UBC Thunderbirds women's ice hockey

UBC Thunderbirds women's ice hockey
University	University of British Columbia
Conference	Canada West
Governing Body	U Sports
Head coach	Graham Thomas Since 2012-13 season
Assistant coaches	Mike Sommer
Arena	Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre Vancouver
Colors
U Sports Tournament appearances
2013, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Conference Tournament championships
2013, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024

The UBC Thunderbirds women's ice hockey program represent the University of British Columbia in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association. The Thunderbirds have won six conference championships in U Sports women's ice hockey, most recently in 2024, and have made seven national championship appearances.

History

Recent season-by-season record

Won U Sports Championship

Lost U Sports Championship

Conference Champions

League Leader

Year	Coach	W	OTW	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts	Std	Conference Tournament
2009–10	Nancy Wilson	8	–	15	1	48	67	17	5th	Did not qualify
2010–11	Jen Rawson	7	–	16	1	56	92	11	6th	Did not qualify
2011–12	Jen Rawson	1	–	21	2	22	112	4	7th	Did not qualify
2012–13	Graham Thomas	17	–	7	4	72	63	38	3rd	Canada West champions Defeated Calgary Dinos
2013–14	Graham Thomas	20	–	6	2	81	57	42	3rd	Canada West semi-finals Lost vs Saskatchewan Huskies
2014–15	Graham Thomas	17	1	7	3	81	53	57	2nd	Canada West semi-finals Lost vs Manitoba Bisons
2015–16	Graham Thomas	13	3	9	3	69	53	48	2nd	Canada West champions Defeated Manitoba Bisons
2016–17	Graham Thomas	20	3	4	1	86	45	67	1st	Canada West champions Defeated Alberta Pandas
2017–18	Graham Thomas	16	3	6	3	60	41	56	3rd	Canada West semi-finals Lost vs Saskatchewan Huskies
2018–19	Graham Thomas	16	2	8	2	61	35	55	3rd	Canada West semi-finals Lost vs Manitoba Bisons
2019–20	Graham Thomas	9	1	14	4	41	59	34	6th	Canada West semi-finals Lost vs Alberta Pandas
2020–21	Graham Thomas	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [1]
2021–22	Graham Thomas	14	–	6	0	62	22	28	2nd	Canada West champions Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies
2022–23	Graham Thomas	24	–	2	2	97	35	50	1st	Canada West champions Defeated Mount Royal Cougars
2023-24	Graham Thomas	24	–	4	–	111	33	51	1st	Canada West champions Defeated Alberta Pandas

^{[2] [3]}

Team captains

• 2019-20: Mathea Fischer

Thunderbirds in pro hockey

= CWHL All-Star

= NWHL All-Star

= Clarkson Cup Champion

= Isobel Cup Champion

Player	Position	Team(s)	League(s)	Years	Titles
Haleigh Callison	Defense	OSC Eisladies Berlin Toronto Furies	EWHL CWHL	3
Sarah Casorso	Defense	EHV Sabres Wien Buffalo Beauts Aisulu Almaty Loan	EWHL NWHL EWHL	5
Hannah Clayton-Carroll	Forward	Gothenburg HC	SDHL	1
Danielle Dube	Goaltender	Long Beach Ice Dogs	IHL	1
Mathea Fischer [4]	Forward	Djurgardens IF	SDHL	1
Kelly Murray	Defense	Calgary Inferno	CWHL		2019 Clarkson Cup
Tatiana Rafter	Forward	Buffalo Beauts Metropolitan Riveters SK Gorny Ukhta Hvidovre	NWHL Russia EWHL	5	2018 Isobel Cup
Rebecca Unrau	Forward	Karlskrona HK	Sweden Division 1	1
Cassandra Vilgrain	Forward	Brynäs IF Dam	SDHL	1

International

• Melinda Choy   Canada: 2009 Winter Universiade ^[5]
• Christi Capozzi   Canada: 2013 Winter Universiade ^[6]
• Tatiana Rafter, Forward,   Canada: 2013 Winter Universiade
• Kelly Murray, Defense,   Canada: 2017 Winter Universiade ^[7]

Awards and honours

• Graham Thomas, 2012–13 U Sports Coach of the Year ^[8]

All-Canadians

• First Team
  • Haleigh Callison, 2005–06 First-Team All-Canadian
  • Sarah Casorso, 2013–14 First-Team All-Canadian
  • Tatiana Rafter, 2013–14 USports First Team All-Canadian
  • Sarah Casorso, 2014–15 USports First-Team All-Canadian
  • Kelly Murray, 2016–17 USports First Team All-Canadian
  • Tory Micklash, 2018–19 USports First Team All-Canadian
• Second Team
  • Lucie Fortin, 2003–04 Second-Team All-Canadian
  • Danielle Dube, 2012–13 Second-Team All-Canadian
  • Cassandra Vilgrain, 2016–17 USports Second Team All-Canadian

U Sports All-Rookie

• Melinda Choy, 2006–07 USports All-Rookie Team
• Rayna Cruickshank, 2009–10 USports All-Rookie Team
• Mairead Best, 2016–17 USports All-Rookie Team ^[9]
• Rylind MacKinnon, 2018–19 USports All-Rookie Team

Canada West Awards

• Tatiana Rafter, 2013–14 Canada West Player of the Year
• Rylind MacKinnon, 2021–22 Canada West Defenceman of the Year
• Jaylyn Morris, 2024–25 Canada West Defenceman of the Year
• Grace Elliott, 2024–25 Canada West Player of the Year

Canada West All-Stars

• 1997–98, Michelle Johansson
• 1998–99, Laura Bennion
• First Team
  • Lucie Fortin, 2003–04 Canada West First-Team All-Star
  • Julia Staszewski, 2004–05 Canada West First-Team All-Star
  • Haleigh Callison, 2005–06 Canada West First-Team All-Star
  • Danielle Dube, 2012–13 Canada West First-Team All-Star ^[10]
  • Kelly Murray, 2016–17 Canada West First-Team All-Star
  • Cassandra Vilgrain, 2016–17 Canada West First-Team All-Star
  • Celine Tardif, 2017–18 Canada West First-Team All-Stars ^[11]
• Second Team
  • Lucie Fortin, 2002–03 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
  • Teryne Russell, 2004–05 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
  • Christi Capozzi, 2012–13 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
  • Tatiana Rafter, 2012–13 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
  • Kelly Murray, 2015–16 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
  • Rebecca Unrau, 2015-16 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
  • Hannah Clayton-Carroll, 2017–18 Canada West Second-Team All-Stars

Canada West All-Rookie

• Mathea Fischer, 2015–16 Canada West All-Rookie Team ^[12]
• Mairead Bast, 2016–17 Canada West All-Rookie Team ^[13]
• Tory Micklash, 2016–17 Canada West All-Rookie Team
• Shay-Lee McConnell, 2017–18 Canada West All-Rookie Team ^[14]
• Ireland Perrott, 2017–18 Canada West All-Rookie Team
• Rylind MacKinnon, 2018–19 Canada West All-Rookie Team
• Ashley McFadden, 2018–19 Canada West All-Rookie Team
• Kennesha Miswaggon, 2019–20 Canada West All-Rookie Team

UBC Awards

• 2012–13 Du Vivier Team of the Year Award
• 2014–15: Lauren Logush - UBC Thunderbirds Female Rookie of the Year
• 2015–16 Danielle Dube: May Brown Trophy - Graduating Female Athlete of the Year ^[15]
• 2019–20 TAC Buzz Moore Leadership Award: Mikayla Ogrodniczuk Co-winner
• Laura Bennion: UBC Hall of Fame Inductees (Builder's Category)

Kay Brearley Service Award(Community Service)

• 2019 Kay Brearley Service Award: Shiayli Toni ^[16]
• 2020 Kay Brearley Service Award : Mikayla Ogrodniczuk ^[17]

Carolyn Dobie-Smith Award(Student-Trainer Award)

• 2019 Carolyn Dobie-Smith Award: Walee Malik Co-Winner
• 2020 Carolyn Dobie-Smith Award: Luisa Ribeiro

References

1. "U Sports unable to offer national championships in winter 2021". usports.ca. U Sports. October 15, 2020.
2. "Women's hockey standings". usports.ca. U Sports . Retrieved March 25, 2023.
3. "Standings". leaguestat.com. Canada West Universities Athletic Association . Retrieved March 13, 2022.
4. "Two T-Birds alumnae begin professional careers in Sweden". September 16, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
5. "CAN Announces Women's Ice Hockey Team for Harbin". fisu.net. January 9, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
6. "Tbirds help Canada win gold at 2013 Winter Universiade". ubc.ca. December 13, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
7. "2017 Winter Universiade: Canadian women's hockey team announced". canadawest.org. October 7, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
8. "McGill's Daoust named player of the year". presto-en.usports.ca. March 6, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
9. "U SPORTS Women's Hockey: StFX's Bujold named Player of the Year". usports.ca. March 15, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
10. "2012-13 Canada West women's hockey major awards and all-stars announced". universitysport.prestosports.com. February 27, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
11. Evan Daum, Canada West Communications (February 21, 2018). "WHKY: Top three dominate all-star and all-rookie voting". canadawest.org. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
12. "Four T-Birds honoured among best in Canada West". gothunderbirds.ca. February 29, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
13. "Vilgrain, Murray, Bast and Micklash honoured by Canada West". gothunderbirds.ca. February 28, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
14. Evan Daum, Canada West Communications (February 21, 2018). "WHKY: Top three dominate all-star and all-rookie voting". canadawest.org. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
15. Aaron Martin (Sports Media and Information Assistant) (April 4, 2016). "UBC's best honoured at 95th annual Big Block Awards and Sports Hall of Fame Banquet". gothunderbirds.ca. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
16. "Thunderbirds celebrate 2019 Big Block Awards Banquet". gothunderbirds.ca. April 3, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
17. "Best of blue & gold celebrated at virtual Big Block Awards". gothunderbirds.ca. April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2021.