Manitoba Bisons

The Manitoba Bisons are the athletic teams that represent the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The football team plays their games at Princess Auto Stadium. The soccer team play their home games at the University of Manitoba Soccer Fields while the track and field teams use the University Stadium as their home track. The University has 18 different teams in 10 sports: basketball, curling, cross country running, Canadian football, golf, ice hockey, soccer, swimming, track & field, and volleyball.

Manitoba Bisons
Logo
UniversityUniversity of Manitoba
AssociationU Sports
ConferenceCanada West Universities Athletic Association
Athletic directorGene Muller
LocationWinnipeg, Manitoba
Football stadiumPrincess Auto Stadium
ArenaMax Bell Centre
Other stadiumsUniversity Stadium (Winnipeg)
Other venuesInvestors Group Athletic Centre
MascotBilly the Bison
NicknameBisons
Fight song"Brown and Gold"
ColoursBrown and Gold
   
Websitegobisons.ca

Varsity sports

Ice hockey

Men's ice hockey

The Bisons iced a junior ice hockey team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Bisons won four consecutive Turnbull Cups as Manitoba junior champions in 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925.[citation needed]

The 1923 Bisons team won the Allan Cup, Memorial Cup and Abbott Cup, and were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.[citation needed] The roster included J.A. Wise (Forward), C.E. Williams (Sub Forward), C.S. Doupe (Sub Goal), F. Robertson (Sub Defence), R.E. Moulden (Forward), A.I. Chapman (Defence), Blake Watson (Forward), Murray Murdoch (Captain & Centre), A.T. Puttee (Goal), J. Mitchell (Forward), A. Johnson (Defence), S.B. Field (Secretary/Treasurer), R.L. Bruce (Manager), H. Andrews (President), Hal Moulden (Coach), Walter Robertson (Trainer).[citation needed]

The school's senior ice hockey team won the 1931 World Ice Hockey Championships playing as the University of Manitoba Grads, and were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category.[citation needed] The roster included Sammy McCallum, Gordon MacKenzie, Blake Watson, Art Puttee, Frank Morris, George Hill, Ward McVey, Jack Pidcock, Guy "Weary" Williamson.[citation needed]

In December 1934, the university appealed to W. A. Fry and the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada regarding a decision by the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) which did not require university students be released from a private club team to play for the school team.[1] Fry agreed with the university, stating that students are under the jurisdiction of the school unless released by the school to play for a club team. He also stated that AAU of C rulings should be respected by affiliated organizations, such as the MAHA.[2]

The 1965 Bisons won the David Johnston University Cup as the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union champions, and were also inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.[citation needed]

NHL alumni

List of National Hockey League alumni of the Bisons:[citation needed]

Other notable people

Women's ice hockey

Football

The Bisons football program includes one of only four U Sports football teams to have won back-to-back Vanier Cup championships, having won in 1969 and 1970. In total, the Bisons have won three Vanier Cup national championships and 11 Hardy Trophy conference championships.[citation needed]

Notable players

  • Israel Idonije, Nigerian-Canadian professional American football defensive end, primarily for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League.
  • David Onyemata, Nigerian-Canadian professional American football defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL 2016)[5]

Soccer

Manitoba Bisons ladies team plays in Canada West’s Universities Athletic Association.[citation needed]

Notable alumni

Awards and honours

Athletes of the Year

YearFemale AthleteSportMale AthleteSport
2008-09Stacey CorfieldHockeyQuin FergusonTrack and Field
2009-10Desiree ScottSoccerSteve ChristieHockey
2011-12Addie MilesHockeyDane PischkeVolleyball
2012-13Rachel CockrellVolleyballBlair MacaulayHockey
2013-14Brittany HabingVolleyballAnthony CoombsFootball
2014-15Rachel CockrellVolleyballAl-Haji MansarayTrack and Field
2016-17Lauryn KeenHockeyDevren DearVolleyball
2017-18Venla Hovi[9]Ice hockeyJustus AlleynBasketball
2018-19Kelsey WogSwimmingSimon BérubéTrack and Field
2019-20[10]Kelsey WogSwimmingRashawn BrowneBasketball

Canada West Hall of Fame

References