Regina Rams

Last updated

Regina Rams
Regina Rams Logo.png
Regina Rams logo
First season1954
Athletic director Lisa Robertson
Head coach Mark McConkey
4th year, 10200  (.333)
Other staffMark McConkey (OC)
Sheldon Gray (DC)
Home stadium Mosaic Stadium
Year built2016
Stadium capacity33,000
Stadium surface FieldTurf
Location Regina, Saskatchewan
League U Sports
Conference Canada West (1999 – present)
Past associations MSJFL (1954–1975)
CJFL (1976–1998)
All-time record841131 (.427)
Postseason record916 (.360)
Titles
Vanier Cups0
Atlantic Bowls1
2000
Canadian Bowls15
1966, 1970, 1971, 1973,
1975, 1976, 1980, 1981,
1986, 1987, 1993, 1994,
1995, 1997, 1998
Hardy Cups2
2000, 2024
Hec Crighton winners1
Noah Picton
Current uniform
Regina Rams football uniform since 2014.png
ColoursGreen and Gold
   
Outfitter Nike
Rivals Saskatchewan Huskies
Website reginarams.com

The Regina Rams represent the University of Regina, located in Regina, Saskatchewan, in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Rams joined U Sports in 1999 and have competed in the Canada West Conference since then. [1] The program has won two U Sports football conference championships, in 2000 and 2024, and the team has made one appearance in the Vanier Cup championship game.

Contents

The Rams nickname is used by the university's football team only; all of the other teams at the school are named the Regina Cougars.

Club history

The Regina Rams were formed in 1954 when two junior football teams, the Bombers and the Dales, merged into one football club. The Rams participated in the Man-Sask Junior Football League until 1976, when they joined with junior teams from Alberta to form the Prairie Football Conference. The club would participate in the CJFL until 1998, winning ten Canadian Junior Football Championships along the way. [1]

In 1999, after competing for 45 years in junior football (Canadian Junior Football League), the Regina Rams became a member of the Canada West Conference of the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (CIAU), later Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and now U Sports. The University of Regina came to community partnership agreement with the CJFL team that made the transfer possible. Rather than change their name to Regina Cougars, the football team continued to use the moniker "Rams." In only their second year of playing in the CIAU, the Rams won the Canada West Conference championship and then the Atlantic Bowl. They then went on their way to the Vanier Cup where they lost 42–39 to Marcel Bellefeuille's Ottawa Gee-Gees in the 36th Vanier Cup. [1] [2]

Frank McCrystal was the head coach of the Rams from their inception in the CIS until 2014. He took the reins of the team in 1984, making 2014 his 31st season as head coach of the Rams and his 16th in the CIS. In 2007, after leading his team to a 6–2 regular season record and an appearance in the Hardy Cup game, McCrystal was named Canadian Interuniversity Sport Coach of the Year and received the 2007 Frank Tindall Trophy. [3] [4]

The Rams played the inaugural sporting event at Mosaic Stadium on October 1, 2016, hosting the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. [5] [6] At the end of the 2016 season, quarterback Noah Picton became the first Rams player to win the Hec Crighton Trophy after completing 224 passes out of 323 attempts for 3,186 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. [7] [8] That was also the first season that the Rams finished in first place in the Canada West regular season.

CIAU/CIS/U Sports Regular Season Results

SeasonGamesWonLostOTLPCTPFPAStandingPlayoffs
1999 808-0.0001213096th in CWOut of Playoffs
2000 844-0.5002182813rd in CWDefeated Calgary Dinos in semi-final 33–32
Defeated Manitoba Bisons in Hardy Cup 25–22
Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Atlantic Bowl 40–36
Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in 36th Vanier Cup 42–39
2001 853-0.6252782082nd in CWDefeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 58–31
Lost to Manitoba Bisons in Hardy Cup 23–17
2002 85300.6251691533rd in CWDefeated Calgary Dinos in semi-final 39–17
Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in Hardy Cup 44–28
2003 84310.5632482463rd in CWLost to Simon Fraser Clan in semi-final 53–46
2004 80800.0001162687th in CWOut of Playoffs
2005 83500.3751882765th in CWOut of Playoffs
2006 84400.5002782564th in CWLost to Manitoba Bisons in semi-final 44–29
2007 862-0.7502571952nd in CWDefeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 19–13
Lost to Manitoba Bisons in Hardy Cup 48–5
2008 853-0.2501631793rd in CWLost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 24–17
2009 835-0.3751742244th in CWLost to Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 53–23
2010 853-0.6252811813rd in CWLost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 40–33
2011 853-0.6251231543rd in CWLost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 16–4
2012 862-0.7502141602nd in CWDefeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 31–9
Lost to Calgary Dinos in Hardy Cup 38–14
2013 826-0.2502242795th in CWOut of Playoffs
2014 835-0.3752392944th in CWLost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 56–0
2015 808-0.0001773396th in CWOut of Playoffs
2016 862-0.7502772181st in CWLost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 40–34
2017 844-0.5002592833rd in CWLost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 28–21
2018 817*-0.1251072176th in CWOut of Playoffs
2019 835-0.3752111895th in CWOut of Playoffs
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 615-0.167581316th in CWOut of Playoffs
2022 853-0.6251951592nd in CWLost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 28–14
2023 817-0.1251552686th in CWOut of Playoffs
2024 835-0.3751571774th in CWDefeated Manitoba Bisons in semi-final 28–25
Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in Hardy Cup 19–14
Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in Mitchell Bowl 17–14

[9] [10]

National U Sports Postseason Results

Vanier Cup Era (1965–present)
YearGameOpponentResult
2000 Atlantic Bowl

Vanier Cup

Saint Mary's

Ottawa

W 40–36

L 39–42

2024 Mitchell Bowl Laval L 14–17

Regina is 1–1 in national semi-final games and 0–1 in the Vanier Cup.

Head coaches

NameYearsNotes
Toar Springstein 1954–1955
Bill Ciz1956–1958
Bert Iannone 1959–1962
Paul Anderson1962–1963
Bill Ciz1964
Gordon Currie 1965–1976
Mel Fissel1977
Gerry Zbytnuik1978–1980
Frank McCrystal 1981–2014
Mike Gibson 2015
Steve Bryce2016–2019
Mark McConkey2020–present

Regina Rams in the professional ranks

As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, six former Rams players were on CFL teams' rosters:

[12]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "About the Rams". Regina Rams. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  2. http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/fball/2010-11/files/vanier_cup_history Vanier Cup History
  3. "C.I.S. & CJFL Update". 2007. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013.
  4. http://www.reginacougars.com/coaches.aspx?rc=180&path=football 2010 Football Coaching Staff, Frank McCrystal
  5. "Three events to test out new Mosaic Stadium". Regina Leader-Post. Postmedia Network. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  6. "It's like a 'major league' venue: Test run of new Mosaic Stadium wins praise". CBC News. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  7. "Regina Rams QB Noah Picton wins Hec Crighton Award". CBC News. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  8. "Regina Rams career leaders". Regina Rams. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Canada West Football History
  10. "Football Standings". Canada West. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  11. 2018 U Sports Regina schedule
  12. "Players". Canadian Football League. Retrieved November 21, 2024.