Queen's Golden Gaels
Encyclopedia
The Queen's Gaels are the athletic teams that represent Queen's University
in Kingston, Ontario
, Canada
. Team colours are blue, red, and gold. Its main home is Richardson Memorial Stadium
on West Campus.
Their rallying cry is the "Oil Thigh
", a fight song sung in Gaelic by spectators when the home team scores a point, goal, touchdown, etc. Originally written in 1898 after a disappointing loss to the University of Toronto
, the name comes from the phrase sung repeatedly in the main chorus: "Oilthigh na Banrighinn, a' Banrighinn gu brath", or "College of the Queen forever" in Gaelic
. The song has the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic; its English verses about the rivals of Queen's College alternate with the Gaelic chorus.
Queen's teams have had a variety of successes on the national and international stages over the university's history. The Gaels football program is one of the oldest and most successful in Canada, boasting a total of three straight Grey Cup
victories in the early twentieth century (1922, 1923, and 1924) and four Vanier Cup
victories as the top team in Canadian Interuniversity Sport
(1968, 1978, 1992, and 2009).
In the last two seasons alone, the Gaels have captured 11 provincial and national championships, including the 2009 Vanier Cup
championship, the 2010-11 CIS Men's Curling Championship and the 2011 CIS Women's Soccer Championship.
The "Golden Gaels" name was coined in 1947 by Kingston Whig-Standard
sports reporter Cliff Bowering, after the football team traded its traditional uniform of red, gold, and blue bands for gold jerseys, gold helmets, and red pants. The name caught on and became the familiar term for Queen's teams by the 1950s. "Gaels" is a reference to Queen's Scottish heritage (Queen's University was established in 1841 by the Presbyterian church). Before 1947, Queen's teams were commonly known as "The Tricolour."
In September 2008, Queen's Athletics & Recreation Department began referring to the school's teams as "Queen's Gaels." Along with this change, the website was changed from goldengaels.com to gogaelsgo.com. The change was reportedly made to highlight the university's name in promoting the team, however some have criticised the move as "change for the sake of change." Under media scrutiny, the department claimed it had not in fact officially changed the name of the team; thus, major media sources like the Kingston Whig-Standard and CKWS-TV
continue to refer to the team as the "Golden Gaels".
at the Kingston YMCA
on February 6, 1904, in the first-ever Canadian interuniversity basketball
game. McGill won 9-7 in overtime, after a ten-minute overtime period to break a 7-7 tie.
Jon has since returned to the team for the 2011-12 season to coach the men's team.
. The team began organized play in 1883 when the Ontario Rugby Football Union
was first founded and won ORFU champions in 1893 and 1894. Queen's has competed continuously since 1882, celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2007. The first organized university football league in Canada, the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU), was founded in Kingston in November, 1897, with charter members Queen's, McGill University
, and the University of Toronto
., the football squad showed continued success, winning three straight Grey Cup
s in 1922
, 1923
and 1924
. Once teams stopped competing for the Grey Cup, which was began being solely awarded to Canadian Football League
teams in 1955, the Gaels turned their attention to the Vanier Cup
, appearing in the CIS championship game five times and winning four of those games in 1968, 1978, 1992 and 2009
.
The team is recently coming off of their Vanier Cup win in 2009
, but due to quarterback Danny Brannagan
's graduation (and subsequent signing by the Toronto Argonauts
) and other key players leaving, the team endured a difficult 3-5 season. The team just barely made the playoffs in 2010
, but had a strong 2011
when the team finished 6-2 and in third place.
, eight former Gaels players are on CFL teams' rosters:
to a game played on the frozen Kingston harbour; the two schools play annually for the Carr-Harris Cup, to continue the world's oldest hockey rivalry. Queen's hockey is one of the oldest hockey clubs in the world; only McGill University
's team, started in 1875, is older among Canadian university teams. Queen's played its first season in 1883-84, with the first game for which records exist played against a team from Petawawa.
In the 1890s, Queen's played in the Ontario Hockey Association
, winning its championship three times consecutively, taking the Cosby Cup
into its permanent possession. As Ontario champion, the Queen's hockey team was a regular in Stanley Cup Challenge Games
by challenging in 1895, 1899 and 1906.
Queen's donated the Queen's Cup for annual Ontario University Athletics
competition in 1898. In 1909, Queen's won the Intercollegiate league and then won the Allan Cup
national championship by defeating the Ottawa Cliffsides
in a challenge.
In 1926, Queen's was the Eastern Canadian Champions, but lost the Memorial Cup
series to the Calgary Canadians for the national championship.
The varsity teams play at the Kingston Memorial Centre
following the demolition of the Jock Harty Arena, while the new arena (part of the Queen's Centre project) is being constructed.
and Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario were two of the first Canadian universities to field women’s hockey teams.
Elizabeth Graham would play hockey for Queen's University and is credited as being the first goaltender ever to wear a mask for protection. She used the mask in 1927, and the use of the mask was in the Montreal Daily Star. She actually wore a fencing mask and the speculation is that she had used the mask as a means of protecting dental work that was recently performed.
During the 1960’s, Cookie Cartwright and a group of dedicated students revived the women’s ice hockey program at Queen's University. Cartwright and the Golden Gaels would go on to capture the first women's university championship.
After 32 long years, the Queen's women's hockey team captured their first OUA Championship in 2010-11. The team won all five of their playoff games in overtime, knocking off nationally-ranked opponents Windsor in the Quarter-final, Wilfrid Laurier in the Semifinal and Guelph in the Final. Game 1 of the OUA Championship series was historic in its own right for the Gaels as the team won the longest collegiate hockey game in history, a six-overtime marathon. The game finally game to an end after 107 minutes and 14 seconds of overtime when Morgan McHaffie banged home a rebound past Guelph goaltender Danielle Skoufranis. Queen's goaltender Mel Dodd-Moher made 66 saves for the win.
The team moved on to their first CIS Championship following the OUA playoffs where the Gaels defeated the defending champion Alberta Pandas and the host Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks to win the bronze medal.
On March 3, 2011, a postseason match between the Queen's Golden Gaels and the Guelph Gryphons became the longest collegiate hockey game, male or female, Canadian or American — on record. The match began on Wednesday and it only ended on Thursday. The duration of the match was 167 minutes and 14 seconds when Queen's forward Morgan McHaffie placed a rebound past Gryphons goalie Danielle Skoufranis.
In 2006, earned silver medals in the CIS national championships, thanks largely to star striker Eilish McConville. McConville led all CIS players with 22 goals during the regular season, and was named the CIS Player of the year as a result.
When the CIAU (now CIS) began the Queen’s University Track and Field team was one of the only teams to participate in all three athletics sports – indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and cross-country.
In 1963 Rolf Lund was named head coach of the team, marking a turning point in the team’s history. Through the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the Queen’s track and field team saw many successful individuals. Some notable athletes include Olympian Sheridon Baptiste; Olympian Anne Marie Malone; Olympian Victor Gooding, current school 1500m record holder Bob McCormack; and current head coach and multiple CIS champion Melody Torcalacci.
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Team colours are blue, red, and gold. Its main home is Richardson Memorial Stadium
Richardson Memorial Stadium
George Taylor Richardson Memorial Stadium is a 10,258 seat Canadian football stadium located on the campus of the Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. It was built in 1971 and is the home of the Golden Gaels football team. It is named in memory of George Taylor Richardson, a Queen's graduate...
on West Campus.
Their rallying cry is the "Oil Thigh
Oil Thigh
The Oil Thigh is the name given to the anthem and fight song of Queen's University and its sports teams, the Queen's Gaels. Although the song's official title is Queen's College Colours, it is almost universally referred to by the first words of the Gaelic chorus.-Etymology:Oilthigh is the...
", a fight song sung in Gaelic by spectators when the home team scores a point, goal, touchdown, etc. Originally written in 1898 after a disappointing loss to the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, the name comes from the phrase sung repeatedly in the main chorus: "Oilthigh na Banrighinn, a' Banrighinn gu brath", or "College of the Queen forever" in Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
. The song has the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic; its English verses about the rivals of Queen's College alternate with the Gaelic chorus.
Queen's teams have had a variety of successes on the national and international stages over the university's history. The Gaels football program is one of the oldest and most successful in Canada, boasting a total of three straight Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
victories in the early twentieth century (1922, 1923, and 1924) and four Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
victories as the top team 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...
(1968, 1978, 1992, and 2009).
In the last two seasons alone, the Gaels have captured 11 provincial and national championships, including the 2009 Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
championship, the 2010-11 CIS Men's Curling Championship and the 2011 CIS Women's Soccer Championship.
Name
Kingston Whig-Standard
The Kingston Whig-Standard is a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It is published daily, except on Sunday. It publishes a mix of community, national and international news and is owned by Sun Media...
sports reporter Cliff Bowering, after the football team traded its traditional uniform of red, gold, and blue bands for gold jerseys, gold helmets, and red pants. The name caught on and became the familiar term for Queen's teams by the 1950s. "Gaels" is a reference to Queen's Scottish heritage (Queen's University was established in 1841 by the Presbyterian church). Before 1947, Queen's teams were commonly known as "The Tricolour."
In September 2008, Queen's Athletics & Recreation Department began referring to the school's teams as "Queen's Gaels." Along with this change, the website was changed from goldengaels.com to gogaelsgo.com. The change was reportedly made to highlight the university's name in promoting the team, however some have criticised the move as "change for the sake of change." Under media scrutiny, the department claimed it had not in fact officially changed the name of the team; thus, major media sources like the Kingston Whig-Standard and CKWS-TV
CKWS-TV
CKWS is an affiliate of the CBC Television Network in Kingston, Ontario, providing coverage to Eastern Ontario from Campbellford to Morrisburg and from Perth to Oswego, New York in the United States....
continue to refer to the team as the "Golden Gaels".
Baseball
Queen's University Varsity Baseball Team started competing in the Ontario University Athletics circuit as of 2010.Basketball
Queen's hosted McGill UniversityMcGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
at the Kingston YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
on February 6, 1904, in the first-ever Canadian interuniversity basketball
Basketball
Basketball 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...
game. McGill won 9-7 in overtime, after a ten-minute overtime period to break a 7-7 tie.
Men's
The men's curling team, in 2010, earned the gold medal at the CIS national championship in Edmonton, Alberta. The team led by First Team All-Canadian Jonathan Beuk went 5-1 in Round Robin play before beating the Manitoba Bisons in the semi-final and the UPEI Panthers in the Championship. The Gaels qualified for the 2011 World University Games in Erzurum, Turkey where they represented Canada. The team finished fifth after losing a tie-breaker match to the Czech Republic.Jon has since returned to the team for the 2011-12 season to coach the men's team.
Football
The Queen's Gaels football program is one of the longest-lived and storied in the entire Canadian Interuniversity SportCanadian 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...
. The team began organized play in 1883 when the Ontario Rugby Football Union
Ontario Rugby Football Union
The Ontario Rugby Football Union or ORFU was an early amateur Canadian football league with teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded in 1883 and in 1903 became the first major competition to adopt the Burnside Rules, from which the modern Canadian football code would...
was first founded and won ORFU champions in 1893 and 1894. Queen's has competed continuously since 1882, celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2007. The first organized university football league in Canada, the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU), was founded in Kingston in November, 1897, with charter members Queen's, McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, and the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
., the football squad showed continued success, winning three straight Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
s in 1922
10th Grey Cup
The 10th Grey Cup was played on December 2, 1922, before 4,700 fans at Richardson Memorial Stadium at Kingston.Queen's University defeated the Edmonton Elks 13 to 1....
, 1923
11th Grey Cup
The 11th Grey Cup was played on December 1, 1923, before 8,629 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.Queen's University shut out the Regina Rugby Club 54 to 0....
and 1924
12th Grey Cup
The 12th Grey Cup was played on November 29, 1924, before 5,978 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.Queen's University defeated the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 11 to 3....
. Once teams stopped competing for the Grey Cup, which was began being solely awarded to 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....
teams in 1955, the Gaels turned their attention to the Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
, appearing in the CIS championship game five times and winning four of those games in 1968, 1978, 1992 and 2009
45th Vanier Cup
The 45th Vanier Cup was played on November 28, 2009, at PEPS Stadium in Quebec City, Quebec, and decided the CIS Football champion for the 2009 season. In the first Vanier Cup game played in the province of Quebec, the Queen's Golden Gaels came from behind to defeat the Calgary Dinos 33-31...
.
The team is recently coming off of their Vanier Cup win in 2009
2009 CIS football season
The 2009 CIS football season began on August 29, 2009, and concluded its campaign with the 45th Vanier Cup national championship on November 28 at PEPS stadium in Quebec City, Quebec. Twenty-seven universities across Canada compete in CIS football, the highest level of amateur play in Canadian...
, but due to quarterback Danny Brannagan
Danny Brannagan
Danny Brannagan is a professional Canadian football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.-High school:...
's graduation (and subsequent signing by the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
) and other key players leaving, the team endured a difficult 3-5 season. The team just barely made the playoffs in 2010
2010 CIS football season
The 2010 CIS football season began on August 31, 2010 with the Windsor Lancers hosting the Ottawa Gee-Gees and the defending Vanier Cup champion Queen's Golden Gaels visiting the McMaster Marauders. The season concluded on November 27 at the PEPS stadium in Quebec City, Quebec with the Laval Rouge...
, but had a strong 2011
2011 CIS football season
The 2011 CIS football season began on September 1, 2011 with the Montreal Carabins hosting the McGill Redmen at CEPSUM Stadium. The season concluded on November 25 at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia with the 47th Vanier Cup championship...
when the team finished 6-2 and in third place.
OUA Regular Season Results
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Pct % | PF | PA | Standing |
| 2001 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0.625 | 207 | 190 | 4th in OUA |
| 2002 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0.875 | 271 | 102 | 2nd in OUA |
| 2003 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0.875 | 361 | 134 | 2nd in OUA |
| 2004 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0.250 | 211 | 195 | 9th in OUA |
| 2005 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0.375 | 198 | 223 | 7th in OUA |
| 2006 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0.500 | 177 | 147 | 6th in OUA |
| 2007 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0.750 | 229 | 117 | 3rd in OUA |
| 2008 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1.000 | 374 | 116 | 1st in OUA |
| 2009 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0.875 | 272 | 149 | 1st in OUA |
| 2010 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0.375 | 249 | 183 | 6th in OUA |
| 2011 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0.750 | 259 | 103 | 3rd in OUA |
Playoff Results
- 2001 Defeated Laurier Golden Hawks in quarter-final 29-27
Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in semi-final 47-12 - 2002 Defeated Waterloo Warriors in quarter-final 51-14
Defeated Western Mustangs in semi-final 55-20
Lost to McMaster Marauders in Yates CupYates CupThe Yates Cup is a Canadian sports trophy, presented annually to the winner of the Ontario University Athletics football conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport federation. It is the oldest still-existing football trophy in North America, dating back to 1898 and surpassing both the Grey...
final 33-17 - 2003 Defeated York Lions in quarter-final 27-6
Lost to Laurier Golden Hawks in semi-final 36-33 - 2004 Out of Playoffs
- 2005 Out of Playoffs
- 2006 Defeated McMaster Marauders in quarter-final 25-19
Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in semi-final 23-10 - 2007 Lost to Western Mustangs in quarter-final 27-19
- 2008 Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in semi-final 23-13
- 2009 Defeated McMaster Marauders in semi-final 32-6
Defeated Western Mustangs in Yates CupYates CupThe Yates Cup is a Canadian sports trophy, presented annually to the winner of the Ontario University Athletics football conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport federation. It is the oldest still-existing football trophy in North America, dating back to 1898 and surpassing both the Grey...
final 43-39
Defeated Laval Rouge-et-Or in Mitchell BowlMitchell BowlThe Mitchell Bowl is one of the two semifinal bowls of Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's football, and is the semifinal held in the westernmost location of the two semifinal venues. The winner of this game goes on to play against the Uteck Bowl champions for the Vanier Cup...
CIS semi-final 33-30
Defeated Calgary Dinos in Vanier CupVanier CupThe Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
33-31 - 2010 Lost to McMaster Marauders in quarter-final 40-19
- 2011 Defeated Laurier Golden Hawks in quarter-final 14-10
Lost to McMaster Marauders in semi-final 40-13
Queen's Gaels 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...
, eight former Gaels players are on CFL teams' rosters:
- Rob BaggRob BaggRob Bagg is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.-High School:Bagg attended Frontenac Secondary School in Kingston, Ontario from 1999 to 2003...
, 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... - Bryan CrawfordBryan CrawfordBryan Crawford is a former Canadian football running back who played his entire pro career with the Toronto Argonauts.- Early years :...
, Toronto ArgonautsToronto ArgonautsThe Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta... - Michael GiffinMichael GiffinMichael Giffin is a professional Canadian football runningback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was signed as a free agent by the Alouettes, originally late in 2008. He played his CIS football for the Queen's Golden Gaels...
, Montreal AlouettesMontreal AlouettesThe Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions... - Matt KirkMatt KirkMatt Kirk is a Canadian football defensive tackle for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Ottawa Renegades in the 2004 CFL Draft...
, 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... - Kevin ScottKevin Scott (Canadian football)Kevin Scott is a Canadian football Long snapper and Defensive linemen for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was originally signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played CIS Football at Queen's.-External links:*...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats - Chris SmithChristopher Smith (gridiron football)Christopher Smith is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted 28th overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 2010 CFL Draft. He played college football for the Queen's Golden Gaels.-References:...
, Toronto Argonauts - Dee SterlingDee SterlingDee Sterling is a professional Canadian football defensive lineman for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Eskimos in the second round of the 2009 CFL Draft. He played CIS football for the Queen's Golden Gaels....
, Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895... - Shomari WilliamsShomari WilliamsShomari Gyasi Williams is a professional Canadian football defensive end for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted first overall by the Roughriders in the 2010 CFL Draft after Saskatchewan traded up to be in a position to draft him...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Ice hockey
Men
In 1886, Queen's challenged the Royal Military College of CanadaRoyal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
to a game played on the frozen Kingston harbour; the two schools play annually for the Carr-Harris Cup, to continue the world's oldest hockey rivalry. Queen's hockey is one of the oldest hockey clubs in the world; only McGill University
McGill Redmen
The McGill Redmen CIS football team is one of the oldest in all of Canada, having begun organized competition in 1898. The team has appeared in three Vanier Cup national championships, in 1969, 1973 and 1987, with the Redmen finally winning the title in the 1987 game...
's team, started in 1875, is older among Canadian university teams. Queen's played its first season in 1883-84, with the first game for which records exist played against a team from Petawawa.
In the 1890s, Queen's played in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
, winning its championship three times consecutively, taking the Cosby Cup
Cosby Cup
The Cosby Cup was the trophy given to the champions of the Ontario Hockey Association from its founding in 1890 until its replacement in 1899 by the John Ross Robertson Cup.-History:...
into its permanent possession. As Ontario champion, the Queen's hockey team was a regular in Stanley Cup Challenge Games
Stanley Cup Challenge Games
This is a list of Stanley Cup challenge games from 1893 to 1914. During this period, the Stanley Cup was a "challenge trophy"; the champions held onto the Cup until they either lost their league title to another club, or a champion from another league issued a formal challenge and subsequently...
by challenging in 1895, 1899 and 1906.
Queen's donated the Queen's Cup for annual Ontario University Athletics
Ontario University Athletics
Ontario University Athletics is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and events to the public...
competition in 1898. In 1909, Queen's won the Intercollegiate league and then won the Allan Cup
1909 Allan Cup
The 1909 Allan Cup was the Canadian national senior ice hockey championship for the 1908-09 Senior season. The event was hosted by the Ottawa Cliffsides in Ottawa, Ontario. The 1909 playoff marked the first and second time that the Allan Cup was awarded....
national championship by defeating the Ottawa Cliffsides
Ottawa Cliffsides
The Ottawa Cliffsides were a senior ice hockey team that played in the Inter-Provincial Amateur Hockey Union from 1908-1911.They were the first winner of the Allan Cup in 1909 when the cup was given to the winner of the Inter-provincial Hockey League...
in a challenge.
In 1926, Queen's was the Eastern Canadian Champions, but lost the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
series to the Calgary Canadians for the national championship.
The varsity teams play at the Kingston Memorial Centre
Kingston Memorial Centre
The Kingston Memorial Centre is a 3,300-seat multi-purpose arena in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It was built in 1950. The Memorial Centre has a large ice pad, outdoor pool, softball diamonds and a cinder track, and was the home to the Kingston Frontenacs ice hockey team from 1973-2008...
following the demolition of the Jock Harty Arena, while the new arena (part of the Queen's Centre project) is being constructed.
Regular Season Results
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | Points | Pct % | Goals For |
Goals Against |
Standing |
| 1970-71 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 0.600 | 102 | 73 | 2nd in East | |
| 1971-72 | 19 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 17 | 0.447 | 99 | 81 | 5th in East | |
| 1972-73 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 21 | 0.618 | 96 | 67 | 3rd in East | |
| 1989-90 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 0.364 | 85 | 125 | ||
| 1992-93 | 22 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 19 | 0.432 | 80 | 97 | ||
| 1996-97 | 26 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 12 | 0.231 | 71 | 151 | 3rd in Mid-East | |
| 1997-98 | 26 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 0.346 | 76 | 123 | 3rd in Mid-East | |
| 1998-99 | 26 | 5 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 0.327 | 85 | 113 | 2nd in Mid-East | |
| 1998-99 | 26 | 5 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 0.327 | 85 | 113 | 2nd in Mid-East | |
| 1999-00 | 26 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 20 | 0.385 | 88 | 104 | 3rd in Mid-East | |
| 2000-01 | 24 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0.292 | 75 | 108 | 2nd in Mid-East | |
| 2001-02 | 24 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0.188 | 66 | 117 | 4th in Mid-East |
| 2002-03 | 24 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.292 | 73 | 124 | 2nd in Mid-East |
| 2003-04 | 24 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0.416 | 76 | 95 | 2nd in Mid-East |
| 2004-05 | 24 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0.375 | 69 | 98 | 3rd in Mid-East |
| 2005-06 | 24 | 7 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 0.333 | 59 | 98 | 3rd in Mid-East |
| 2006-07 | 28 | 8 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 0.392 | 78 | 96 | 2nd in Mid-East |
| 2007-08 | 28 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 0.518 | 77 | 93 | 1st in Mid-East |
| 2008-09 | 28 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 0.482 | 57 | 82 | 2nd in Mid-East |
| 2009-10 | 28 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 0.536 | 102 | 120 | 5th in East |
| 2010-11 | 28 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 0.554 | 99 | 110 | 5th in East |
Playoff Results
- 1999-2000 Defeated Toronto Varsity Blues in first round, 2 games to 1.
Defeated Guelph Gryphons in quarter-final, 2 games to 0.
Lost to UQTR in OUA Final Four, semi-final, 3-2. - 2000-2001 Lost to RMC Paladins in first round 2 games to 0
- 2001-2002 Out of Playoffs
- 2002-2003 Defeated RMC Paladins in first round 2 games to 0
Lost to Toronto Varsity Blues in quarter-final 2 games to 1 - 2003-2004 Defeated RMC Paladins in first round 2 games to 0
Lost to Toronto Varsity Blues in quarter-final 2 games to 0 - 2004-2005 Out of Playoffs
- 2005-2006 Out of Playoffs
- 2006-2007 Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in quarter-final 2 games to 0
- 2007-2008 Gained first round bye
Lost to McGill Redmen in semi-final 2 games to 0 - 2008-2009 Did Not Qualify for Playoffs
- 2009-2010 Lost to Carleton in OUA First Round 2 games to 1
- 2010-2011 Lost to Nipissing in OUA First Round 2 games to 0
Women
The first traces of women's hockey in Canada date back to the 1890s when it is played at the university level. The University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario were two of the first Canadian universities to field women’s hockey teams.
Elizabeth Graham would play hockey for Queen's University and is credited as being the first goaltender ever to wear a mask for protection. She used the mask in 1927, and the use of the mask was in the Montreal Daily Star. She actually wore a fencing mask and the speculation is that she had used the mask as a means of protecting dental work that was recently performed.
During the 1960’s, Cookie Cartwright and a group of dedicated students revived the women’s ice hockey program at Queen's University. Cartwright and the Golden Gaels would go on to capture the first women's university championship.
After 32 long years, the Queen's women's hockey team captured their first OUA Championship in 2010-11. The team won all five of their playoff games in overtime, knocking off nationally-ranked opponents Windsor in the Quarter-final, Wilfrid Laurier in the Semifinal and Guelph in the Final. Game 1 of the OUA Championship series was historic in its own right for the Gaels as the team won the longest collegiate hockey game in history, a six-overtime marathon. The game finally game to an end after 107 minutes and 14 seconds of overtime when Morgan McHaffie banged home a rebound past Guelph goaltender Danielle Skoufranis. Queen's goaltender Mel Dodd-Moher made 66 saves for the win.
The team moved on to their first CIS Championship following the OUA playoffs where the Gaels defeated the defending champion Alberta Pandas and the host Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks to win the bronze medal.
On March 3, 2011, a postseason match between the Queen's Golden Gaels and the Guelph Gryphons became the longest collegiate hockey game, male or female, Canadian or American — on record. The match began on Wednesday and it only ended on Thursday. The duration of the match was 167 minutes and 14 seconds when Queen's forward Morgan McHaffie placed a rebound past Gryphons goalie Danielle Skoufranis.
Women's
The women's soccer team captured gold at the CIS national championship in 2010. They beat rival Wilfrid Laurier 1-0 in the CIS final revenging its loss in the OUA final one-week earlier. Striker Jacqueline Tessier led the CIS in scoring during the regular season, tallying 18 goals in 16 games.In 2006, earned silver medals in the CIS national championships, thanks largely to star striker Eilish McConville. McConville led all CIS players with 22 goals during the regular season, and was named the CIS Player of the year as a result.
Track & Field
Track and field has been reported as the first sport at Queen's University. It began in 1873, as competitions held annually to celebrate the Universities inauguration on October 16 included traditional Scottish competitions such as the caber toss. These competitions remained major university events into the early 20th century.When the CIAU (now CIS) began the Queen’s University Track and Field team was one of the only teams to participate in all three athletics sports – indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and cross-country.
In 1963 Rolf Lund was named head coach of the team, marking a turning point in the team’s history. Through the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the Queen’s track and field team saw many successful individuals. Some notable athletes include Olympian Sheridon Baptiste; Olympian Anne Marie Malone; Olympian Victor Gooding, current school 1500m record holder Bob McCormack; and current head coach and multiple CIS champion Melody Torcalacci.