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| Saskatchewan Huskies | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of Saskatchewan |
| Association | U Sports |
| Conference | Canada West |
| Athletic director | Shannon Chin[1] |
| Location | Saskatoon,Saskatchewan |
| Varsity teams | 12 (5 men's, 4 women's, 3 co-ed) |
| Football stadium | Griffiths Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Physical Activity Complex |
| Ice hockey arena | Merlis Belsher Place |
| Soccer stadium | Griffiths Stadium[2] |
| Outdoor track and field venue | Saskatoon Field House[3] |
| Volleyball arena | Physical Activity Complex |
| Mascot | Howler The Huskie |
| Nickname | Huskies |
| Fight song | "Saskatchewan, Our University" |
| Colors | Green and white[4] |
| Website | huskies |
 | |
TheSaskatchewan Huskies are the athletics teams representing theUniversity of Saskatchewan inSaskatoon, Saskatchewan. The university began their athletics program in 1907 and has competed with others since 1911. They currently compete in elite inter-university competition administered byU Sports 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 ofKinesiology. At various times in its history, Huskie Athletics has offered teams in 24 differentsports. At present date, there are 15 teams in the following sports: men'sCanadian football and both men's and women's teams inbasketball,cross country,ice hockey,soccer,track and field,volleyball, andwrestling.
Both the football and soccer teams play their home games atGriffiths Stadium, while the men and women's hockey teams play atMerlis Belsher Place.
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Football | Ice hockey |
| Ice hockey | Soccer |
| Soccer | Volleyball |
| Volleyball | |
| Co-ed sports | |
Cross country | |
Track and field | |
Wrestling | |
The football program at the University of Saskatchewan is one of the more successful programs. They have captured 18 Canada West championships, appeared in 9Vanier Cup games, winning 3 of them. They play their games at Griffiths Stadium and have hosted many playoff games, including the 2006 Vanier Cup.[citation needed]
The University of Saskatchewan men's hockey team played their first season in 1909–10.[5] The current program consists of formermajor junior and junior A hockey players from across Canada. Since 2018, the Huskies play their home games atMerlis Belsher Place, which replacedRutherford Arena. The Huskies won their ninthCanada West Championship during the 2015–16 season. In 2017, the Huskies lost theUniversity Cup final by a score of 5–3 to the University of New Brunswick. In 1983, the Huskies won their onlyUniversity Cup.
The Huskies have a list of alumni who have played or coached in theNational Hockey League.[5] Among those included areMike Babcock, the former coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, andTodd McLellan, the current coach of the Los Angeles Kings.[5] In 2017, Huskie's goaltender Jordan Cooke was the first active U Sports player to be named to Team Canada'sSpengler Cup roster.[6]
Women have been playing hockey at the University as early as 1912. During the 2009–10 season, Breanne George scored a conference-high 28 goals and 18 assists for a league-leading 46 points in 24 games. Fifth-year Huskies forward Julie Paetsch was named the 2011–12 Canada West women’s hockey Player of the Year. The Huskies alternate captain, Paetsch finished the season as the Canada West leader in scoring with 34 points. Her 14 goals and 20 assists were accumulated in 24 games as the Huskies enjoyed a won-loss record of 16–6–2.
The University of Saskatchewan women's soccer program played for the first time in an official league in the 1984–85 season.[7] The Huskies play their home games at Griffiths Stadium. The Huskies made their first appearance in theU Sports women's soccer Championship in 2016.[8]
Notable alumni from the program includeKaylyn Kyle, a former Canadian international, as well as Jadyn Steinhauer, Jade Houmphanh, and Erica Hindmarsh, who were part of theCanadian women's national futsal team which won the inauguralCONCACAF W Futsal Championship in May 2025 alongside Huskies head coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton, who served as assistant coach on the national futsal team.[9][10][11]
Originally playing as 'the Huskiettes', the University of Saskatchewan women's basketball program first won major honours in 1949, winning the Canadian Western University Championship with a team that featuredSylvia Fedoruk as co-captain.[12] The Huskies play their home games at thePhysical Activity Complex. The first national tournament win came in the 2015–16 season, where the Huskies defeated theRyerson Rams 85–71 to win the2016 CIS Women's Basketball Championship.[13] In theU Sports women's basketball championship, the Huskies have won 3 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and one bronze.[14] In all three national wins for the Huskies the team has been coached byLisa Thomaidas. Both Sarah Crooks (2005–06, 2006–07) andGage Grassick (2024–25) have won the national Player of the Year award.[15]
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 inU Sports.[citation needed] The football team has won theVanier Cup as National Champions on 3 occasions (1990, 1996, and 1998) and have been runners up on 6 occasions since 1989.[citation needed]
The men's volleyball has been national champions on four occasions, in 1979, 1988, 1999, and 2004.[citation needed] They continue to have a strong team each year.[citation needed] The U of S Huskies have also recently achieved success in men's and women'sbasketball, andwrestling.
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.[citation needed]
| Sport | Nat. titles | Years | Nat. app. | Year | Conf. titles | Years | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basketball (men's) | 1 | 2009–10 | 7 | 1981–82, 1985–86, 1987–88,2005–06,2009–10,2010–11,2013–14,2014–15) | 1 | 2009–10 | [16] |
| Basketball (women's) | 2 | 2015–16),2019–20 | 10 | 1982–83, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14,2014–15,2015–16,2016–17) | 5 | 2005–06, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17 | [17] |
| Cross country (men's) | 1 | 1968 | 6 | 1968, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 | 2 | 1978, 1979 | [18] |
| Cross country (women's) | 0 | 8 | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) | 0 | [18] | ||
| Curling (men's) | 0 | 1 | 2011-12) | N/A | |||
| Curling (women's) | 0 | 1 | 2011-12) | N/A | |||
| Football | 3 | 1990,1996,1998 | 9 | 1989,1990,1994,1996,1998,2002,2004,2005,2006 | 20 | 1930, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1941, 1965, 1974, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 | [19] |
| Ice hockey (men's) | 1 | 1982–83 | 19 | 1966–67, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08,2011–12,2012–13,2013–14,2015–16,2016–17,2017–18) | 15 | 1926–27, 1929–30, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2006–07, 2011–12, 2015–16 | [20] |
| Ice hockey (women's) | 0 | 4 | 2003–04, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2023-24) | 1 | 2013–14 | [21] | |
| Soccer (women's) | 0 | 2 | 2013, 2014 | 1 | 2014 | [22] | |
| Swimming (men's) | 0 | 8 | 1956–57, 1957–58, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73) | 0 | |||
| Swimming (women's) | 0 | 1 | 1989–90 | 0 | |||
| Track and field (men's) | 5 | 1969–70, 1970–71, 1986–87, 2001–02, 2004–05 | N/A | 19 | 1967–68, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2012–13, 2015–16 | [23][24] | |
| Track and field (women's) | 7 | 1984–85 (tie), 1985–86, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05) | N/A | 22 | 1969–70(tie), 1970–71, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1994-95(tie), 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2017–18 | [23][24] | |
| Volleyball (men's) | 4 | 1978–79, 1987–88, 1998–99, 2003–04 | 18 | 1978–79, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2015–16 | 11 | 1978–79, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2003–04 | [25] |
| Volleyball (women's) | 3 | 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81 | 16 | 1971–72, 1974–75, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2004–05 | 7 | 1974–75, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1990–91, 1991–92 | [26] |
| Wrestling (men's) | 0 | N/A | 4 | 2015–16, 1985–86, 1983–84, 1981–82 | [27] | ||
| Wrestling (women's) | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2016–17 | [28] |
Note: The Huskies no longer participate in field hockey and swimming.
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.
This is an incomplete list
| Year | Female athlete | Sport | Male athlete | Sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Tracy Kelly | Grant Gudmundson | Volleyball | |
| 1981 | Rosalie Flynn | Del Chapman Willie Desjardins | Hockey | |
| 1982 | Tracy Kelly | Murray & Mark Reddekopp | Basketball | |
| 1983 | Gwen Wall | Track | Willie Desjardins | Hockey |
| 1984 | Gwen Wall | Track | Tim Leier | Hockey |
| 1985 | Gwen Wall | Track | Gerald Lashyn | Football |
| 1986 | Gwen Wall | Track | Darcey Busse Marshall Toner | Volleyball Football/Hockey/Track |
| 1987 | Sherry Miller | Jerome Linnell | Volleyball | |
| 1988 | Janet Scott | Track | Brian Gavlas Byron Tokarchuk | volleyball Basketball |
| 1989 | Shannon Kekula | Track | Sheldom Ryma | Basketball |
| 1990 | Vanessa Monar | Track | Scott Reeves | Wrestling |
| 1991 | Stacey Singler | Volleyball | Kim Pasloski | Hockey |
| 1992 | Janice Beland | Track | Imran Akhtar | Wrestling |
| 1993 | Seema Kamal | track | Dean Wiebe Wayde Bucsis | basketball hockey |
| 1994 | Samantha Simpson | Soccer | Dean Wiebe | Basketball |
| 1995 | Tanya Lypka | Track | Brent Schneider | Football |
| 1996 | Denise Meier | volleyball | Brian Purdy | Hockey |
| 1997 | Natalie Lukiw | volleyball | James Repesse | Football |
| 1998 | Seema Kamal | Track | Warren Muzika Scott Schutz | Football Volleyball |
| 1999 | Chelsea Grimson | volleyball | Warren Muzika | Football |
| 2000 | Kristin Hagel Jacqueline Lavallee | Soccer Basketball | Sheldon Moser | Hockey |
| 2001 | Karla Johnson | Track | Reid Bilben | Volleyball |
| 2002 | Jon Barkman | Hockey | ||
| 2003 | Kelsie Hendry | Track | Jamie Epp | Cross country |
| 2004 | Kelsie Hendry | Track | Adam Ens | Volleyball |
| 2005 | Kelsie Hendry | Track | Steve Bilan | Football |
| 2006 | Sarah Crooks | Basketball | David Stevens | Football |
| 2007 | Sarah Crooks | Basketball | Jeff Adamson | Wrestling |
| 2008 | Adrianne Vangool | Track | Andrew Spagrud | Basketball |
| 2009 | Jill Gallays | Wrestling | Steven DaSilva | Hockey |
| 2010 | Breanne George | Hockey | Showron Glover | Basketball |
| 2011 | Taryn Suttie | Track & Field | Daniel Olver | Wrestling |
| 2012 | Sharai Siemens | Track & Field | Jerson Barandica-Hamilton | Soccer |
| 2013 | Koren Pitkethly | Wrestling | Kit Hillis | Football |
| 2014 | Dalyce Emmerson | Basketball | Derek Hulak | Hockey |
| 2015 | Annie Monteith | Wrestling | Mark Ingram | Football |
| 2016 | Laura Dally | Basketball | Jordon Cooke | Hockey |
| 2017 | Astrid Nyame | Track & Field | Jordon Cooke | Hockey |
| 2018 | Julie Labach | Track & Field | Kieran Johnston | track & field |
| 2019 | Julie Labach | Track & Field | Taran Kozun | Ice Hockey |
| 2020[34] | Michelle Harrison | Track and Field | Taran Kozun | Hockey |
Source:[35]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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