Bishop's Gaiters
Encyclopedia
The Bishop's Gaiters is the name of the men's and women's athletic teams that represent Bishop's University
in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Although their logo and mascot suggest the term stems from the word alligator
, "Gaiter" actually refers to a boot covering worn by Anglican bishops up until the beginning of the 20th century. The teams play in Canadian Interuniversity Sport
, and more specifically, the Quebec Student Sports Federation
. The Gaiters' home field is Coulter Field, a 2,200 seat capacity stadium located on the university's campus.
Bruce retired as head football coach with a CIAU-record 137 wins (his record was 137 wins, 80 losses and 3 ties). In 1991, the football stadium was re-named in his honor and the Gaiters now play on Coulter Field.
The Bishop's football team competes for two special trophies: The Mayor's Cup, which is awarded to the winner of one of the annual contests between Bishop's and the Université de Sherbrooke
, and the Bigg Bowl, which goes to the winner between Bishop's and St. Francis Xavier University
(currently scheduled once every three years). In 2007 Bishop’s Gaiters running back Jamall Lee and head coach Leroy Blugh were honoured as major award winners by the Quebec University Football League. Lee was awarded the Jeff Russel Trophy, given to the league’s most outstanding player, while Blugh was named QUFL Coach of the Year.
The Gaiters were led by head coach Leroy Blugh
, a former linebacker for the Gaiters as well as a 15-year veteran of the Canadian Football League
until he left the post in June 2011. Under Blugh, the program saw a marked improvement, finishing with a winning record in 2007 for the first time since 1995, as well as having several players drafted in the CFL.
, ten former Gaiters players are on CFL teams' rosters:
The men's basketball team enjoyed their most successful season in 1998, winning the CIAU
National Championship, becoming the smallest Canadian university in history to do so. The women's basketball team won back-to-back National Basketball championships in 1983 and 1984.
Bishop's University
Bishop's University is a predominantly undergraduate university in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Bishop's is one of three universities in the province of Quebec that teach primarily in the English language...
in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Although their logo and mascot suggest the term stems from the word alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
, "Gaiter" actually refers to a boot covering worn by Anglican bishops up until the beginning of the 20th century. The teams play in Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
, and more specifically, the Quebec Student Sports Federation
Quebec Student Sports Federation
The Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec formerly known as the Quebec Student Sports Federation is the governing body of primary and secondary school, collegiate and university sport in Quebec...
. The Gaiters' home field is Coulter Field, a 2,200 seat capacity stadium located on the university's campus.
Varsity teams
- Men's footballCanadian footballCanadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
- Men's basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Women's basketball
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Men's rugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
- Women's rugby
- Women's soccer
Football
It wasn't until the early 60's that Principal Ogden Glass gave the University the direction Athletics needed to provide the necessary moral and financial support that ultimately shaped the modern day success of the Gaiters football program. Principal Glass hired Bruce Coulter as Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach in 1961. This hiring would help Bishop's develop a full fledged athletic program with teams that could compete on the senior intercollegiate level.Bruce retired as head football coach with a CIAU-record 137 wins (his record was 137 wins, 80 losses and 3 ties). In 1991, the football stadium was re-named in his honor and the Gaiters now play on Coulter Field.
The Bishop's football team competes for two special trophies: The Mayor's Cup, which is awarded to the winner of one of the annual contests between Bishop's and the Université de Sherbrooke
Université de Sherbrooke
The Université de Sherbrooke is a large university with campuses located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada and Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal approximately west of Sherbrooke. It is one of two universities, and the only French language university, in the Estrie region of Quebec.In 2007, the...
, and the Bigg Bowl, which goes to the winner between Bishop's and St. Francis Xavier University
St. Francis Xavier University
St. Francis Xavier University is a post-secondary institution located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The school was founded in 1853, but did not offer degrees until 1868. The university has approximately 5000 students.-History:...
(currently scheduled once every three years). In 2007 Bishop’s Gaiters running back Jamall Lee and head coach Leroy Blugh were honoured as major award winners by the Quebec University Football League. Lee was awarded the Jeff Russel Trophy, given to the league’s most outstanding player, while Blugh was named QUFL Coach of the Year.
The Gaiters were led by head coach Leroy Blugh
Leroy Blugh
Leroy Blugh is a former defensive lineman who played fifteen seasons in the Canadian Football League for two different teams...
, a former linebacker for the Gaiters as well as a 15-year veteran of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
until he left the post in June 2011. Under Blugh, the program saw a marked improvement, finishing with a winning record in 2007 for the first time since 1995, as well as having several players drafted in the CFL.
Recent Regular Season Results
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | OL | Pct % | PF | PA | Standing |
| 2005 | 8 | 1 | 7 | |||||
| 0.125 | 131 | 233 | 5th in QUFL | |||||
| 2006 | 8 | 1 | 7 | |||||
| 0.125 | 117 | 249 | 6th in QUFL | |||||
| 2007 | 8 | 5 | 3 | |||||
| 0.500 | 218 | 176 | 3rd in QUFL | |||||
| 2008 | 8 | 3 | 5 | |||||
| 0.375 | 170 | 255 | 5th in QUFL | |||||
| 2009 | 8 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| 0.500 | 171 | 232 | 3rd in QUFL | |||||
| 2010 | 9 | 5 | 4 | |||||
| 0.556 | 186 | 248 | 4th in QUFL | |||||
| 2011 | 9 | 3 | 6 | |||||
| 0.333 | 178 | 277 | 5th in QUFL |
Recent Playoff Results
- 2005 Out of Playoffs
- 2006 Out of Playoffs
- 2007 Lost to Concordia StingersConcordia StingersThe Concordia Stingers are the athletic teams that represent Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They compete with other schools in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, and more specifically, in the Quebec Student Sports Federation and the Quebec University Football League...
in semi-final 34-18 - 2008 Out of Playoffs
- 2009 Lost to Montreal Carabins in semi-final 40-15
- 2010 Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in semi-final 56-1
- 2011 Out of Playoffs
Bishop's Gaiters in the CFL
As of the end of the 2011 CFL season2011 CFL season
The 2011 CFL season was the 58th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 54th season of the league. The complete schedule was released on February 18 and featured the defending Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes opening the season against the visiting BC Lions on...
, ten former Gaiters players are on CFL teams' rosters:
- Mathieu BoulayMathieu BoulayMathieu Boulay is a Canadian football defensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He played CIS football at Bishop's.-College career:...
, Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor... - Justin ConnJustin ConnJustin Conn is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted 47th overall by the Montreal Alouettes in the 2010 CFL Draft. He played college football for the Bishop's Gaiters.-External links:* -References:...
, Calgary StampedersCalgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium... - Tim CronkTim CronkTim Cronk is a professional Canadian football fullback for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Lions on May 30, 2011 after going undrafted in the 2009 CFL Draft and finishing his college eligibility in 2010. He played CIS football for the Bishop's Gaiters.-References:...
, BC LionsBC LionsThe BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954... - Shawn GoreShawn GoreShawn Vere Gore is a professional Canadian football wide receiver for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted tenth overall by the Lions in the 2010 CFL Draft, but signed with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League on the day after the draft as a free agent...
, BC Lions - Kyle JonesKyle Jones (Canadian football)Kyle Jones is a professional Canadian football linebacker in the Canadian Football League who is currently a linebacker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was signed by the Toronto Argonauts as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played CIS football for the Bishop's Gaiters after playing for the...
, Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium... - Jamall LeeJamall LeeJamall Lee is a professional Canadian football running back for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and released at the end of the pre-season, making him an NFL free agent...
, BC Lions - Josh MaveetyJosh MaveetyJosh Maveety is a professional Canadian football punter and placekicker currently playing for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. After finishing his CIS eligibility with the Bishop's Gaiters, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tiger-Cats on June 20, 2011.-References:...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats - Dan McCulloughDan McCulloughDan McCullough is a Canadian football long snapper for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the BC Lions in 2007. He played CIS football with Bishop's University.-External links:**...
, BC Lions - Junior TurnerJunior TurnerJunior Turner is a Canadian football defensive lineman for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League . In the CFL’s Amateur Scouting Bureau final rankings, he was ranked as the 12th best player for players eligible in the 2011 CFL Draft, and seventh by players in the Canadian...
, Calgary Stampeders - James YurichukJames YurichukJames Yurichuk is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He played CIS football for the Bishop's Gaiters.- Professional career :...
, BC Lions
Basketball
The hard-court has also brought Bishop's great success. The 1966-67 Men's Basketball Gaiters were the first basketball champions at Bishop's University, the Gaiters' "machine" rolled through the Ottawa-St. Lawrence Athletic Association with a 15-1 record before triumphing over Ottawa and MacDonald in the league playoffs.The men's basketball team enjoyed their most successful season in 1998, winning the CIAU
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
National Championship, becoming the smallest Canadian university in history to do so. The women's basketball team won back-to-back National Basketball championships in 1983 and 1984.