McGill Redmen and Martlets
| McGill Redmen Martlets | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | McGill University |
| Association | Canadian Interuniversity Sport |
| Conference | Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec |
| Athletic director | Drew Love |
| Location | Montreal, Quebec |
| Football stadium | Percival Molson Memorial Stadium |
| Mascot | Marty the Martlet |
| Nickname | Redmen |
| Colors |
Red, White, and Black[1] |
| Website |
www |
The McGill Redmen and Martlets are the athletic teams that represent McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Name
The name Redmen was first published in 1929 as "Red Men" and was used to describe the red uniforms worn by McGill sports teams. Research done by McGill historian Dr. Stanley Frost indicated that the name Redmen derived from ancient times, when Celts were known as the "Red Men" because of their red hair... "our own Red Men were no doubt Celts in honour of James McGill's Scottish descent," notes Frost.. It has also been proposed that the name originated as a nickname coined by media outlets in the 1920s based on the official school colours and thus the colour of the jerseys worn by McGill sports teams. These differing claims are called in to question by some, however, who point to the fact that McGill team logos did for a time feature elements meant to evoke Aboriginal Canadian groups, as well as reports by news sources in the 1950s which refer to the "McGill Indians" in their sports reporting.[2][3]
Mascot
The mascot for both the Redmen and Martlet teams is Marty the Martlet. The name was chosen in 2005 by students at his first appearance at the Redmen football Homecoming game, where he was presented to the McGill Athletics Department by the Student Organization for Alumni Relations (SOAR).
Football
The McGill Redmen CIS football team is one of the oldest in all of Canada, having begun organized competition in 1874. The team has appeared in three Vanier Cup national championships, in 1969, 1973 and 1987, with the Redmen finally winning the title in the 1987 game. McGill plays out of Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, where the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes also play.
After their 2005 suspension, the team struggled with three losing seasons, including two winless seasons in 2007 and 2008. The program showed signs of hope as the Redmen won three games in 2009, but soon sank back down to futility with consecutive winless campaigns in 2010 and 2011.
Ice hockey
On March 3, 1875 the first organized indoor game was played at Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink by James George Aylwin Creighton and several McGill University students. In 1877, several McGill students, including Creighton, Henry Joseph, Richard F. Smith, W.F. Robertson, and W.L. Murray codified seven ice hockey rules. The McGill University Hockey Club - later re-christened "The Redmen" - was founded in 1877, arguably making the McGill Redmen the first and oldest ice hockey club in the world.
The university operates both men's and women's teams in the CIS. The teams play at McGill's McConnell Arena. The men's team has won championships in 1883, 1903, 1905, 1912, 1918, 1921, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1946, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012,[4] including the 2012 CIS University Cup national championship. The women's team has won championships in 1985, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.[5]
On November 15, 2003, Kim St. Pierre was the first woman in CIS history to be credited with a win in a men's regular season game. This occurred when the McGill Redmen defeated the Ryerson Rams by a score of 5-2.[6]
Other sports
Lacrosse
Canada's national summer sport of lacrosse was played to a limited extent at McGill in the late 1800s. The 15-man McGill Lacrosse Club of 1898 was led by President F.L. Thompson, Vice President, R.H. Craig, and Secretary Treasurer, A.J. Grant. Numerous American clubs, including Brooklyn, Staten Island, Yale, and Harvard, challenged that McGill lacrosse club, but it was impossible to accept on account of approaching exams [source: McGill Year Book, 1898).
McGill's lacrosse tradition was not re-established until 2001, when McGill freshman, Sachin Anand, organized a student lacrosse club. In 2002 the team gained Level-3 varsity club status at McGill, and joined the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA), Canada's premier league founded in 1985. In 2007 the team's status was elevated to a Level-2 varsity team by McGill Athletics. McGill has twice won Canada's national championship, the Baggataway Cup, in 2012 and 2015. McGill competes in the CUFLA East versus Bishop's, Carleton, Nipissing, Ottawa, Trent and Queen's Universities. The CUFLA West features Brock, Guelph, Laurentian, Laurier, McMaster, University of Toronto and Western Ontario.
Four-time recipient of the Harry Griffith's Award in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2015, the Redmen have won six CUFLA East conference titles in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. The team has achieved a record of 62-5-1 since 2011 versus Canadian opponents. The hybrid Canadian-box-American-field lacrosse program is geographically diverse with student-athletes recruited from across Canada and the US. The team plays home games in McGill's Percival Molson Memorial Stadium..
Since 2003 the Redmen have been coached by Tim Murdoch, a former NCAA Div-I lacrosse player at Princeton, and since 2007 with support from assistant coach, Sean Steinwald, a two-time All-American and MVP at Cornell. Murdoch and Steinwald were named CUFLA's 'Coaching Staff of the Year' in 2008 along with Brendan Simeson (McGill '09). McGill's all-volunteer staff includes Scott Bailey (Limestone/McGill'09), Simon Hudson (McGill'13), and Nick Soubry (Sacred Heart'14/McGill). Prior volunteer coaches have included Kevin Donovan, Jr. (Lehigh'12), Mike O'Donnell (Penn State '10), John Threshie (UNC-Chapel Hill'78), and Trevor Tierney (Princeton'02).
Soccer
The soccer program at McGill operates for a big part of the school year. On top of the regular CIS fall season there is a Quebec indoor season, which runs from January to mid March. Preparation for the CIS season starts with try-outs in mid-August and several preseason games against NCAA teams.
Sailing
McGill's sailing program was founded in 1949, and the first regattas took place in Northern New England. Today, the team competes in the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association (NEISA), which itself is a part of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA). The team trains out of the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club (RStLYC) throughout the fall and competes in dinghies such as the collegiate 420 (dinghy) and the Flying Junior. Every spring, the Redmen attend the U.K. Team Racing Championships, the Wilson Trophy in West Kirby, England.
Baseball
The baseball team plays in the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association (CIBA). They have won two national championships (2006 & 2010), and have appeared in two national finals (2005 & 2008). The team plays out of Trudeau park in Cote St Luc.
Public image
2005 hazing scandal
In October 2005, the McGill administration cancelled the last three games of football team's season after confirmed reports of hazing involving sexual abuse.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ McGill University Brand Guide (PDF). Retrieved 2016-09-11.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ "Team History". Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ↑ "Team History". Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ↑ "Notable Women's Hockey Players". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
- ↑ "Hazing probe prompts McGill to cancel football". CTV News. October 19, 2005. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
