McGill Redmen

McGill Redmen
University McGill University
Association Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Conference Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec
Athletic director Drew Love
Location Montreal, Quebec
Football stadium Percival Molson Memorial Stadium
Mascot Marty the Martlet
Nickname Redmen
Colours
     Red       White
Website www.athletics.mcgill.ca

The McGill Redmen are the men's athletic teams that represent McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The women's teams are known as the McGill Martlets.

Name

The name Redmen was first published in 1929 as "Red Men" and was used to describe the red uniforms worn by McGill sports teams. Research done by McGill historian Dr. Stanley Frost indicated that the name Redmen derived from ancient times, when Celts were known as the "Red Men" because of their red hair... "our own Red Men were no doubt Celts in honour of James McGill's Scottish descent," notes Frost.. It has also been proposed that the name originated as a nickname coined by media outlets in the 1920s based on the official school colours and thus the colour of the jerseys worn by McGill sports teams. These differing claims are called in to question by some, however, who point to the fact that McGill team logo's did for a time feature elements meant to evoke Aboriginal Canadian groups, as well as reports by news sources in the 1950s which refer to the "McGill Indians" in their sports reporting.[1][2]

Mascot

The mascot for both the Redmen and Martlet teams is Marty the Martlet. The name was chosen in 2005 by students at his first appearance at the Redmen football Homecoming game, where he was presented to the McGill Athletics Department by the Student Organization for Alumni Relations (SOAR).

Football

Football at McGill, 1946.

The McGill Redmen CIS football team is one of the oldest in all of Canada, having begun organized competition in 1874. 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. McGill plays out of Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, where the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes also play.

After their 2005 suspension, the team struggled with three losing seasons, including two winless seasons in 2007 and 2008. The program showed signs of hope as the Redmen won three games in 2009, but soon sank back down to futility with consecutive winless campaigns in 2010 and 2011.

Ice hockey

McGill goalie during 2014 Queen's Cup.
Ice hockey at McGill, 1901.

On March 3, 1875 the first organized indoor game was played at Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink by James George Aylwin Creighton and several McGill University students. In 1877, several McGill students, including Creighton, Henry Joseph, Richard F. Smith, W.F. Robertson, and W.L. Murray codified seven ice hockey rules. The McGill University Hockey Club - later re-christened "The Redmen" - was founded in 1877, arguably making the McGill Redmen the first and oldest ice hockey club in the world.

The university operates both men's and women's teams in the CIS. The teams play at McGill's McConnell Arena. The men's team has won championships in 1883, 1903, 1905, 1912, 1918, 1921, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1946, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012,[3] including the 2012 CIS University Cup national championship. The women's team has won championships in 1985, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.[4]

On November 15, 2003, Kim St. Pierre was the first woman in CIS history to be credited with a win in a men's regular season game. This occurred when the McGill Redmen defeated the Ryerson Rams by a score of 5-2.[5]

Other sports

Lacrosse

Founded in 2001, the McGill Redmen Lacrosse team competes in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) and plays three NCAA exhibition games per season. In 2012 McGill's Redmen lacrosse team won Canada's national championship, the Baggataway Cup, and in 2013, the team went undefeated at 10-0 and finished as a national finalist. McGill plays in the CUFLA-East against Bishop's, Carleton, Concordia, Ottawa, Trent and Queen's Universities. The CUFLA West features the 17-time national champion Brock Badgers, as well as Guelph, Laurentian, Laurier, McMaster, Nipissing, University of Toronto and University of Western Ontario.

Three-time recipient of the Harry Griffith's Award in 2007, 2008 and 2012 as McGill's best-run (non-CIS) varsity team, the Redmen lacrosse program has emerged as one of the most successful in Canada. The team has reached CUFLA's Final Four in six of the past seven seasons, while capturing Eastern Conference titles in 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The hybrid Canadian-box-American-field lacrosse program is geographically diverse and has featured student-athletes from five different Provinces and 23 different US States.

Since 2003 the Redmen have been coached by Tim Murdoch, a former NCAA Division-I lacrosse player at Princeton, and since 2007 with support from assistant coach, Sean Steinwald, a two-time All-American and MVP at Cornell. Murdoch and Steinwald were named CUFLA's 'Coaching Staff of the Year' in 2008 along with Brendan Simeson (McGill '09). In 2014 McGill's coaching staff was expanded with Scott Bailey (McGill '09), Simon Hudson (McGill'13), and Kevin Donovan Jr. (Lehigh '12). Prior volunteer coaches included Mike O'Donnell (Penn State '10), John Threshie (UNC-Chapel Hill), and All-World goalie, Trevor Tierney (Princeton). The team plays its home games in McGill's Percival Molson Stadium.

Soccer

Main article: McGill Redmen soccer

The soccer program at McGill operates for a big part of the school year. On top of the regular CIS fall season there is a Quebec indoor season, which runs from January to mid March. Preparation for the CIS season starts with try-outs in mid-August and several preseason games against NCAA teams.

Sailing

McGill's sailing program was founded in 1949, and the first regattas took place in Northern New England. Today, the team competes in the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association (NEISA), which itself is a part of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA). The team trains out of the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club (RStLYC) throughout the fall and competes in dinghies such as the collegiate 420 (dinghy) and the Flying Junior. Every spring, the Redmen attend the U.K. Team Racing Championships, the Wilson Trophy in West Kirby, England.

Baseball

The baseball team plays in the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association (CIBA). They have won two national championships (2006 & 2010), and have appeared in two national finals (2005 & 2008). The team plays out of Trudeau park in Cote St Luc.

Rugby

Current reigning RSEQ rugby champions for 7 years.

Public image

2005 hazing scandal

In October 2005, the McGill administration cancelled the last three games of football team's season after confirmed reports of hazing involving sexual abuse.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Team History". Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Team History". Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Notable Women’s Hockey Players". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  6. ↑ "Hazing probe prompts McGill to cancel football". CTV News. October 19, 2005. Retrieved February 21, 2012.

External links