Waterloo Warriors | |
---|---|
First season | 1957 |
Athletic director | Roly Webster |
Head coach | Chris Bertoia 9th year, 19–51 (.271) |
Other staff | Brendan Conway (OC) Kevin MacNeill (DC) |
Home stadium | Warrior Field |
Year built | 2009 |
Stadium capacity | 1700 (Bleacher Seating) 4000 (Sloped Lawn Seating) |
Stadium surface | FieldTurf Duraspine PRO |
Location | Waterloo, Ontario |
League | U Sports |
Conference | OUA (1980-present) |
Past associations | OIFC (1957-1966) CCIFC (1967) CIRFU (1968-1970) OUAA (1971-1973) OQIFC (1974-1979) |
All-time record | – |
Postseason record | – |
Titles | |
Vanier Cups | 0 |
Yates Cups | 2 1997, 1999 |
Hec Crighton winners | 1 Tre Ford |
Current uniform | |
Colours | Black, Gold, and White |
Outfitter | Nike |
Rivals | Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Guelph Gryphons |
Website | gowarriorsgo.ca |
The Waterloo Warriors football team represents the University of Waterloo in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Warriors U Sports football program has been in operation since 1957, winning two Yates Cup conference championships in 1997 and 1999. Currently, they are one of six teams to have never appeared in a Vanier Cup game and the longest tenured program in the OUA to have never qualified for the national championship game.
In the 21st century, the program struggled to compete in the OUA, having not qualified for the playoffs from 2004 to 2017 and not having a winning record since 2001. The program then made national headlines in 2010 after it was discovered that a student athlete was in possession of steroids and human growth hormone in March 2010. [1] The school then conducted a steroid investigation that had led to all 65 members of its team tested for steroids on March 31, with three positive results. Consequently, on June 14, 2010, the school announced that the program would be suspended for the 2010 season. [2] While the football team returned for the 2011 season, it proved difficult as many players transferred to other schools after they learned they would not be able to play at Waterloo that year. [3] Consequently, the Warriors finished winless in eight games in their return to the OUA. The team was coached by Dennis McPhee, who was the former head coach of the St. Francis Xavier X-Men football team where he won Atlantic University Sport coach of the year in 2002. [4] In 2011, they experienced the growing pains associated with a year off of football, and losing most starters and veterans to transfers. At the end of the season, McPhee resigned as head coach on November 22, 2011. [5]
The team was then led by Joe Paopao for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. [6] [7] In 2012, most expected the Warriors to be at the cold cellar of CIS, however, they surprised the football community with convincing wins against the York Lions and a huge upset victory over the Windsor Lancers. They won one game in 2013 against the expansion Carleton Ravens. Paopao resigned following the 2013 season and Marshall Bingeman's appointment as interim head coach for 2014. [8] The team won one game in 2014 against the Lions, which was an away game.
Chris Bertoia was hired as Head Coach and Manager of Football Operations for the 2015 season. [9] After finishing their 2015 and 2016 seasons winless, the Warriors won their first four games of the 2017 season, before losing their remaining four to finish in seventh place and just outside of the playoffs. It was the teams' best finish (seventh place) since 2007 and their best record (4-4) since 2001. In the 2018 season, the Warriors continued their strong play with another 4-4 record, but qualified for the playoffs based on their victory over the 4-4 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks earlier in the season. In their first playoff appearance since 2003, the Warriors lost to the Guelph Gryphons by a score of 45-34. In 2019, the Warriors finished again with a 4-4 record, but this time earned their first post-season victory in 20 years with a resounding 44-21 win over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The team lost a close OUA semi-final game to the Western Mustangs, ranked #1 in the country, by a score of 30-24. [10] Following a cancelled 2020 season, the Warriors finished with a 3-3 record in 2021 behind the strength of the program's first ever Hec Crighton Trophy winner, Tre Ford. However, the Warriors lost again to the Mustangs in the quarter-final game. After Ford left the program, the team finished with a 1-7 record in 2022.
The following is the record of the Waterloo Warriors football team since 1995:
Season | Games | Won | Lost | Ties | PCT | PF | PA | Standing | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.563 | 199 | 166 | 3rd in OUAA | Lost to Western Ontario Mustangs in semi-final 23–22 |
1996 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0.875 | 157 | 80 | 1st in OUAA | Defeated Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in semi-final 26–23 Lost to Guelph Gryphons in Yates Cup final 23–13 |
1997 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0.750 | 231 | 91 | 2nd in OUA | Defeated York Yeomen in semi-final 17–0 Defeated Western Ontario Mustangs in Yates Cup final 30–10 Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in Churchill Bowl 44–37 |
1998 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0.875 | 297 | 150 | 2nd in OUA | Defeated Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in semi-final 32–10 Lost to Western Ontario Mustangs in Yates Cup final 21–14 |
1999 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0.500 | 232 | 149 | 4th in OUA | Defeated Western Ontario Mustangs in semi-final 35–21 Defeated Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in Yates Cup final 32–20 Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Atlantic Bowl 21–14 |
2000 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0.500 | 208 | 176 | 4th in OUA | Lost to McMaster Marauders in semi-final 44–20 |
2001 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.563 | 194 | 108 | 5th in OUA | Lost to Western Ontario Mustangs in quarter-final 19–11 |
2002 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0.375 | 111 | 178 | 7th in OUA | Lost to Queen's Golden Gaels in quarter-final 51–14 |
2003 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0.250 | 142 | 328 | 8th in OUA | Lost to McMaster Marauders in quarter-final 70–7 |
2004 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0.250 | 149 | 296 | 8th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2005 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0.250 | 139 | 302 | 9th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2006 | 8 | 3 | 5 | – | 0.375 | 117 | 264 | 7th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2007 | 8 | 3 | 5 | – | 0.375 | 123 | 252 | 7th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2008 | 8 | 2 | 6 | – | 0.250 | 147 | 285 | 9th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2009 | 8 | 3 | 5 | – | 0.375 | 226 | 213 | 7th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2010 | team suspended | ||||||||
2011 | 8 | 0 | 8 | – | 0.000 | 95 | 421 | 10th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2012 | 8 | 2 | 6 | – | 0.250 | 145 | 333 | 10th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2013 | 8 | 1 | 7 | – | 0.125 | 161 | 406 | 10th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2014 | 8 | 1 | 7 | – | 0.125 | 76 | 418 | 10th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2015 | 8 | 0 | 8 | – | 0.000 | 66 | 380 | 11th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2016 | 8 | 0 | 8 | – | 0.000 | 77 | 435 | 11th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2017 | 8 | 4 | 4 | – | 0.500 | 299 | 339 | 7th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2018 | 8 | 4 | 4 | – | 0.500 | 263 | 272 | 6th in OUA | Lost to Guelph Gryphons in quarter-final 45–34 |
2019 | 8 | 4 | 4 | – | 0.500 | 288 | 283 | 5th in OUA | Defeated Ottawa Gee-Gees in quarter-final 44–21 Lost to Western Mustangs in semi-final 30–24 |
2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||||||
2021 | 6 | 3 | 3 | – | 0.500 | 150 | 143 | 4th in OUA West | Lost to Western Mustangs in quarter-final 51–24 |
2022 | 8 | 1 | 7 | – | 0.125 | 154 | 308 | 10th in OUA | Did not qualify |
2023 | 8 | 3 | 5 | – | 0.375 | 188 | 251 | 7th in OUA | Lost to Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in quarter-final 69–0 |
2024 | 8 | 0 | 8 | – | 0.000 | 148 | 336 | 11th in OUA | Did not qualify |
Year | Game | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Churchill Bowl | Ottawa | L 37-44 |
1999 | Atlantic Bowl | Saint Mary's | L 14-21 |
Waterloo is 0-2 in national semi-final games and has not appeared in a Vanier Cup.
Name | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|
Carl Totzke | 1957–1967 | |
Wally Delahey | 1968–1981 | |
Bob McKillop | 1982–1987 | |
Chuck McMann | 1988–1991 | |
Tuffy Knight | 1992–1997 | |
Chris Triantafilou | 1998–2006 | |
Dennis McPhee | 2007–2011 | |
Joe Paopao | 2012–2013 | |
Marshall Bingeman | 2014 | |
Chris Bertoia | 2015–present |
As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, former Warriors players on CFL rosters include:
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. The program has won one U Sports football conference championship, in 2000, and the team has made one appearance in the Vanier Cup championship game.
The Waterloo Warriors are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The Warriors have found success over certain spans in football, hockey, rugby, golf and basketball among others, and the Warriors have won national championships in ice hockey (1974), basketball (1975), and women's swimming (1975). For many years from the 1960s through the 1990s, Warrior basketball games attracted the largest and rowdiest basketball crowds in the country. The Warriors Football teams have won two Yates Cup Championships, in 1997 and in 1999.
Joe Paopao is a former professional Canadian football quarterback and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Paopao played 11 seasons in the CFL and was a member of the BC Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Ottawa Rough Riders. He began his coaching career with the BC Lions and has coached with five CFL organizations, including stints as head coach with the BC Lions in 1996 and the Ottawa Renegades from 2002–2005. He most recently served as the quarterbacks coach for the Ottawa Redblacks.
Greg Marshall is a former Canadian football running back and current head coach for the University of Western Ontario's football team, the Western Mustangs. Marshall was the head coach with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 2004 to 2006. Prior to his time with the Tiger-Cats, Marshall was the head coach of McMaster University's football team. He is the brother of Blake Marshall.
U Sports football is the highest level of amateur play of Canadian football and operates under the auspices of U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports. Twenty-seven teams from Canadian universities are divided into four athletic conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of U Sports: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec, and Atlantic University Sport. At the end of every season, the champions of each conference advance to semifinal bowl games; the winners of these meet in the Vanier Cup national championship.
The McMaster Marauders football team represents McMaster University based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The team plays U Sports football in the Ontario University Athletics conference. The Marauders have been playing organized football since 1901 when they played their first exhibition game in the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union. The team has appeared in four Vanier Cup games, winning one in 2011.
The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees football team represents the University of Ottawa in the sport of Canadian football. The Gee-Gees compete in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference of U Sports. Football at the University of Ottawa began in 1881, it was one of the first established football programs in Canada.
Marshall Ferguson is a Canadian radio and television personality, sports broadcaster and former Canadian football quarterback. Ferguson is currently a host and play-by-play announcer for The Sports Network (TSN) in Hamilton, Ontario.
The Toronto Varsity Blues football team represents the University of Toronto in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. Dating back to 1877, the Toronto Varsity Blues football program initially competed for the Canadian Dominion Football Championship and won six national titles, including the first Grey Cup game ever held in 1909, as well as winning in 1895, 1905, 1910, 1911, and 1920. After intercollegiate teams no longer competed for the Dominion Championship, the team won the first Vanier Cup ever held in 1965, and then again in 1993 as Canadian national football champions.
The York Lions Football team represents York University in Toronto, Ontario, in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The York Lions football team has been in continuous operation since 1968 and are one of two teams currently playing in U Sports football to have never won a conference championship. The other team, the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, did not begin their current program until 2003.
The Windsor Lancers football team represents the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario in the sport of Canadian football in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports. The Windsor Lancers football team has been in continuous operation since 1968. The team won its only Yates Cup conference championship in 1975 as winners of the OQIFC West Division. The program is one of six currently in U Sports football that have not appeared in a Vanier Cup game. The Lancers have had three Hec Crighton Trophy winners, with Andrew Parici in 1972, Scott Mallender, in 1979, and Daryl Stephenson in 2006.
The UBC Thunderbirds football team represents the University of British Columbia athletics teams in U Sports and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Thunderbirds program has won the CWUAA Hardy Trophy conference championship 17 times, which is third all-time among competing teams. On a national level, the team has won the Vanier Cup championship four times, in 1982, 1986, 1997 and, most recently, in 2015. The team has also lost twice in the title game, in 1978 and 1987. The Thunderbirds program has also yielded three Hec Crighton Trophy winners: Jordan Gagner in 1987, Mark Nohra in 1997, and, most recently, Billy Greene in 2011.
The Queen's Gaels football team represents Queen's University in the sport of Canadian football. The Gaels compete at the U Sports football level, within the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference. Queen's began competing in intercollegiate football in 1882. The Gaels play in the Richardson Memorial Stadium in Kingston, which has a capacity of 8,000.
The Mount Allison Mounties football team represents Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Mounties program has been in continuous operation since 1955 when they played an exhibition schedule and then officially joined the New Brunswick Football League (NBFL) in 1956. The football team was an inaugural member of the Maritime Intercollegiate Football League (MIFL), which was a precursor to the current sporting association, Atlantic University Sport.
The Saint Mary's Huskies football team represents Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Huskies have been the most successful in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference of U Sports football, reaching the Vanier Cup championship game nine times and winning three times, both marks being the highest in the AUS. The program also has the most Jewett Trophy conference championships, winning 24 times in 32 appearances.
The Alberta Golden Bears football team represents the University of Alberta in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Golden Bears have been in competition since 1910 and the team has won three Vanier Cup national championships, in 1967, 1972, and most recently in 1980. The Golden Bears have also won 18 Hardy Cup conference titles, second only to the Saskatchewan Huskies who have won 19 of them. The Golden Bears have also had three players win the Hec Crighton Trophy, with Mel Smith winning in 1971, Brian Fryer winning in 1975, and most recently Ed Ilnicki winning the award in 2017.
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks football team represents Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in the sport of Canadian football in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports. The Golden Hawks football team has been in continuous operation since 1961 and has been playing U Sports football in every year since 1962. The team has appeared in five Vanier Cup championships, losing in 1966, 1968 and 1972, and winning the national title in 1991 and 2005. The team has also won eight Yates Cup conference championships, most recently in 2016. The Golden Hawks have had one Hec Crighton Trophy winner, Bill Kubas, a former quarterback who won the award in 1994.
The Western Mustangs football team represents the University of Western Ontario in Canadian university football. The Mustangs compete as a member of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA), under the U Sports association.
Chris Bertoia is the head coach and manager of football operations for the University of Waterloo's football team, the Waterloo Warriors, a position he has held since the 2015 U Sports season.
Tre Ford is a Canadian professional football quarterback for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was named a Hec Crighton Trophy winner in 2021 as U Sports football's most outstanding player and won the Lois and Doug Mitchell Award as U Sports top male university athlete.