| Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks | |
| University | Wilfrid Laurier University |
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| Association | Canadian Interuniversity Sport |
| Conference | Ontario University Athletics |
| Athletics director | Peter Baxter |
| Location | Waterloo, Ontario |
| Varsity teams | |
| Football stadium | Golden Hawks Stadium |
| Arena | Golden Hawks Athletic Complex |
| Mascot | Golden Hawk |
| Nickname | Golden Hawks |
| Colours | purple and gold
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| Website | Laurier Athletics |
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks is the name used by the varsity sports teams of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The university's varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport and, where applicable, in the west division.
The football program has become one of the best in the conference, recently winning a Vanier Cup national championship in 2005 to go along with their previous title in 1991. Since 2003, the team has not finished lower than fourth in the ten-team OUA conference under the guidance of head coach Gary Jeffries.
The women's varsity hockey team have become very successful, winning their first OUA championship in their 1998–1999 season, winning in 2002 and having won five consecutive years in a row (2003–2008). They also won Nationals in 2004–2005.
The Golden Hawk Cheerleading team has also risen to prominence in the last few years having won 3 national championship titles at the prestigious University National Cheerleading Championships conducted by Power Cheerleading Athletics. The Golden Hawk Cheerleaders have been ranked in the top five squads in the nation at least 8 times in the past 10 years, winning 3 national titles in 2007, 2008 (in the All-Female division) and 2009 (in the Small-Coed division).
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Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks teams compete in:
| Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks | |||
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| First season | 1961 | ||
| Athletic director | Peter Baxter | ||
| Head coach | Gary Jeffries | ||
| 10th year, 55–17–0 (.764) | |||
| Other staff | Sean Hall (DC) Chris Coulson (OC) |
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| Home stadium | Knight-Newbrough Field | ||
| Year built | 1958 | ||
| Stadium capacity | 6000 | ||
| Stadium surface | FieldTurf | ||
| Location | Waterloo, Ontario | ||
| League | CIS | ||
| Conference | OUA (1980 - present) | ||
| Past associations | OIFC (1963-1966) CCIFC (1967-1970) OUAA (1971-1973) OQIFC (1974-1979) |
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| All-time record | – | ||
| Postseason record | – | ||
| Vanier Cups | 2 1991, 2005 |
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| Uteck Bowl Championships | 1 2005 |
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| Churchill Bowl Championships | 1 1991 |
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| Atlantic Bowl Championships | 2 1968, 1972 |
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| Yates Cups | 7 1972, 1973, 1978, 1987, 1991, 2004, 2005 |
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| Hec Crighton winners | 1 Bill Kubas |
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| Colours | Purple and Gold and White
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| Outfitter | Adidas | ||
| Rivals | Waterloo Warriors Western Mustangs |
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| Website | laurierathletics.com | ||
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks football team has appeared in five Vanier Cup championships, losing in 1966, 1968 and 1972, and winning the national title in 1991 and 2005. The team has also won seven Yates Cup conference championships, most recently in 2004 and 2005. Their current head coach is Gary Jeffries, who became the interim head coach midway through the 2002 campaign before being named the full-time head coach for the 2003 season.[1] Since then, he has only had 13 regular season losses. The Golden Hawks have had one Hec Crighton Trophy winner, Bill Kubas, a former quarterback who won the award in 1994.
The program has become one of the strongest in the OUA, as they have only finished below fourth place in the ten-team conference once as long as Jeffries has been the full-time head coach. The team completed two unbeaten regular seasons in 2004 and 2005, and one completely unbeaten season in the latter after going 12-0 and winning the 41st Vanier Cup in 2005. The Golden Hawks had seven straight seasons of at least six wins between 2003 and 2009, but are coming off of back-to-back .500 seasons in 2010 and 2011. While the team had a four win season in 2010, it should be noted that they forfeited a game they won against the Toronto Varsity Blues for using an ineligible player.[2]
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | OL | Pct % | PF | PA | Standing |
| 2001 | 8 | 3 | 5 | - | 0.375 | 104 | 138 | 6th in OUA |
| 2002 | 8 | 1 | 7 | - | 0.125 | 150 | 137 | 9th in OUA |
| 2003 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 0.750 | 313 | 158 | 3rd in OUA |
| 2004 | 8 | 8 | 0 | - | 1.000 | 343 | 142 | 1st in OUA |
| 2005 | 8 | 8 | 0 | - | 1.000 | 330 | 114 | 1st in OUA |
| 2006 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 0.750 | 253 | 142 | 2nd in OUA |
| 2007 | 8 | 7 | 1 | - | 0.875 | 278 | 124 | 2nd in OUA |
| 2008 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 0.750 | 235 | 191 | 3rd in OUA |
| 2009 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 0.750 | 210 | 136 | 2nd in OUA |
| 2010 | 8 | 4 | 4 | - | 0.500 | 250 | 172 | 4th in OUA |
| 2011 | 8 | 4 | 4 | - | 0.500 | 290 | 194 | 6th in OUA |
As of the end of the 2011 CFL season, five former Golden Hawks players are on CFL teams' rosters:
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