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Year in Review 2019: Top headlines at York University, April to June

As a new year emerges, YFile takes a look back on 2019 to share with readers a snapshot of the year’s highlights. “Year in Review” will run as a four-part series and will feature a random selection of top news stories published in YFile. Here are the stories and highlights for April to June 2019, as chosen by YFile editors.

April

Governor General Julie Payette presented the Order of Canada to Hédi Bouraoui

Professor Hédi Bouraoui invested as a member of the Order of Canada
Professor Hédi Bouraoui, York University’s writer in residence, was formally invested as a member of the Order of Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on March 14. Bouraoui was recognized for his tremendous body of work and tireless advocacy for French-language literature.

York professor, students earn awards for leading trauma research
York University psychology Professor Robert T. Muller and three students in the Trauma & Attachment Lab were recognized at the 36th annual meeting of the International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation (ISSTD) with two distinct awards for their work in trauma research.

York University chemists invent new Lewis acidity test using fluorescence
York University chemists have invented a new fluorescence-based method for accurately determining the strength of a range of Lewis acids, which could one day be used to help purify pharmaceutical drugs, improve industrial processes and explore next-generation technologies, according to a new study.

York University announces nine York Research Chair appointments
Nine emerging and established researchers across the University joined the York Research Chairs (YRC) program, York University’s internal counterpart to the national Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program, which recognizes outstanding researchers. The appointed YRCs belong to the sixth cohort of researchers to be appointed since the establishment of the program in 2015.

May

Researchers win $1.89M grant to search for AI solution to infant pain assessment
A team of York University researchers led by psychology Professor Rebecca Pillai Riddell, associate vice-president research and the director of the Opportunities to Understand Childhood Hurt (O.U.C.H.) Lab, was awarded a $1.5-million grant to study preterm infants’ subjective experiences of pain, despite their inability to speak.

York researchers to lead five-year project addressing youth and teen dating violence
Professor Sara Flicker, Faculty of Environmental Studies, and Professor Jen Gilbert, Faculty of Education, received $954,220 over five years to support a project aimed at preventing teen dating violence by teaching new skills with a focus on increasing awareness and understanding of healthy relationships.

Five York grad students receive prestigious Vanier Scholarships
Five PhD students from York University have been named Vanier Scholars and will receive support from the Government of Canada to pursue their cutting-edge research. Valued at $50,000 per year for three years during doctoral studies, the 2019 Vanier Graduate Scholarship is awarded to graduate students who demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences and/or humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering, and health.

Photo by Raffaele Camasta
A male hooded warbler in the Boyer Woodlot at York’s Keele Campus (image: Raffaele Camasta)

Rare songbird makes migration pit stop at York’s Keele Campus
Billions of tiny songbirds, some weighing as little as two loonies, undertook an arduous journey this past spring. These birds left their wintering grounds in the tropics and raced thousands of kilometres to their Canadian breeding grounds. Some, including rare species, stopped at York University’s woodlots.

June

York’s Merv Mosher recognized for decades-long contribution to volleyball
Merv Mosher was inducted into the Ontario Volleyball Hall of Fame on June 1. A long-serving faculty member in York University’s Faculty of Health, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Mosher received recognition as one of the leading volleyball coaches in Canadian history.

York PhD candidate breaking down taboos surrounding sexuality after spinal cord injury
Changing lives for the better is a core focus for Jacqueline Kathnelson, a fourth-year PhD student in Kinesiology and Health Sciences. Kathnelson is researching the psychosocial needs associated with men’s sexuality following spinal cord injury.

The recipients of the 2018 President’s Staff Recognition Awards

President’s Staff Recognition Awards shine light on exceptional York employees
More than 150 members of the York University community gathered on June 5 to celebrate some of the University’s most dedicated, hard-working and enthusiastic staff members during the annual President’s Staff Recognition Awards.

2019 President’s University-Wide Teaching Award recipients celebrated during convocation
Four York University faculty members who have significantly enhanced the quality of learning and have demonstrated innovation in teaching were  recognized during the 2019 Spring Convocation ceremonies with a President’s University-Wide Teaching Award: Professors Russ Patrick Alcedo, Nicolette Richardson, Alistair Mapp and teaching assistant Mohamed Abdelhamid.

Check back in the next edition of YFile for Year in Review 2019: Top headlines at York University, July to September.

Weekend wrap: Women’s hockey Lions put six past No. 7 Nipissing for second straight win

Lions logo
York U Lions

In what was a thriller of a mid-season finale, the York University Lions women’s hockey team defeated the No. 7 nationally ranked Nipissing University Lakers 6-3 at home on Saturday night (Nov. 30) in front of a packed crowd during the Annual Varsity Holiday Social.

The Lions vibrant presence was most evident in the final period of the game when there were a total of six goals scored between both the Lions and the Lakers. The Lions were leading 2-1 by the beginning of the frame before both teams loaded up on the offensive ends. More details on the York Lions website.

After a couple of tough weekends, the Lions bounced back in dominating fashion to drop the Laurentian University Voyageurs 4-0 at Canlan Ice Sports the night before.

Following a scoreless first period, Lions forward Kara Washer got the Lions on the board on the power play after a cross checking penalty. The goal was assisted by Brooke Anderson and Caroline Eagles. Five minutes later, the home team doubled their lead thanks to Tayler Murphy after a quick pass from Washer, putting the Lions up 2-0 at the end of the second.  More details.

Straight sets sweep gives men’s volleyball Lions fourth win of the season over Paladins

On Friday, the York University Lions men’s volleyball team defeated the Royal Military College (RMC) Paladins in a 3-0 sweep to end their final game of calendar year at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

In the first set, the Lions came out with a service ace from Aleksander Grzegorczyk. They continued to widen their lead with a kill from Andriy Sozanskyy, followed by a kill from Andrew Shotbolt. The Paladins got a kill of their own from Justin Benoit, but the Lions answered back with another kill, this time from Andrew Tauhid. Dan Everton scored an excellent service ace to widen the lead, followed by a quick kill from Shotbolt and a kill from Tauhid to close the first set 25-16.  More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions end fall schedule with 3-0 sweep over Paladins

On Friday, the York University Lions women’s volleyball team swept the Royal Military College (RMC) Paladins 3-0 at home at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The Lions came out hard in the first set as they dominated the scoreboard early with a block from Ottawa native Wesley-Ann Bailey followed by back-to-back service aces from Tara Leithead and led for the majority. Sarah Williams scored a quick kill against the Paladins, closing the first set 25-12. More details.

25-point margin gives women’s basketball Lions win over Thunderwolves

The York University Lions women’s basketball team beat the Lakehead University Thunderwolves 82-57 on Saturday night to finish off their final game of 2019.

York’s Megan MacLeod had a stellar game, matching her season-high with 20 points against the Thunderwolves. Two of her teammates were also able to score in the double-digit range, Katrina Collins-Samuels with 19 points and Lauren Golding with 14. More details.

The Lions faced the Thunderwolves twice on the weekend. The first game did not go in their favour as they fell by one point, 67-66 at CJ Sanders Fieldhouse.

The Lions came out aggressive in the opening frame, with three pointers from MacLeod and Megan Stewart to give the visitors an early 13-9 lead. Golding scored six straight points to open the second quarter. Stewart and MacLeod continued to pour in shots, only extending the Lions lead in the frame going into halftime up 33-26. More details.

Track and field Lions win five medals at Xmas Open meet

The York University Lions track and field team won five medals at its annual Xmas Open meet at the Toronto Track and Field Centre on Saturday.

Leading the way was Lions newcomer Holly Taylor, who spent two seasons in the NCAA before transferring to York. She won gold medals in both throwing events, finishing first in the weight throw with a distance of 16.30m and in the shot put with a throw of 12.19m. She is currently ranked No. 1 in the weight throw in U SPORTS.

Also claiming a gold medal was rookie middle distance runner Abdullahi Abdullahi, who crossed the finish line first in the 1000m with a time of 2:47.1. More details.

Late goals lift Warriors over men’s hockey Lions on the road

The York University Lions men’s hockey team suffered a narrow 4-3 loss to the University of Waterloo Warriors at Columbia Ice Fields on Friday night.

It was an action-packed first period that featured four goals overall with 10 different players registering points. The Lions got off to an early lead with back-to-back goals in the first half of the opening frame. Dylan Riley got the visitors going early with an early goal assisted by Morgan Messenger and David D’Agostino. 9:55 into the frame, Braydon Buziak doubled their lead thanks to quick passes from D’Agostino and Riley.

The Warriors answered back with two goals in the span of two minutes, with the second coming just thirty seconds shy of the intermission to knot the score at 2-2. More details.

On Thursday night, the Lions fell on the road to the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks by a 5-2 score in Waterloo, Ont. The Golden Hawks opened the scoring early with an unassisted goal by Danny Hanlon less than two minutes into the opening period. York would equalize before the first intermission off a power-play goal from Buziak assisted by Alex Mowbray and Jeremy Lucchini to make the score 1-1. More details.

Late free throws clinch game as men’s basketball Lions fall to Thunderwolves on the road

It was a tight battle in Thunder Bay, Ont., as the York University Lions men’s basketball team fell to the No. 6 nationally ranked Lakehead University Thunderwolves 85-83 at the CJ Sanders Fieldhouse on Friday night.

The first quarter was a neck-and-neck battle with both sides fighting for an early lead. A pair of guards in MJ Forbes and Alex Thielen kept the Lions in the fight early on with late baskets and crucial rebounds closing out the quarter down 18-17. More details.

The following night the two squads faced off again, with the Thunderwolves rolling to a 91-63 victory. The Thunderwolves raced to an early lead against the Lions 16-8 in the first quarter, but the Lions began to find their footing as the second progressed. After a pair of jump shots from Nick Russell, the Lions cut the deficit to five with the score at 24-19.  More details.

Lions football player Jacob Janke wins U SPORTS Russ Jackson Award, named all-Canadian

York University Lions football player Jacob Janke was named the recipient of the U SPORTS Russ Jackson Award on Nov. 21 as the national award winners and all-Canadians were celebrated at the annual Vanier Cup gala.

Janke is the first-ever York recipient of the national award, which is given to the football player who best exemplifies the attributes of academic achievement, football skill and citizenship. He also earned second-team all-Canadian honours after a tremendous season on the field. He is the first York football player to win a U SPORTS major award since Jeff Johnson was the rookie of the year in 1996, and he is the first all-Canadian since 2004.

Jacob Janke receiving the U SPORTS Russ Jackson Award from Russ Jackson

On the field, Janke achieved Ontario University Athletics (OUA) first team all-star honours thanks to a breakthrough season in which he racked up 34 total tackles, four tackles for losses, two forced fumbles, once sack, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups. His array of skills caught the eye of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who selected him in the fourth round (35th overall) in the 2019 CFL Draft.

Beyond the sidelines, Janke is a true leader for the Lions program. He is the co-founder of Tiny Strides, a non-profit organization that he and three teammates launched to service underprivileged youth in the community. Janke credits football with enabling him to get to where he is and he is passionate about his belief that sport can help children reach their potential. With Tiny Strides, he is ensuring that kids in need will have the same opportunities that he was afforded. The grassroots organization offers financial assistance for registration fees and equipment, in addition to providing a mentorship program where Janke serves as a relatable role model for children.

In the summer of 2019, he spent a week working with almost 200 kids at a Toronto refugee shelter, introducing them to sport-specific programming to help them deal with the upheaval they had experienced. Janke still visits the children and Tiny Strides was able to host 100 of them at York homes games this season. The organization has also put on football clinics with the York Region Lions, a local junior football program, in addition to offering a free football day for children to experience the sport. Janke has done speaking engagements and is constantly working on fundraising projects that enable Tiny Strides to make an impact in the community.

“Jacob is the epitome of what we want our York Lions football players to be like. He excels in all three pillars of the core of what a student-athlete should be,” said York head coach Warren Craney. “He is a three-time team captain, a dominant free safety, a diligent student with a clear focus on his future career path and a tremendous role model for youth in our community. I am confident he will be successful whether he is on the field with the Saskatchewan Roughriders or in an office on Bay Street. I am so proud of him.”

The Lions’ veteran doesn’t allow the massive commitment to football and philanthropy to negatively affect his work in the classroom. Janke is a commerce major specializing in finance. He has already completed three summer internships at the Bay Street firm Waypoint Investment Partners, where he has served as a public equity analyst. Janke has continued to work with the company in a part-time capacity throughout the school year, showing the enduring work ethic that is mandatory for any Russ Jackson Award winner.

Dahlgren’s Diabeauties game raises awareness and funds for JDRF

Above: From left, Guelph Gryphon player Matt Kenney, three youth who are part of the Diabeauties program, and Kaleb Dahlgren

It was a special day at Canlan Ice Sports this past Saturday as York University Lions men’s hockey player Kaleb Dahlgren hosted the third annual Dahlgren’s Diabeauties game while his squad hosted the Guelph Gryphons in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) regular-season action.

From left, Guelph Gryphon player Brendan Cregan, three youth who are part of the Diabeauties program, and York Lions player Kaleb Dahlgren

Dahlgren, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of four, has since become a major advocate for those with the illness by becoming a national ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and created the Diabeauties program to mentor children who suffer from the disease.

On Saturday, he was joined by four Diabeauties who got to participate in the on-ice festivities with him and had the chance to talk to him about living with diabetes. He also welcomed players from the HEROS Hockey program, where he volunteers weekly, and the Peewee AA Caledon Hawks hockey team, and had a meet-and-greet in the second period so he could connect with the children.

In addition to raising awareness of the disease, the event raised funds for JDRF, collecting a total of $350 from donations.

“I have so many people to thank for the success of the event,” Dahlgren said following the game. “Thank you to all who came out, donated and supported Dahlgren’s Diabeauties to raise awareness for diabetes. Thank you to the York Lions varsity staff for making this event spectacular, and Wild Wing for giving pregame meal gift certificates to the Diabeauty families. A special thank you to the men’s hockey program for being behind me and allowing me the opportunity to continue this program every year.”

Dahlgren, who is not yet cleared for contact while recovering from several serious injuries suffered in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, was able to participate in the warm-ups and took the ceremonial face-off with former Bronco Matt Kenney, who plays for the Gryphons. He also got to meet Guelph goaltender Brendan Cregan, himself a Type 1 diabetic.

Since 2017, 15 children ranging in ages from 6 to 15 years have officially been part of the Dahlgren’s Diabeauties program, with many more affected by Dahlgren’s work due to his involvement with JDRF and his presence at various Diabetes Canada Camps as a volunteer or special guest.

Weekend wrap: Women’s volleyball Lions stretch win streak to three with victory over Western Mustangs

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team took their fourth win of the season after they beat the Western University Mustangs, the No. 2 team in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West Division, in a 3-1 game on Friday night, extending their winning streak to three.

Western was the first team to get on the scoreboard during the first set. York’s Olivia Kim was able to put a stop to Western’s attempt at a second point with her first kill of the game. She then served six times in a row to help give the Lions to a 7-1 lead. More details on the Lions website. 

On Saturday, the Lions fell 3-2 to the University of Windsor Lancers on the road at the St. Dennis Centre.

The Lions came out strong, gaining the opening point with a kill from Kim. The Lions continued to lead until the Lancers gained three points from a serve ace and an error from the Lions. The swing in momentum gave the Lancers the edge to finish the first set 25-19 and continued to the second with a score of 25-21. More details.

Early lead comes undone as men’s hockey Lions fall to Waterloo Warriors 3-2

The York University Lions men’s hockey team lost 3-2 to the University of Waterloo Warriors during their action-packed Saturday night game at Canlan.

The last eight seconds of the game saw the most action. The Lions, who were down by one goal, pulled goaltender Cole Ceci and brought on an extra man to try to tie the game. With seconds remaining, the Lions were awarded a penalty shot after it was ruled that Waterloo goaltender Trevor Martin knocked the net. More details.

The night before, the Lions were defeated 2-1 by the Brock University Badgers at Canlan Ice Sports. In the opening minutes of the Friday night game, Benjamin Evanish had a great shot on net, but Badgers goalie Mario Cavaliere saved the shot.

The Lions did not let up as they continued to attack the net with another shot from defence player David D’Agostino but saved again by Cavaliere. The Badgers started to put pressure on the Lions, but the first period ended with 0-0. More details.

Fourth quarter surge falls short as women’s basketball Lions defeated by No. 3 nationally ranked Ravens

The York University Lions women’s basketball team suffered a 57-53 defeat against the No. 3 nationally ranked Carleton University Ravens away at the Raven’s Nest in Ottawa on Saturday night.

Both teams played hard at the start, but the Lions came out hot gaining the lead early in the quarter. Emma Jonas helped the Lions pull away by dropping a three-pointer, followed by a layup from Megan MacLeod and a three from Lauren Golding. The Lions offence dominated as they closed the first quarter, 12-8. More details.

On Friday night, the Lions lost 57-49 to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees in the nation’s capital.

York started off leading the Gee-Gees 14-11 in the first quarter. MacLeod was able to drop six of those points. In the second quarter of the game, the Gee-Gees took the quarter by two points, finishing with 14 to York’s 12. By the end of the first half of the game, the Lions were leading by one point with the score at 25-24. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions fall to Lancers on the road 3-1

On Saturday, the York University Lions men’s volleyball team fell on the road to the University of Windsor Lancers 3-1.

Both teams came out hard in the first set. The Lancers scored first with a kill from Dami Alalade, but the Lions followed up with points of their own with a kill from Aleksander Grzegorczyk. The score remained neck and neck until the Lions started to fall back with two more kills from Alalade and one from Pierce Johnson. The Lancers maintained the lead ending the first set 25-20. More details.

On Friday night, the Lions took a loss to the Western University Mustangs, falling 3-0 in game sets that saw no more than a seven-point difference between both teams.

The Mustangs took the first set against the Lions by a score of 25-21. The Lions doubled in kills against the Mustangs with 14 kills to the Mustangs’ seven. More details.

Late goals afflict women’s hockey Lions and they fall in overtime to Rams

A trio of late goals decided the game, as the No. 8 nationally ranked York University Lions women’s hockey team fell 3-2 in overtime against the Ryerson University Rams at the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Saturday afternoon.

Three minutes into overtime, Rams forward Lauren Nicholson notched her second goal of the game on a power-play, shooting the puck from the point past two Rams forwards screening Lions goaltender Lauren Dubie, to steal the win. More details.

A pair of nationally ranked teams battled it out on Thursday, as the Lions were defeated on the road by the No. 3 ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues 2-0 at Varsity Arena.

Penalties plagued the Lions throughout the game as both Blues goals came off of power-play opportunities. Late in the first period, Blues defender Kana Headrick found herself with open ice and fired a shot left side to put her team up one. More details.

Men’s basketball Lions fall to No. 1 Carleton Ravens and No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees on the road

The York University Lions men’s basketball team dropped a pair of games against nationally ranked opponents in the nation’s capital last weekend.

The team fell to the No. 3 University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 100-75 on Friday. Prince Kamunga led the team with 22 points and 10 rebounds in 19 minutes of action. More details.

On Saturday the team lost to No. 1 Carleton University Ravens 129-44. DeAndrae Pierre led the Lions with eight points and two assists. More details.

Weekend wrap: Women’s basketball Lions defeat No. 5 Rams to gain three-game win streak

Lions logo
York U Lions

On Saturday, Nov. 16, the York University Lions women’s basketball team defeated the No. 5 nationally ranked Ryerson University Rams at the Tait McKenzie Centre 67-52, giving them a three-game win streak.

The first quarter was off to a good start, but the game didn’t pick up until the second with the Lions up 12-10. The Lions defence began to falter with the Rams gaining the lead for the first time in the game by just a basket. More details on the York Lions website.

One day earlier, and after a hard-fought battle in downtown Toronto, the Lions came away with a 52-47 win over the University of Toronto Varsity Blues at the Goldring Centre in their Friday matinee.

With minutes left in the fourth quarter, the score remained tied 47-47 but that would be the limit of the Blues scoring as the Lions went on a five-point run to close out the match. Driving past her defender at the top of the key, Katrina Collins-Samuels drew two Blues defenders on to her dribble and found a wide open Cyanna King in the paint who put her side up by two. More details.

Wrestlers Nguyen, Agard win silver medals at York Open

York University Lions wrestlers Paul Nguyen and Bailey Agard won silver medals in their weight classes at the annual York Open at the Tait McKenzie Centre on Sunday, Nov. 17.

Agard’s podium finish in the 51kg division helped the Lions finish in third place among OUA schools in the team standings, while the men finished in fourth place thanks in large part to the strong showing by Nguyen in the 57kg weight class. More details.

Second straight sweep gives women’s volleyball Lions third win of the season

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team picked up their third win of the season as they beat the Trent University Excalibur 3-0 Saturday evening.

The Lions swept all three sets. They took the first set with a score of 25-7 and a total of 10 kills. The Excalibur were able to add a little bit more pressure to their game in the second set as they added eight more points than their first set; however, the Lions were still able to take the 25-15 win. In the third and final set of the game the Lions once again finished ahead of the home team, beating them 25-14. More details.

On Friday, the Lions got back into the win column with a 3-0 sweep over the McMaster University Marauders at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

In the first set, the Lions came out strong and took control early gaining five points in a row. Two kills from Sarah Williams, a kill from Olivia Kim, followed by a Marauders service error and an attack error helped the Lions pull away with the lead. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions drop Excalibur 3-1 on the road

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team beat the Trent University Excalibur 3-1 on Saturday evening.

The game started off with the Lions taking the first set to a close 25-21 win. The Excalibur redeemed themselves in the second as they beat York by two points, taking the 25-23 win and tying the series 1-1. However, York was able to pick up where they started and took the final sets; the third with a 25-17 score and the fourth and final with a 25-19 win. More details.

The day before, the Lions suffered a loss to the No. 4 nationally ranked McMaster University Marauders in straight sets. In the first set the Marauders opened the scoring with a series of eight points and continued by matching the Lions point-for-point thereafter, taking the first set 25-12. More details.

Comeback falls short for men’s hockey Lions after 3-2 loss to No. 6 Blues

The comeback fell short for the York University Lions men’s hockey team as they fell to the No. 6 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues 3-2 during their Thursday matinee on the road.

Scoring came early for the Blues after forward Joey Manchurek capitalized on a power play only 7:44 into the first period to put the home side up 1-0. Manchurek would double his scoring and Toronto’s lead seven minutes later, tipping teammate Riley Bruce’s point shot past Lions goaltender Mack Shields to head into the first intermission up 2-0. More details.

On Saturday, Jeremy Lucchini netted a hat trick but it was not enough in a 6-3 defeat to the University of Guelph Gryphons. The Gryphons opened up the first period scoring two back-to-back goals just under the first three minutes of the game. Lucchini scored an unassisted goal on a power play to give the Lions their first goal of the game. The Lions finished the period one goal behind the Gryphons, who led 2-1. More details.

Women’s hockey Lions suffer loss to Warriors, snapping seven-game win streak

The No. 6 nationally ranked York University Lions women’s hockey team fell to the University of Waterloo Warriors 4-1 at home on Friday night, snapping their seven-game win streak.

The Warriors got on the board early in the second period after a quiet first. Selena Dirven broke the deadlock off an assist from Warriors forward Brooklyn Cole. The Lions, however, had plenty of chances of their own on shot attempts from fourth-year Taylor Davison and forward Courtney Gardiner, but the Warriors managed to keep their lead. More details.

The Lions dropped both of their weekend games, also falling to the University of Windsor Lancers by a 5-1 score on Sunday. The Lancers started off attacking the Lions’ net as soon as the puck dropped, which resulted in them getting their first goal 10 seconds into the game. The Lions then attempted to answer their opponent’s opening goal throughout the period firing a total of 11 shots on goal. More details.

Men’s basketball Lions fall to Rams at home

On Saturday, the York University Lions men’s basketball team suffered a 93-63 defeat against the Ryerson University Rams at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The Lions came out hard in the first two periods as they kept the score neck and neck with the Rams for the majority until Lions Liam Rietschin scored two free throws to give his side the lead at the end of the first quarter 17-16. More details.

As part of their weekend schedule, the Lions also fell to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday afternoon 95-81 at the Goldring Centre.

The Lions started off hot, leading 10-5 four minutes into the first quarter. Centre Dusan Prelo got his side going, followed by a pair of Prince Kamunga free-throws and back-to-back layups from DeAndrae Pierre. The two sides exchanged baskets for much of the first, but the Blues would take an early lead off of four made three-pointers, to end the quarter 32-21. More details.

Weekend wrap: Men’s soccer Lions score late, defeat Thunderbirds to finish fifth at U SPORTS championships

Lions logo
York U Lions

An goal in minute 84 by Jon Alec Duenas was all the York University Lions men’s soccer team needed to record a 1-0 victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the fifth-place match at the 2019 U SPORTS Men’s Soccer Championships in Montreal.

Duenas’ goal came at the end of a pretty passing play that began with Merci Yuma. He passed the ball to his right to Gianfranco Gileppo, who then sent it towards the front of the net. The ball just missed the foot of Milan Beader right in front of the goalkeeper, but Duenas was coming up the far side and easily tapped it in for the lone goal of the game. More details on the York Lions website.

A day earlier, three goals in an 18-minute span was just enough for the men’s soccer team to defeat the University of Calgary Dinos by a 3-2 score in their consolation semifinal match.

Trailing 1-0 at the half, the Lions began applying significant pressure when the second half began and controlled play for large stretches of time. They were finally rewarded in the 61st minute. More details.

On Thursday night, the Université de Montréal Carabins took their first step towards defending their national title with a 2-0 victory over the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) finalist men’s soccer team in front of more than 1,500 boisterous fans.

The Lions dropped to the consolation side of the draw for the fourth straight year while the Carabins were still in the running for their second straight banner. More details.

Women’s soccer Lions fall to Carabins 2-0 in consolation semifinal

The York University Lions women’s soccer team fell to the Université de Montréal Carabins 2-0 on Friday in their consolation semifinal at the 2019 U SPORTS championship in Victoria.

The first half featured plenty of back-and-forth action between the two sides. The Lions’ best attempt in the frame came in the 39th minute off a trademark Jotam Chouhan free-kick that was desperately saved by Carabins keeper Catherine Langelier. More details.

On Thursday morning, the Lions fell to the Acadia University Axewomen 2-1 in their U SPORTS championship quarter-final matchup in Victoria.

Kendra Saxton got the scoring going early for the Lions after she tapped in a beautiful through pass from midfielder Vanessa Salvaggio that cut through the defence in the ninth minute. Despite the lead, the first half remained tense with the Axewomen refusing to go away, but the Lions headed into halftime up 1-0. More details.

Cross country Lions close out season with tough conditions at U SPORTS championship

The York University Lions cross country team battled tough conditions, as well as the nation’s best, as they competed at the 2019 U SPORTS championship in Kingston, Ont., on Saturday morning.

It was the first national appearance for the squad in 15 seasons, and on the heels of their top-10 finish at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship, the team looked poised to add more success to their year.

First-year Lions runner Carmen Krawczynski Gonzalez led the way for her squad as she has all season, placing 89th overall in the 8km distance running 31:10. She finished 13th among all U SPORTS rookies, as well as 36th against OUA competitors – better than her 39th place finish at the OUA championship, all while dropping her personal best by 16 seconds. More details.

Women’s hockey Lions win seventh straight game with 4-2 victory over Mustangs

On Saturday, the No. 7 nationally ranked York University Lion’s Women’s hockey team defeated the Western Mustangs with a score of 4-2 at the Canlan Ice Arena.

The Lions came out strong, playing incredible offence and even better defence. In the first five minutes of the game, Tayler Murphy had a fantastic wrist shot that just went wide of the net – followed by an incredible defensive play by Kelsey McHolm. Mustangs’ forward Sydnee Baker went on a breakaway that was swiftly stopped by Lauren Dubie. More details.

On Thursday, the women’s hockey team beat the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks by a massive 4-1 margin at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.

Murphy opened the game with a goal assisted by captain Erin Locke and Caroline Eagles. Their first goal was soon followed by a second, this time from third-year forward Ellen Donaldson, assisted by Leah Hibbert and Madison Davey. Laurier was then able to get a goal with minutes remaining in the first period, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period. More details.

Women’s basketball Lions triumph over Warriors 84-72 for third win of season

On Sunday, the York University Lions women’s basketball team picked up their third win of the season against the University of Waterloo Warriors 84-72 at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The Lions came out hard in the first quarter, causing a lot of turnovers and gaining fouls. The Lions saw even scoring from their line-up – Katrina Collins-Samuels led the team with five points in the quarter, while Cyanna King poured in four of her own. Megan Stewart and Jada Codrington each dropped a three-pointer ending the first 19-17 for the Lions. More details.

On Wednesday night, the Lions were narrowly defeated by the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks 52-51, at home.

In the final minute of the game, both teams jostled for the win, but a Lions’ foul allowed the Golden Hawks to take the game with two free throws in the dying minutes.

In the first quarter, the Lions came out roaring scoring six points in a row from Emma Jonas, Collins-Samuels and Alysha Pinck. They took control of the game early, keeping the Golden Hawks at bay, finishing the first quarter up 14-6. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions defeat Badgers in five sets

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team beat the Brock University Badgers 3-2 on Saturday afternoon, giving the Lions their second win of the season.

It was the fifth set that secured the win for the Lions. The Badgers opened up with four points in a row, taking an early 4-0 lead. York’s Andrew Shotbolt shot down the Badgers’ streak by throwing down a kill, finally putting the Lions on the scoreboard. By the mid-way point, the Badgers were leading 8-6. More details.

Come back falls short for men’s basketball Lions in loss against Waterloo

On Sunday, the York University Lions men’s basketball team suffered a narrow loss to the University of Waterloo Warriors 70-69 at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

Both teams came out hard playing strong, resulting in a tie score early in the quarter. Prince Kamunga blocked, forced a turnover and scored a basket to help the Lions take an early lead, ending the first 21-13. More details.

On Wednesday night, the men’s basketball team fell to the No. 7 nationally ranked Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks 92-84 at Tait McKenzie Centre.

The Lions came out strong, gaining the lead early over the Golden Hawks with points from DeAndrae Pierre, Kamunga and Somto Dimanochie. The Golden Hawks were quick on their tails, scoring baskets of their own from Kemel Archer and a three-pointer from Ali Sow to take the lead. The teams were neck and neck in the first quarter and ended it tied 23-23. More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions fall to No. 7 Badgers after hard-fought game

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team lost 3-1 to the No. 7 nationally ranked Brock University Badgers on Saturday afternoon after a hard-fought game.

The Lions started off very strong, taking the first set of the game. It was York’s Kayla Clennon who provided the Lions with their first point of the game after the Badgers garnered their first point as a result of a service error. This would be the first of 22.5 points for Clennon throughout the game. More details.

Men’s hockey Lions fall 4-3 on the road to RMC

The York University Lions men’s hockey team lost 4-3 to the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins on Friday night in Kingston, Ont.

It was just after the first minute of play when the Paladins were able to score a goal on the Lions during a power play. They then followed their goal with a second one to take an early 2-0 lead on the Lions in the early stages of the first period.

It was all Lions in the second half of the period with Alex Mowbray scoring York’s first goal, assisted by Brandon Yeamans and Justin Bean. York captain Scott Feser picked up the Lions second, assisted by Xavier Pouliot and Jeremy Lucchini, which tied the game 2-2 for the teams by the end of the first. More details.

Lions crowned OUA champions with 2-0 victory over Blues

The York University Lions women’s soccer team was crowned Ontario University Athletics (OUA) champions on Saturday, Nov. 2 with a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues in the gold medal final at Gee-Gees Field in Ottawa.

The title is the Lions’ first since 2009 and the fourth overall in program history (2005, 2007, 2009). The Varsity Blues settled for silver, tying their best ever finish.

The scoring happened early as both goals were scored in the opening 18 minutes of the match. The first came in the 11th minute off a corner by Joselyn Gagliardi. The ball sailed into the box and ricocheted off Varsity Blues defender Anna Crone and into the net, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead on the Toronto own goal.

Seven minutes later, the Lions were awarded a free kick that was taken by Jotam Chouhan. The rebound found Jessica Lush all alone in front of the net and she made no mistake, firing home the ball to increase the lead to 2-0.

The Lions had several more opportunities in the first half, including two shots that were saved by Toronto goalkeeper Levanta Staggolis, but the score remained the same heading into the break.

There was little action in the second half as the Lions settled back defensively and prevented the Blues from generating any real offensive chances.

York goalkeeper Danitza Indacochea made five saves in the game, none of them off dangerous chances. Staggolis finished with seven saves.

The Lions and Blues both qualified for the U SPORTS championships with their semifinal wins on Friday and will head to Victoria next week for the eight-team national tournament.

Top-ranked Lions host OUA Final Four in pursuit of three-peat

Soccer player holding a soccer ball

The No. 1 nationally ranked York University Lions men’s soccer team looks to clinch its third straight conference banner as the squad hosts the province’s best in the 2019 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men’s soccer Final Four Championship this weekend.

The four-team event will take place at Alumni Field, with the semifinals scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1 and the gold- and bronze-medal games to be played on Saturday, Nov. 2. All four games can be seen live online on OUA.tv.

The two-day championship promises to be a thrilling event, with all four teams coming in with a U SPORTS national rank. The No. 3 Carleton Ravens (13-1-0) will face off against the No. 8 Guelph Gryphons (8-2-4) at 4 p.m., while the undefeated Lions (11-0-3) will play the No. 7 University of Toronto Varsity Blues (9-2-3) at 7 p.m.

It has been a decade of dominance in the conference for the Lions, hitting the podium for nine straight years and winning five of the past six OUA banners. They have finished atop the OUA West Division 13 years in a row and are currently riding an impressive 51-game unbeaten streak against all OUA opponents, dating back to the start of the 2017 season.

The rest of the field has all won gold once in the past 15 years. The Gryphons upset the Lions in 2016, interrupting a potential six-year run by the hosts. The Ravens have fallen to the Lions in the final for the past two years, with their last championship coming in 2005, while the Varsity Blues last hoisted the Blackwood Cup in 2010.

The Lions faced off against the Varsity Blues three years in a row at this same stage of the playoffs from 2014 to 2016, winning 2-0, 1-0 and 1-0 in that span. After defeating the McMaster Marauders at home 4-1 in the quarter-final stage, the Lions come into this weekend as the top-ranked team in the nation for the first time since Nov. 1, 2016, when they were 14-0-2. Despite conceding a goal in their last matchup, the Lions kept a clean sheet for seven straight games, boasting the nation’s best defence with 12 clean sheets and only five goals against in the regular season. They also have the best offence, with 44 goals scored in the regular season, and their +39 goal differential is the best in the country and tops the next best team by seven goals.

The Varsity Blues advanced to the Final Four after a dominant 3-1 win over then No. 5 Ryerson Rams in the quarter-finals. Third time was the charm for the lower-seeded Blues, who fought their way back to the semifinal round after a two-year hiatus, falling to the Rams in the 2017 and 2018 postseason campaigns in the quarters.

The OUA East Division-leading Ravens and OUA West second-seeded Gryphons have been the only teams, aside from the Lions, to represent the conference at nationals in the past three years. The two-time reigning OUA silver medallist Ravens will look to make good on missed opportunities, appearing in their third straight OUA Final Four after dropping Ontario Tech 5-2 at home in the quarter-final stages. The Gryphons booked their ticket to the big stage after defeating the Brock Badgers 3-0, and will look to replicate a dream postseason campaign three years ago that saw them rise to the top in 2016.

In addition to the OUA title, the four teams are also competing for a berth at the U SPORTS men’s soccer championship, which will be hosted by the Université de Montréal from Nov. 7 to 10. The winners from the two semifinals on Friday will represent the OUA on the national stage next week.

Friday’s winners will face off at 5 p.m. on Saturday in the gold-medal final, while the two losers will battle for bronze at 2 p.m.

Weekend wrap: No. 10 women’s soccer Lions beat Gryphons, advance to OUA Final Four

Lions logo
York U Lions

The No. 10 nationally ranked York University Lions women’s soccer team beat the University of Guelph Gryphons 1-0 in overtime on Sunday, Oct. 27 during the their Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarter-final game, securing their ticket to the Final Four for the first time in four years.

The intense match needed 120 minutes to decide a winner, and 105 minutes to score a goal. It was at that moment Lions midfielder Jotam Chouhan was able to score with a shot about 40 yards away from the Gryphons’ net. More details on the Lions website.

On Oct. 23, the women’s soccer team scarcely defeated the University of Waterloo Warriors in their OUA first-round playoff game at Alumni Field with a score of 1-0.

In the first half, the suspense was high and both teams were hungry for a win. Catherine Umolac had a fantastic cross in the Warriors’ 18-yard box, but was unfortunately picked off by the goalkeeper. More details.

Cross country Lions finish 10th behind Gonzalez’s top-40 finish at OUA championship

The York University Lions cross country teams competed at the OUA championships in Hamilton, Ont., Saturday morning (Oct. 26), where the women finished 10th overall as a team.

First-year runner Carmen Krawczynski Gonzalez was the first Lion to finish the race yet again, placing 39th overall, running 31:26. Her top-40 finish is the first for the Lions in nine years – the last runner to finish that strong was Dale Findlay, who placed 26th in 2010. More details.

No. 2 men’s soccer Lions defeat Marauders to qualify for Final Four

The No. 2 nationally ranked York University Lions men’s soccer team booked their ticket to the OUA Final Four on Sunday night (Oct. 27) as Christopher Jacovou scored a hat trick to help the Lions take a 4-1 win over the McMaster University Marauders in their quarter-final match at Alumni Field.

Jacovou’s scoring action began 15 minutes into the game with an assist from Cristian Cavallini, giving Jacovou his first goal of the postseason. More details.

Field hockey Lions finish fourth after narrow loss to Warriors in bronze-medal game

The York University Lions field hockey team finished in fourth place at the OUA championships after a 1-0 loss to the University of Waterloo Warriors in the bronze-medal match in Guelph, Ont., on Sunday, Oct. 27.

With a chance to put Waterloo on the scoreboard in the opening minutes of the game, Taylor Goodhue received a perfect pass in front of the net, but was unable to get her stick on the ball and couldn’t get a shot off. More details.

In the semifinals, the Lions fell by a 2-1 score to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. It was the Lions who got on the board first when rookie Lexi Hannah scored her second goal of the weekend less than seven minutes into the game.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Toronto’s Hilary Ziraldo evened the score at 1-1 eight minutes later. More details.

On Friday, Oct. 25 in the quarter-final round, the Lions defeated the Western University Mustangs by a score of 3-0.

The Lions were favoured to win after defeating the Mustangs in two games in the regular season by a combined score of 12-2. Just two minutes in, rookie Alyssa Brooks picked the perfect time for her first career goal, getting the ball behind Western goalkeeper Sarah Hunter for a 1-0 advantage. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions open season with big victory over Gaels

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team defeated the defending OUA champion Queen’s University Gaels by a score of 3-1 at the Tait McKenzie Centre in the season opener for both teams.

The game started strong with the Lions getting on the scoreboard first on a service ace from Dan Everton. Later on in the set, the Lions scored seven points in a row from Andrew Shotbolt, a service ace from Andriy Sozanskyy, Andrew Tauhid and Grant Lynch, as well as attack errors from the Gaels. More details.

Women’s hockey Lions beat Ridgebacks in home opener at Canlan

The No. 10 nationally ranked York University Lions women’s hockey team was on fire on Friday night (Oct. 25) as they beat the Ontario Tech University Ridgebacks 4-2 during an electric game at Canlan Ice Sports.

The first period was off to a deceiving start as the Ridgebacks scored just eight seconds into the game. It almost took the Lions until the end of the first period to respond with a goal of their own, courtesy of assistant captain Kelsey McHolm, with assists from Ellen Donaldson and Leah Hibbert. More details.

On Saturday night, the women’s hockey team defeated the Queen’s University Gaels with a score of 3-1, extending their winning streak to three games.

The first period started off electric with the Lions scoring first in the opening seconds of the game from forward Courtney Gardiner, assisted by Taylor Davison. The Gaels were quick to answer back with a goal of their own from Quinn Johnston, assisted by Hannah De Coutere. More details.

Women’s basketball Lions to cruise to win over Thunderbirds in home opener

The York University Lions women’s basketball team won its home opener, beating the Algoma University Thunderbirds 71-49 at the Tait McKenzie Centre on Saturday night (Oct. 26).

York’s Emma Jonas fired the first points of the game with a three-point shot for the Lions, which was followed by a jump shot from York veteran Katrina Collins-Samuels. Other contributors in the quarter included forward Megan MacLeod with two three-pointers and forward Taylor McAlpine, who was able to contribute three points. More details.

On Thursday night (Oct. 24), the women’s basketball team fell to the Ryerson University Rams 77-59 in their season opener on the road at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

The Rams got off to a hot start in the first quarter, but the Lions held in tight. Despite going on a five-point run, Ryerson would need to call a timeout after York went up 12-8. Out of the break, Rams guard Marin Scotten hit a three pointer as her side closed out the quarter with an 18-12 lead. More details.

Men’s hockey Lions fall to Mustangs on the road in London

The York University Lions men’s hockey team suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of the Western University Mustangs on Saturday, Oct. 26, with a final score of 6-2 at Thompson Arena in London, Ont.

In the first period, the Lions came out roaring with the primary goal in the first five minutes of the game. Defenceman Justin Bean scored with the help of his teammates Nik Coric and Brendan Browne. More details.

On Friday night, the men’s hockey team lost 3-2 to the University of Windsor Lancers in overtime on the road at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex in Windsor, Ont.

It was in the third period when the Lancers, who fired 13 shots on goal in the final frame alone, were able to score two goals from Ian Parker and Ryan Barbosa to tie 2-2 with the Lions. More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions drop season-opening match to Gaels 

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team was defeated in their home opener by the Queen’s University Gaels at the Tait McKenzie Centre by a score of 3-1.

In the first set of the match, the Lions came out strong with an opening point on a block from rookie Wesley-Ann Bailey. Although the Lions were quick to get a lead, the Gaels came back hard with some points of their own, giving them a 6-3 lead. The Lions continued to play catch-up until they gained four points from Gaels attack errors and finally a point from Bailey. More details.

Comeback falls short in men’s basketball Lions season opener

The York University Lions men’s basketball team suffered an 80-67 defeat to the Ryerson University Rams at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto on Thursday night (Oct. 24).

The Lions got off to a hot start in their season opener, with Nick Russell and Tyler Pryce hitting early three pointers, but Ryerson’s Jayden Frederick kept the home side in it as the Rams closed out the first quarter 18-10. More details.

On Saturday night, the men’s basketball team lost 74-72 to the Algoma University Thunderbirds, who fought to the finish to beat the Lions by two points during the intense home opener at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

Pryce opened the fourth quarter with two points, bringing the score to 58-48 for the Lions. However, the Thunderbirds responded with several consecutive points of their own, each time inching towards the Lions’ lead. More details.