| Brandon Bobcats | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Brandon University |
| Association | U Sports (primary) CCAA (soccer) |
| Conference | Canada West |
| Athletic director | Russ Paddock |
| Location | Brandon, Manitoba |
| Varsity teams | 8 (4 men's, 4 women's) |
| Basketball arena | Healthy Living Centre |
| Mascot | Bailey |
| Colours | Blue and Gold |
| Website | gobobcats |
 | |
TheBrandon Bobcats are the athletic teams that representBrandon University inBrandon, Manitoba, Canada. Currently, there are six Bobcat teams competing inU Sports as members of theCanada West Universities Athletic Association while the Bobcat soccer teams participate in theManitoba Colleges Athletic Conference.[1]
Originally known as the Caps and Cappettes, Brandon University Athletics adopted the nickname Bobcats in 1969. Brandon University Athletics once fielded teams infootball,field hockey,tennis,badminton,judo,swimming, andice hockey. The men's ice hockey team ceased in 2002.
Brandon College and Brandon University athletes competed in the Western Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1920 until it was split into two divisions in 1971, at which time the Bobcats joined the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Following the 1998 season, GPAC merged with the Canada West conference, the conference in which the Bobcats have been competing since.
All teams competing in U Sports except where indicates:
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Curling | Curling |
| Soccer1 | Soccer1 |
| Volleyball | Volleyball |
| 1 – competes in theCanadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). | |
The Bobcats men's basketball team is a 4-timeCanadian University national championship winner, and one of only three Canadian universities to win three-consecutive men's basketball national championships. The Bobcats won titles in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1996. The school's first national championship came on March 22, 1987. The Bobcats entered the tournament ranked #1 before beating theUBC Thunderbirds 74–66 in the gold medal final.
At the 1988 national championship tournament, the Bobcats defeated theWestern Mustangs in the semi-final thanks to 21 points and seven rebounds from Partick Jebbison, before beating theAcadia Axemen 81–68 in the gold medal game on March 20, 1988.
The Bobcats successfully made it three national championships in a row in 1989. Entering the tournament ranked #1, the Bobcats beat theToronto Varsity Blues 85–73 in the semi-final behind 18 second-half points fromJoey Vickery before Brandon beat theVictoria Vikes 74–73.
In 1996 the Bobcats made it back to the national championship final after wins over theAcadia Axemen andToronto Varsity Blues, setting up a gold medal game against theUniversity of Alberta Golden Bears. The Bobcats were led by fifth-year forwardKeith Vassell as he helped the Bobcats to a 79–72 win in what would be his final game after an outstanding playing career.
In the 1999–00 season, the Bobcats were silver medal winners after dropping the final toSt. Francis Xavier X-Men in a hard-fought 61–60 loss. The following year saw a rematch of the previous year's national championship final between Brandon and St. Francis Xavier. The game went to overtime where StFX eventually came away with an 83–76 win.
In 2001–02, the Bobcats won a bronze medal thanks to a 69–63 win over theVictoria Vikes.
In the 2006–07 academic year, the Bobcatsbasketball team advanced to theCanadian Basketball Finals. They placed second to theCarleton Ravens, in a hard-fought 52–49 game.
The Bobcats women's basketball team has competed in the Canada West conference since the 1999–00 season. Prior to joining Canada West, the Lady Bobcats were members of the Great Plains Athletics Conference from 1978 to 1999.
Members of the Lady Bobcats women's basketball team have earned Academic All-Canadian status 45 times since 1989. Bobcat Hall of Famer Janet Lumsden played for Brandon University from 1980 to 1984 and still holds multiple school records including career points (1,573) and points per game for one season (23.7 ppg in 1981–82).
Lumsden and fellow Lady Cat Sandra Hamilton are both inductees in the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame. Hamilton was named CIAU All-Canadian, GPAC MVP, and CIS Outstanding Player of the Year runner-up in 1991–92.
Formed in 2005–06, the Bobcatsmen's volleyball team has risen from humble beginnings to a perennial nationally ranked team in U Sports. The Bobcats have made the Canada West playoffs every year since the 2007–08 season.
The Bobcats have qualified for theU Sports national championship tournament twice. The first appearance was in 2009 where they earned a bronze medal. In 2011, the Bobcats earned a spot in their first ever national championship final. They dropped a hard-fought match to eventual winnerTrinity Western Spartans at their home gym.[2]
For the 2012–13 season, the Bobcats finished in sixth place in the regular season with a 13–9 record, but excelled in the playoffs and won their first Canada West championship in a victory over theManitoba Bisons.[3] The team advanced to the 2013 national championships where they finished with a bronze medal after defeating theWestern Mustangs.
In 2019, they took home the Canada West championship, their second conference title, beating Trinity Western three sets to two. In the national tournament, the Bobcats defeated theCarabins and theGolden Bears to advance to the championship game, but were defeated by the Spartans in a rematch, losing three sets to none.[4]
The Bobcats have had two players win theLeague MVP Award, withPaul Sanderson winning in 2010 and Elliot Viles winning in 2019.[5]
The Bobcats won the2025 U Sports Men's Volleyball Championship after entering the tournament as the hosts and eighth seed, earning the first national championship in program history.[6]
The Bobcats women's volleyball team joined Canada West in the 2005–06 season.
Former Bobcats are in the Canada West record books. Teagan Hunter ranks in career kills (1,006), Becky Young is second all-time in career assists (3,338) and Erin Visch-Krahn is among all-time in career blocks (271). In the 2015–16 season, Shanlee McLennan set the Canada West record for career aces.
Following the 2010–11 season Meaghan Robertson was named to theCIS all-rookie team, Hunter was named second team all-Canadian, and German import player Donata Huebert was named CIS libero of the year.
The Bobcats, and previously the Caps, ice hockey team was at one point the centrepiece of Brandon University Athletics. Records showBrandon College having both men's and women's hockey teams as early as 1910. Arguably the most successful ice hockey program was under head coach (and former player)Andy Murray, who in the 1980–81 season led the Bobcats to a 23–1 regular season record, a No. 1 national ranking and a berth in the national championship.
Re-introduced toBrandon College in 1950 under the leadership of Coach Al Tyler and Athletic Director "Curly" Tyler, the football team folded following the 1972–73 season, coached at that time by former Athletic Director andManitoba Sports Hall of Fame inductee Doug Steeves at the time the program ceased.
| Pacific members |  | |
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| Prairie members | ||
| See also | ||
