The Battle of the Bridge is the name of the all-sports rivalry between the Canisius Golden Griffins and the Niagara Purple Eagles. [1] [2] [3] [4] Both schools are members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The two teams compete every school year in 14 sports; men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's golf, men's ice hockey, women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, women's softball, men's and women's swimming & diving, and women's volleyball. The overall winner of the annual series receives the Canal Cup trophy. [5] The two long-time Western New York rivals created the trophy in 2007 to enhance the historic rivalry between the two schools. [6] The name of the series is a reference to the Grand Island Bridge, which each team crosses when traveling along I-190 to the other's campus. [7] [8] The name of the trophy is a reference to the Erie Canal, which separates Erie County, where Canisius is located, and Niagara County, where Niagara is located. [6]
Season | Winner | Overall score | Series | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Canisius | Niagara | |||
2006–07 | Niagara | 10 | 24 | Niagara 1–0 |
2007–08 | Canisius | 21 | 13 | Tied 1–1 |
2008–09 | Canisius | 23 | 11 | Canisius 2–1 |
2009–10 | Niagara | 15 | 17 | Tied 2–2 |
2010–11 | Canisius | 20 | 13 | Canisius 3–2 |
2011–12 | Canisius | 18.5 | 14.5 | Canisius 4–2 |
2012–13 | Canisius | 21 | 12 | Canisius 5–2 |
2013–14 | Canisius | 23.5 | 9.5 | Canisius 6–2 |
2014–15 | Canisius | 21 | 7 | Canisius 7–2 |
2015–16 | Canisius | 20.5 | 7.5 | Canisius 8–2 |
2016–17 | Canisius | 30 | 8 | Canisius 9–2 |
2017–18 | Canisius | 27 | 9 | Canisius 10–2 |
2018–19 | Canisius | 19 | 11 | Canisius 11–2 |
2019–20 | Canisius | 16 | 10 | Canisius 12–2 |
2020–21 | Niagara | 10 | 16 | Canisius 12–3 |
2021–22 | Niagara | 13 | 23 | Canisius 12–4 |
2022–23 | Canisius | 19 | 17 | Canisius 13–4 |
Total | 16* seasons | 327.5 | 222.5 | Canisius 13–4 |
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