Babcock visit coincides with No. 1 ranking for hockey Redmen
AthleticsTiming is everything, they say, in sports as in life. And the timing could not have been better for a visit to McGill from Detroit Red Wings head coach and McGill alumnus Mike Babcock (BE’86). Just hours before Babcock extolled the virtues of hard work and preparation at an event organized by he McGill Alumni Association, the team he patrolled the blueline for from 1983-87 was named Canada’s No. 1 college hockey squad.
A track star is born
AthleticsAlexandra Morin-Boucher wasn’t supposed to compete in her newly adopted sport until 2012, but then went out and ran the 300-metre dash in December’s McGill Holiday Classic, a race she says she was running for fun and to gain experience heading into some big, upcoming track meets in 2012. It ended up being a lot of fun indeed, and an entirely different experience than she or anyone else might have anticipated.
Hockey coaches look back on successful first half
AthleticsLast spring, McGill came up one Redmen win short of being able to lay claim to the unofficial title of “Canada’s hockey school.” But with the defending national champion Martlets still ranked No.1 in the country, and the national finalist Redmen once again rated second among the men, the University might get another shot at a national title sweep soon. Not that you need to sweep the championships to prove Canadian college hockey supremacy. After McGill’s 1-2 punch, only two other schools in the country feature a men’s and women’s team in the Canadian Intercollegiate Sports (CIS) Top 10
Four McGill teams in latest CIS Top 10
AthleticsA second-place finish at the AUS Invitational in Halifax Nov. 20 helped the then unranked McGill Martlets swimming team leap into 6th place in the latest CIS Top 10 rankings. Their Redmen counterparts from the pool and both McGill hockey teams join them in this week’s rankings.
Uttley appointed as 20th head coach in McGill football history
AthleticsClint Uttley has been appointed head coach of the McGill University football team. The 38-year-old native of Orillia, Ont., who is the 20th bench boss in school history, had handled the team on an interim basis for the final three games of the recently completed season after Sonny Wolfe stepped down last month.
Redmen kicker Anderson wins Quebec nomination for Russ Jackson Trophy
AthleticsAustin Anderson, a place-kicker with the McGill University Redmen, is the 2011 RSEQ football conference nominee for the Russ Jackson trophy, which goes to the player who best combines academics with athletics and citizenship. He becomes the 12th McGill candidate in 26 years to win the Quebec nomination. The announcement was made by the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec at a press conference held at McGill University, Monday.
Top-ranked Redmen eye national lacrosse championship
AthleticsWith the help of a tie-breaking formula only a Math major could love, or even understand, the McGill lacrosse Redmen have earned a No.1 national ranking and a direct berth in the semi-finals of the Baggataway Cup, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse (CUFLA) national championship tournament. It marks the fourth time in the past five seasons the Redmen have taken part in the event. The 2011 edition takes place this weekend (Nov. 4-6) in London, Ontario.
Culture change reverses fortunes for rugby Martlets
AthleticsFor the uninitiated, rugby doesn’t seem like a warm and fuzzy sport. Daily highlights from the World Cup currently being waged in New Zealand are rife with bone-jarring collisions between bloodied colossi. Last player standing wins. But what most casual observers don’t understand is that for all its seeming mayhem, rugby is extremely technical and requires as much teamwork – or more – than most other sports. Just ask the McGill Martlets rugby team.
Redmen football coach Sonny Wolfe steps down
AthleticsBy Earl Zukerman Sonny Wolfe is stepping down as head coach of the Redmen football team. The 68-year-old native of Montreal was scheduled to retire at season’s end but has decided to move up his date of departure. “The chances of making the playoffs are slim so it’s time to start thinking of next year,” [...]
Rowing team christens six new boats at downtown campus ceremony
AthleticsNo champagne bottles were harmed when the McGill Rowing team held a boat christening on lower campus Saturday, Sept. 17. Instead of the traditional smashing of a bottle over the hull of larger vessels, the team members and the assorted family, friends and alumni who gathered on lower campus for the celebration, settled for a gentle pour, leaving enough left over for a toast instead.