011-16 and graduated with a degree in kinesiology and health science in 2016. He was one of the leaders in the Lions dressing room during his time with the team, serving as assistant captain for three seasons and was named team MVP for his fifth and final season with the team. Following his graduation, Cross returned to his hometown of Strasbourg, Sask., and coached midget hockey in Lumsden, Sask., for a year before being named an assistant coach with the Broncos for the 2017-18 season.

Lions’ men’s hockey alumnus Mark Cross was one of the casualties in the bus crash on Friday, April 6 involving the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

The Lions will play three games against teams from the CanWest conference as part of the tour and will also participate in a number of school visits, hockey clinics and community events.

“One of our main goals has been to find avenues where we can keep Mark Cross’ memory alive and find opportunities to tell others about Mark and how he made such an impact on all of us here at York,” said Lions head coach Russ Herrington. “We knew Mark was proud of his hometown and his home province, and he was always looking for ways to give back to those communities. We are incredibly honoured that the people of Strasbourg and Humboldt have been gracious enough to allow us to bring the Lions to their towns and let us give back in a way that we feel would make Mark proud.”

The Lions will play their first game of the tour on Thursday, Sept. 20 against the University of Regina in Lumsden, Sask. Cross grew up playing youth hockey in Lumsden and the game will serve as a fundraiser for the Mark Cross Memorial Sports Fund which was established in Strasbourg in honour of Cross’ memory.

For game two, the team will travel to Humboldt, Sask., where they will play the University of Calgary on Friday, Sept. 21 at the Elgar Petersen Arena, the Broncos home rink. All proceeds from this game will go towards the HumboldtStrong Community Foundation.

Since Cross was so involved with the Broncos and because of his strong connection to York University,  the Lions had been actively recruiting several of the Humboldt Broncos players to play at York for the 2018-19 season, including Logan Schatz and Conner Lukan who were killed in the accident. In May, the Lions announced the commitment of forward Kaleb Dahlgren, one of the surviving Broncos players, to attend York for the 2018-19 school year.

“We became close with the Broncos organization as a result of Mark’s involvement as an assistant coach and the recruitment of Kaleb, Logan and Conner,” said Herrington. “We are excited to skate on the same ice and play in front of the Humboldt fans as they did, and we truly appreciate the Humboldt community allowing us the opportunity to play this game for them.”

The final game of the tour comes on Sunday, Sept. 23, when the Lions will play the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in Saskatoon. The Lions are working to partner with the Huskies in additional fundraising initiatives and will hopefully play the game in the Huskies brand new arena.

Shortly after the accident York University’s Athletics & Recreation established a fund in Cross’ honour, with the department pledging to match dollar for dollar the first $50,000 in donations. So far, the fund has raised close to $60,000 in donations and the University is working closely with the Cross family to find the most appropriate way to use those funds to honour Cross’ memory at York.

“We were all deeply saddened by the tragic bus crash involving the Humboldt Bronco’s and we have made it a priority to do whatever we can to help aid in the healing process,” said Jennifer Myers, Executive Director of Athletics & Recreation. “We still feel the loss of Mark every day but are incredibly grateful we could put together this tour to honour Mark’s legacy and support the family, friends, and communities affected by the crash.”

The men’s hockey team created an award named in honour of Cross’ memory. The Mark Cross Heart of a Lion Award will be presented to a player who best exemplifies the spirit of Mark through the characteristics of character, respect, optimism, sacrifice and selflessness (CROSS) each season. The Lions players and staff will be making presentations to community groups about the CROSS characteristics throughout the tour.

“While it is important for our players to get the chance to play three top notch Canada West opponents, this trip is obviously about much more than that,” said Herrington. “As a team, we are mainly focused on the opportunities we have to make an impact in Mark’s honour through our appearances and fundraising efforts for the Mark Cross Memorial Sports Fund and the HumboldtStrong Community Foundation.  We are privileged and extremely thankful to have the support of Mark’s family, his girlfriend Molly and York Varsity Athletics to honour Mark’s legacy in this fashion.”

The Lions are still accepting donations from corporations or individuals to assist in covering the expenses involved with this tour. For those interested in supporting the trip to remember Mark Cross and assist in the healing process of the hockey community in Saskatchewan, visit www.giving.yorku.ca/hockeytour for further information.

The tour would not have been possible without the generous donations already made by lead sponsor Conexus Credit Union, additional sponsors Roy Foss Woodbridge, Sauce Hockey and Adidas as well as assistance from Charlie’s Charters, the Pioneer Hotel, Johnny’s Bistro and the Home Inn & Suites locations in both Regina and Saskatoon.

Weekend wrap: Lions’ strong start carries them to first win of 2018 against Lancers

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions notched their first victory of the 2018 season at home on Friday night, as they picked up a 29-22 win against the University of Windsor Lancers. The Lions started strong, scoring the first 21 points of the game, and their defence pushed back in the second half to secure the victory and take their record to 1-2 on the season.

After an opening drive by Windsor resulted in a missed field goal by Lancers kicker Clark Green, Lions ace return specialist Alex Daley ran back the missed kick 75 yards to give the Lions good field position on the Windsor 40-yard line. York opened the scoring a few plays later on a one-yard touchdown plunge by running back Kayden Johnson to give the Lions a 7-0 lead. More details on the York Lions website.

Lions defeat Mustangs to even their record at 1-1 on the season

The York University Lions women’s rugby team won their first game of the season Saturday night with a 33-19 victory over the University of Western Mustangs in their second and final home game of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) regular season.

After battling for 11 minutes, Megan Pakulis scored the first try of the game, followed by Natasha Naismith adding her first of three conversions to give the Lions a 7-0 lead.

The Lions continued to control the play as their second try came in the 24th minute of play, courtesy of Brittany Ediagbonya, while Naismith added her second conversion to increase the score to 14-0. The Mustangs reacted quickly, cutting into the Lions’ lead in the 38th minute with a try by Veronica Harrigan and convert by Lexi Smith to bring the score to 14-7 at the half. More details.

Town brings home silver medal at FISU World Championships

Women’s wrestler Alexandria Town ended her university career in style on Friday as she won the silver medal at the FISU World University Wrestling championships in the 57-kilogram weight class.

Town won her opening match of the competition against Jowita Wrzisen of Poland by a close 10-8 score. She was defeated by eventual gold medallist Ramona Galambos of Hungary via pin (6-4) in her second match, but rebounded to dominate Aleksandra Andreeva of Russia by a score of 10-0 in her third and final match to claim the silver medal. More details. 

Lions bounce back against Laurier, score 1-0 win in Frosh Frenzy game

The York University Lions women’s soccer team redeemed themselves against the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks on Thursday, Sept. 6 at Alumni Field during the annual Frosh Frenzy game. In front of a packed house where all of York’s colleges enthusiastically cheered on the Lions, they won 1-0 against the Golden Hawks, bouncing back their 2-1 loss against Laurier last week.

The Lions kept the pressure against the Hawks throughout the first half of the game. They provided most of the scoring chances in the first half with 10 shots, which greatly outweighed Laurier, who fired three at the Lions’ net. More details.

The following night, the women’s soccer team won their second game of the week as they beat the McMaster University Marauders with a 1-0 win in Hamilton, Ont.

It was York’s Jessica Lush who scored the only goal of the game early in the sixth minute of the first half at Ron Joyce Stadium.

Lush, who also scored the only goal for York in their previous game against the Laurier Golden Hawks, has now gone back-to-back games with the game-winning goal for the Lions. More details.

 Lions shut out Laurier in second straight game

The York University Lions men’s soccer team took on the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks for the second straight game and came out with almost the same result as they won 3-0 in front of York’s engaging Frosh Frenzy crowd. The Lions beat the Golden Hawks on the road in their last game by a score of 4-0.

Prior to kickoff, the 2017 Lions men’s soccer team, who won the OUA championships last season, was recognized in a pre-game ceremony. Former athletes Jonathan Lao, DeVante Walker, Andrew D’Souza and Joey Cichillo all returned for the occasion and watched as the 2017 OUA championships banner was revealed above the press box before the game. More details.

On Friday night, the men’s soccer team tied their game against the McMaster University Marauders at the Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton, Ont., with a final score of 1-1.

Midfielder Emmanuel Zambazis, who had an assist in York’s last game against the Laurier Golden Hawks, was able to score York’s only goal of the game, his first in a Lions uniform. More details.