The

University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...

began in 1907 and has operated teams that compete with others since 1911. The term Huskie Athletics is defined as those student

athletes An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-develo ...

from the University of Saskatchewan that compete in elite interuniversity competition administered by

U Sports U Sports (stylized as U SPORTS) is the national sport 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 ...

and its members, both as regions and as individual institutions. The University of Saskatchewan is a member of the Canada West Regional Association, one of four such associations within U Sports. The Huskie Athletics program is administered at the University of Saskatchewan by the college of

Kinesiology Kinesiology () is the scientific study of human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, anatomical, biomechanical, pathological, neuropsychological principles and mechanisms of movement. Applications of kinesiology to human heal ...

. At various times in its history, Huskie Athletics has offered teams in 24 different

sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

. At present date, there are 15 teams in the following sports: men's

Canadian football Canadian football () is a sport played 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 oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's scoring area ( ...

and both men's and women's teams in

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

, cross country,

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

, and

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat s ...

. Both the football and soccer teams play their home games at

Griffiths Stadium Griffiths Stadium is a stadium located on the grounds of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The current stadium was opened on June 23, 1967 to host the Saskatchewan Huskies football team. There was previously a Griffiths ...

, while the men and women's hockey teams play at

Merlis Belsher Place Merlis Belsher Place is an arena located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is the current home of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men and women's hockey teams, as well as the Saskatoon Contacts and ...

Awards and standings

The Huskies are year after year one of the top sport schools in Canada. The football team is recognized as one of the best programs in

. The football team has won the

Vanier Cup The Vanier Cup (french: Coupe Vanier) is the championship of Canadian university football. It is organized by U Sports football and is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl. It is named after Georges Vanier ...

as National Champions on 3 occasions (1990, 1996, and 1998) and have been runners up on 6 occasions since 1989. The men's volleyball has been national champions on four occasions, in 1979, 1988, 1999, and 2004. They continue to have a strong team each year. The U of S Huskies have also recently achieved success in men's and women's

, and

. The most successful Huskie team is the Men's and Women's Track and Field teams. Combined they have won the Canada West conference championship 38 times and the national championships 12 times. Most of these championships were won under the leadership of Lyle Sanderson.

Championships

Note: The Huskies no longer participate in Field Hockey or Swimming and Diving.

Huskies football

The football program at the University of Saskatchewan is one of the more successful programs. They have captured 18 Canada West championships, appeared in 9

games, winning 3 of them. They play their games at Griffiths Stadium and have hosted many playoff games, including the 2006 Vanier Cup.

Ice hockey

Huskies men's hockey

The University of Saskatchewan men's hockey team played their first season in 1909–1910. The current program consists of former major junior and junior A hockey players from across Canada. Since 2018, the Huskies play their home games at

, which replaced

Rutherford Arena The University of Saskatchewan Rutherford Arena is a hockey rink constructed in 1929, with its official opening in January, 1930. The rink was used by the Saskatchewan Huskies hockey teams until 2018. It holds up to 700 people. It was announced ...

. The Huskies won their ninth

Canada West The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on the ...

Championship during the 2015–2016 season. In 2017, the Huskies lost the University Cup final by a score of 5–3 to the University of New Brunswick. In 1983, the Huskies won their only University Cup. The Huskies have a list of alumni who have played or coached in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...

. Among those included are

Mike Babcock Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and document ...

, the former coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and

Todd McLellan Todd Andrew McLellan (born October 3, 1967) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as head coach of the San Jo ...

, the current coach of the Los Angeles Kings. In 2017, Huskie's goaltender Jordan Cooke was the first active U Sports player to be named to Team Canada's

Spengler Cup The Spengler Cup is an annual invitational ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss tea ...

roster.

Huskies women's hockey

Notable alumni

Basketball

* , CIS 4x All Canadian, CIS 2x Nann Copp Trophy Winner, Canadian National Team player * Andrew Spagrud, 2003–04 CIS Dr. Peter Mullins Trophy winner

Cross-Country

*Jamie Epp, 2xCIAU/CIS Champion and MVP (2000, 2002), 4xAll XC All Canadian, 5x Canadian National Team Member (1999 World Jr XC, 1999 Pan Am Jr Track, 2000 & 2002 FISU XC, 2003 World Sr. XC). Was also a 12x CIAU/CIS medallist in Track and Field

Hockey

Men's

* Jon Barkman, forward, 2001–02 CIS Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Award winner, 2001–02 CIS R.W. Pugh Award winner * Robin Bartel, former

defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indus ...

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey te ...

and

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce ...

* Jason Becker,

, 1995-96 CIS

Clare Drake Award The Clare Drake Award is the annual "Rookie of the Year" award presented to the U Sports men's ice hockey player who is judged by a committee of the U Sports Men's Hockey Coaches Association to be "the most outstanding first-year player in the U Sp ...

winner *

Dave Chambers Dave Chambers (born May 7, 1940) is a Canadians, Canadian former ice hockey coach. Chambers coached the Quebec Nordiques of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1990 until 1991. Born in Leaside, Leaside, Ontario, Chambers played junior hockey ...

, former head coach of the Huskies ice hockey team and the

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...

. * Gerry Couture, former forward,

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and are ...

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

and

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Divisio ...

* Steve DaSilva, forward, 2008-09 CIS

winner *

Willie Desjardins Wilbrod "Willie" Desjardins (born February 11, 1957) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and player. He is currently head coach and general manager of the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers. He has also been the head coach of the NHL's Vancouver ...

, forward, 1982-83 CIS Major W.J. "Danny" McLeod Award winner * Dave Dunn, former

and

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

* Bill Hay, former forward,

* Dave King, former head coach,

and

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...

, 1979-80 CIS Father George Kehoe Memorial Award winner * Ed Litzenberger, former forward,

and

* Ken Lovsin, former

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...

, 1994 Olympic silver medal, Ice Hockey * Charlie Mason, former forward,

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its ho ...

New York Americans The New York Americans, colloquially known as the Amerks, were a professional ice hockey team based in New York City from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the second to play ...

and

* Eddie McCalmon, former forward,

and Philadelphia Quakers * Ross McKay, former

goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near ...

Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...

* Earl Miller, former forward,

and

Soccer

Kaylyn Kyle Kaylyn McKenzie Kyle (born October 6, 1988) is a former Canadian soccer player who last played as a midfielder for the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League. She was also a member of Canada women's national soccer team, winning a ...

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

, Canadian National Team player * Brett Levis,

Valour FC Valour Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The club competes in the Canadian Premier League and plays its home matches at IG Field. The team is coached by Phillip Dos Santos and community owne ...

player

Track & Field

* Cyprian Enweani, 1988 Summer Olympian, 200 metres, 1988 Summer Olympian, 4 X 100 metre * Kelsie Hendry, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05 CIS Women's Outstanding Track Athlete winner, 2008 Summer Olympian, Pole Vault, 2010 Commonwealth Games, Pole Vault, Bronze Medal *Courtney Hufsmith, 2019 FISU bronze medallist in 1500m Athletics at the 2019 Summer Universiade – Women's 1500 metres

Volleyball

* Bryan Fraser, 2009-2014

Canada West Universities Athletic Association Canada West is a regional membership association for universities in Western Canada which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases abo ...

All Star Team 2012-2013 & 2013–2014.

Canada men's national volleyball team The Canada men's national volleyball team represents Canada in international volleyball competitions. They are overseen by Volleyball Canada, the governing body for volleyball in Canada. The team placed fourth place at the 1984 Olympic Games in ...

2015–present, United Volleys 2015–2016, Abiant Lycurgus 2016-2017 * Kris Brand, Outside Hitter VC Franken,

Indios de Mayaguez Indio may refer to: Places * Indio, Bovey Tracey, an historic estate in Devon, England * Indio, California, a city in Riverside County, California, United States People with the name * Indio (musician), Canadian musician Gordon Peterson * Índi ...

Knack Randstad Roeselare Knack Roeselare is a Belgian professional men's volleyball club based in Roeselare. They compete in the Euro Millions Volley League and the CEV Champions League. Honours Domestic * Belgian Championship :Winners (13): 1988–89, 1999–2000, 2 ...

* Tom Graham, 1986-87 CIS Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year winner

Awards and honors

The Saskatchewan Huskies athletics awards are known as the Major 7. The Female Athlete of the Year is awarded the Mary Ethel Cartwright Trophy, while the Male Athlete of the Year is the recipient of the E. Kent Phillips Trophy. Given to the Men's Rookie of the Year is the Howard Nixon Trophy. The Huskies' Female Rookie of the Year is bestowed the Patricia Lawson Trophy. In recognition of an All-Around Female Athlete that has demonstrated leadership, sportsmanship, academic ability and athletic prowess, the Valerie Girsberger Trophy is awarded. Recognizing a male athlete's highest qualities of sportsmanship and citizenship, the Rusty MacDonald Cup is awarded. The Huskies award for the Coach of the Year is known as the Colb McEwon Trophy. As a side note, the Huskies also recognize trainers with the Dr. Walter Hader Student Trainer of the Year award.

Athletes of the Year

''This is an incomplete list''

Canada West Hall of Fame

*Brent Schneider, Football: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Willie Desjardin, Men's Hockey: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Huskies, Men's Hockey, 1980-1983: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Darcey Busse, Men's Volleyball: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Adam Ens, Men's Volleyball: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Lyle Sanderson, Men's Track & Field: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Gordon Garvie, Men's Wrestling: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Jamie Epp, Men's Cross-Country/Track & Field: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Sarah Crooks, Women's Basketball: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Breanne George, Women's Hockey: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Mark Tennant, Women's Volleyball: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Huskiettes, Volleyball, 1978-81: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Kelsie Hendry, Women's Track & Field: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Ethel Mary Cartwright, Builder-General: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Dr. Sylvia Fedoruk, Builder- BB,VB,Track: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Pat Jackson, Builder: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Val Schneider, Builder: 2019-2020 inductee(inaugural class) *Diane Jones-Konihowski: Women's Track and Field: 2020-2021 inductee

References

External links

* {{Navboxes , titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle, Saskatchewan Huskies, color=white , list = {{Saskatchewan Sports {{Canada West Universities Athletic Association {{U Sports men's ice hockey {{U Sports women's ice hockey {{U Sports soccer {{U Sports volleyball U Sports teams