TMU Bold | |
---|---|
University | Toronto Metropolitan University |
Association | U Sports |
Conference | Ontario University Athletics |
Athletic director | Louise Cowin |
Location | Toronto, Ontario |
Varsity teams | 11 |
Arena | Mattamy Athletic Centre (hockey, basketball, volleyball) |
Soccer stadium | Downsview Park Sports Centre (soccer) |
Mascot | Falcon |
Colours | Blue, Gold, and Silver [1] |
Website | www |
TMU Bold, formerly known as the Ryerson Rams, are the varsity athletic teams that represent Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson University) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto Metropolitan University operates 11 men's and women's varsity teams that compete provincially as part of Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and nationally as part of U Sports.
The team mascot is a falcon, who can be seen at most major events.
TMU Bold men's basketball program was led through its most successful run between 2009 and 2019 by head coach Roy Rana before he left the Rams following the 2018-2019 OUA season to accept a role as an Assistant Coach for the Sacramento Kings. Across their ten year run, the Rams finished with a 137-55 record, [3] back to back OUA Wilson Cup (basketball) titles in 2016 and 2017 and four straight trips to the Wilson Cup Final against the Carleton Ravens between 2015 and 2019. The 2020-2021 Rams Men's Basketball team was led by head coach David DeAveiro who joined the Rams in May 2020 after spending the previous 10 seasons as the head coach of the McGill University Men's Basketball Team. [4] In 2015, the Mattamy Athletic Centre hosted the 2015 CIS Men's Basketball Championship in which the Rams won the bronze for their first national medal in school history, defeating the Victoria Vikes 82-68. [5] At the 2016 CIS Men's Basketball Championship the Rams entered as the #1 seed following their first Wilson Cup championship but were upset by the Calgary Dinos in the Semi-final 98-87. [6] They defeated the Dalhousie Tigers in the next game to claim their second straight bronze medal. At the 2017 U Sports Men's Basketball Championship the Rams again entered as the #1 seed and reached the National Final for the first time in program history before falling to the Carleton Ravens 78-69. [7] In 2018, the Rams defeated the Ravens in the Semi-final before falling 79-77 to the Calgary Dinos for their second straight silver medal. In the 2019 U Sports Men's Basketball Championship, the Rams fell to the Dinos 67-65 in the Semi-final before once again defeating the Dalhousie Tigers to win the bronze medal. [8]
The Bold women's basketball program has had their most successful era between 2012-2022. Led by Canada women's national basketball team assistant coach, Carly Clarke, the Rams went 133-57 between 2012 and 2022, and earned their first ever Bronze Baby in 2022 when they completed an undefeated season and also won their second Critelli Cup. The Rams second most successful season came in 2015-2016 when whilst being led by OUA Player of the Year, OUA Defensive Player of the Year and CIS National Player of the Year Keneca Pingue-Giles, the Ryerson Rams won their first Critelli Cup defeating the Ottawa Gee-Gees 66-60. At the 2016 CIS Women's Basketball Championship, the Rams reached the National Final before falling to the Saskatchewan Huskies in the final 85-71. The Rams hosted the 2019 U Sports Women's Basketball Championship at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, finishing the tournament in 5th place. [9] The Rams last reached the Critelli Cup Provincial Final in 2020 falling to the Brock Badgers 84-71. [10] In March 2020, Rams basketball alum Keneca Pingue-Giles was named to the list of the Top 100 U Sports Women’s Basketball Players of the Century (2011-2020). [11]
The Bold women's ice hockey program first began competing in the OUA in the 2011-12 season and were led by the team's current head coach, Lisa Haley. The team first qualified for the OUA playoffs in 2015 and have also made the playoffs in 2018, 2019, and 2020, with their best finish as OUA Semi-Finalists in the latter two years. [13]
In women's volleyball, the Mattamy Athletic Centre hosted the 2017 U Sports Women's Volleyball Championship in which the Rams placed 7th losing in the Quarterfinals to the eventual silver medalist Alberta Pandas. [14] The Mattamy Athletic Centre hosted the 2018 OUA Quigley Cup in Women's Volleyball which the Rams won, defeating the McMaster Marauders 3-1 in the championship match to win their first Quigley Cup. [15] The Rams moved on to the 2018 U Sports Women's Volleyball Championship and won the U Sports National Title defeating the Alberta Pandas three games to one in the championship match. [16] This was the first U Sports championship title in school history. [16]
Toronto Metropolitan University used to have a football team which was coached, for much of its existence, by former Toronto Argonauts player Ted Toogood, who also served as TMU's first Athletic Director from 1949 to 1961. In 1958, the Rams won the Intermediate Intercollegiate Ontario-Quebec Conference championship. The football program was ended following the 1964 season due to costs, the lack of proper facilities, and poor attendance. [17]
Sport | National Championship | National Appearance | Conference Championship |
---|---|---|---|
Men's Basketball | 0 | 7 (1999, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) | 2 (2016, 2017) |
Women's Basketball | 1 (2022) | 4 (2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022) | 2 (2016, 2022) |
Men's Ice Hockey | 0 | 1 (2022) | 0 |
Men's Soccer | 0 | 1 (2013) | 0 |
Women's Volleyball | 1 (2018) | 4 (2002, 2017, 2018, 2019) | 1 (2018) |
Men's Volleyball | 0 | 1 (2016) | 0 |
Until the end of the 2011-2012 season, the Rams' basketball and volleyball teams played primarily out of Kerr Hall West Gymnasium, a triple gym in Kerr Hall West. The men's hockey team also played off-campus, using the ice rinks at George Bell Arena in The Junction. The men's and women's soccer teams play their home games at Downsview Park Sports Centre near York University.
In November 2009, then-Ryerson University announced that Maple Leaf Gardens would become the new home of the Rams' athletes. [18] The school partnered with the Canadian Government and supermarket company Loblaws to cover funding for the project. Approximately $20 million was contributed by Ryerson students, $20 million given by Federal Government and $15 million from Peter Gilligan. [19] In addition, Loblaws, the grocery retailer, made significant financial contributions. [20] The renovation took place over nearly three years, with the ground level hosting a Loblaws Supermarket, connected with the Loblaw Atrium and floor two through four holding the Rams' facilities which include: an NHL-sized ice rink, known as Mattamy Home Ice, a fitness centre as well as a multipurpose court for basketball and volleyball called the Coca-Cola Court. [21] BBB Architects & Stadium Consultants International has designed the new facility - the Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens - which was completed in time for the 2012-13 OUA season. [22]
The TMU Bold have seen numerous awards given out to student athletes across a multitude of sports. [23] [24] [25]
Since Toronto Metropolitan University opened in 1948, the logo for the Rams has changed along with the former technical institute becoming a university. [26] From 1965 until 2010, the Ryerson Rams' logo was a blue outline of a ram's head but in 2011, they updated to a more cartooned version of a ram, in their signature colours of blue and gold. [26]
The Ottawa Gee-Gees are the athletic teams that represent the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario.
The Queen's Gaels is the Athletics program representing Queen's University at Kingston in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Team colours are blue, red, and gold. The main athletics facilities include Richardson Memorial Stadium, the Queen's Athletics and Recreation Centre, Nixon Field and Tindall Field.
U Sports is the national sport governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree-granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Some institutions are members of both bodies for different sports.
The Carleton Ravens are the athletic teams that represent Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. The most notable sports team for Carleton is the men's basketball team. In men's basketball, the Ravens have won 16 of the last 19 national men's championships, which is more than any top division college in Canada or the United States. The Ravens went on an 87-game winning streak from 2003 to 2006. They also had a 54-game home winning streak. The Ravens finished 2nd in the World University Basketball Championships in 2004.
The Windsor Lancers are the varsity athletic teams that represent the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The school's varsity program supports 9 different sports. Their mascot is a lancer and the team's colours are blue and gold. The varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics provincial conference and the national U Sports organization. The school joined the Ontario-Quebec Athletic Association in 1952.
The York Lions is the official name for the athletic varsity teams that represent York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports and, where applicable, in the east division. The Lion's logo features a red lion from the school's logo with the university's colours, red and white.
Dave Smart is a Canadian former basketball coach currently working as an assistant general manager for the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He served as the head men's basketball coach at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario from 1999 to 2019, where he led the Ravens to thirteen of the team's fifteen overall U Sports national championships in men's basketball. Smart is currently the Director of Basketball Operations at Carleton, and serves as a consultant to the coaching staff at the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. Smart has also served as an assistant coach with the Canadian men's national team on multiple occasions, working with former NBA player Leo Rautins, and Jay Triano.
The Guelph Gryphons are an ice hockey team that represents the University of Guelph. They compete in the Ontario University Athletics Conference in U Sports. The program has yielded seven McCaw Cup conference championships and one Golden Path Trophy national championship, coming in 2019.
The Western Mustangs women's ice hockey team represents the University of Western Ontario Western Mustangs and competes in the Ontario University Athletics conference, which participates nationally in the U Sports athletic program. The Mustangs play at Thompson Arena in London, Ontario.
Queen's Gaels women's ice hockey is the representative women's ice hockey program of Queen's University at Kingston in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the women's ice hockey section of Ontario University Athletics (OUA), one of the four regional governing bodies that comprise U Sports.
Patrick Tatham is a Canadian basketball coach and former professional basketball player, currently working as the head coach of the McMaster Marauders.
Adika Peter-McNeilly is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and the BCL Americas.
The TMU Bold women's ice hockey program represents Toronto Metropolitan University in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports. The first head coach in program history was Lisa Haley, having served in the capacity since the 2011–12 season.
The Brock Badgers women's ice hockey team represents Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario in the sport of ice hockey in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference of U Sports. The Badgers program first began in 2000 and have won one OUA championship. The team is led by head coach Margot Page, who has held that position since 2015.
U Sports women's basketball is the highest level of play of women's basketball at the university level under the auspices of U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports. There are 48 teams, all of which are based in Canada, that are divided into four conferences that are eligible to compete for the year-end championship. As these players compete at the university level, they are obligated to follow the rule of standard eligibility of five years. The winning team of the U Sports women's basketball championship is awarded the Bronze Baby trophy. The championship has been played for since 1972, with the UBC Thunderettes capturing the inaugural championship.
The Windsor Lancers women's basketball team represent the University of Windsor in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports women's basketball. Having won the Bronze Baby for five consecutive years (2011-15), the most recent championship victory occurred at the 2015 CIS Women's Basketball Championship.
The Carleton Ravens women's basketball team represent Carleton University in the Ontario University Athletics of U Sports women's basketball. The Ravens have won two national championships, in 2018 and 2023. The Ravens have also won the OUA Critelli Cup conference championship three times, in 2017, 2018, and 2023. Between 2009 and 2018, the Ruth Coe Award, recognizing Carleton University’s Female Athlete of the Year, was won by seven female basketball players. Additionally, the program served as host team for the 2020 U Sports Women's Basketball Championship, contested at Ottawa's TD Place Arena.
The Brock Badgers women's basketball team represents Brock University in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports women's basketball. The Badgers have won two OUA championships, winning the Critelli Cup in 1983 and 2020.
The TMU Bold women's basketball team represents Toronto Metropolitan University in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports women's basketball. The Rams have won one national championship following their victory in the 2022 tournament.
The Laurentian Voyageurs women's basketball team represent Laurentian University in the Ontario University Athletics of U Sports women's basketball. The Voyageurs have also captured the OUA Critelli Cup conference title a total of 14 times, the last coming in 2000. Additionally, the program has won seven Bronze Baby trophies.