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Warriors all-time top 10 varsity moments
As part of the 60th anniversary at the University of Waterloo, we're rolling out our all-time top 10 varsity moments that have left an ever lasting impression. Here is the full top 10:
#1 - Triumph over Tragedy
#2 - 1973-74 Men's Hockey team wins first ever national title
#3 - Three straight titles for men's swimming/diving team
#4 - Two Yates Cups in three years
#5 - Athenas win 1976 national championship
#6 - Department rallies around Warriors logo
#7 - Men's Curling sweeps 2013 OUA and CIS titles
#8 - Athena Cross Country shock the nation with national title
#9 - Men's Golf wins three straight OUA Championships
#10 - Warriors Band Established
#1 - Triumph over Tragedy (Watch full YouTube Video)
The 1974-75 season was a year to remember for the Warriors men's basketball team as they experienced both triumph and tragedy. The Warriors won their first and only national title that year on home court but also experienced the most difficult loss in the death of Mike Moser, the corner stone of the Warriors.
Waterloo quickly established themselves as the team to beat in Canada, opening the season with 11 consecutive wins while heading into the Christmas break with a 14-1 record. Head coach Don McCrae had assembled a versatile group of players who could play a power game, execute the fast break, and play suffocating defence.
Over the break the Warriors travelled south to play four games against NCAA schools and this is when tragedy struck. After complaining of flu-like symptoms Mike Moser suddenly passed away on January 12, 1975. It was later determined, Moser's official cause of death was a heart attack brought on by a blood clot.
The entire UW community was in shock, as not only was Mike Moser a tremendous basketball player, but a tremendous person and friend. The Warriors were disheartened and were looking for answers but knew what had to be done for their legendary teammate; continue to compete and win, and that's just what they did. They used it as a rallying point and went on to win the National Championship title in a thrilling come-from-behind victory, topping Manitoba 80-79 in the finals.
Moser's presence was definitely felt that entire game and season as the Warriors began a tradition of only introducing four players at the start of each game. Earlier that year Moser's jersey (#53) was retired and in 1984 he was inducted into the Waterloo Warriors Hall of Fame. To this day, Moser still holds several men's basketball records including most points in a game (52), most points per game (24.7), and most games with 30 or more points (21). Mike Moser now has two very distinct awards named after him; the MVP of University Basketball in Canada as well as the MVP of High School Basketball in the Waterloo Region.
Leading the Warriors that season was a trio of "one year wonders". Bill Robinson, Charlie Chambers, and Art White were recruited by Don McCrae and only played for the Warriors that one season. Robinson came to Waterloo from Simon Fraser and the Canadian National Team and was a tremendous talent. Robinson was named an OUAA all-star and all-Canadian along with Art White who was named the MVP of the 1975 CIAU Championship.
It the national title game however, the heroics would be saved for a not-so high profile member of the team, Phil Goggins.
The Manitoba Bisons held a nine point lead at the 13 minute mark when the Warriors would come alive and mount the comeback. Trailing 79-76, Goggins hit a clutch jumpshot to bring Waterloo within one point.
Off the inbounds play, Manitoba guard stepped out of bounds giving the ball back to Waterloo with 19 seconds left. The Warriors calmly moved the ball back and forth around the perimeter before Chambers found Goggins wide open on the far side and he would hit the 18-foot jumper to give the Warriors a one point lead and their only national title over a stunned Bisons club.
#2 - 1973-74 Men's Hockey team wins first ever national title
In the summer of 1969, the Department of Athletics hired their first full-time hockey head coach Bob McKillop and just five years late, McKillop led the Warriors to a national title, the first for any Warriors program.
McKillop was able to attract some top talent up north and molded them into a hardworking, physical group that played a simple and gritty style. The 73-74 championship team was comprised of four third year players, eight second years and nine rookies.
The squad was led by a line known as the 'Turkey Line' with Captain Mike Guimond at centre between a couple of bruising wingers, Russ Elliott and Ron Hawkshaw.
At the end of the 1973-74 regular season, the Warriors stood atop the OUA standings with a 14-2-1 record and went on to double up York 8-4 in the OUA semifinal game. In the OUA Queen's Cup finals, Waterloo met Western and continued their dominating season, defeating the Mustangs 6-4 to win their first ever Queen's Cup.
Waterloo then went on to beat Calgary two straight in a best of three series to set up the national championship (one game, do or die) with Sir George Williams Georgians from Montreal.
After both teams went toe-to-toe in regulation they would head into overtime tied 4-4 and this is where the story of Waterloo's first ever national title gets interesting.
Waterloo thought they had scored the winner four minutes into overtime thinking it was sudden death but it was in fact a 10 minute overtime period. The Georgians came back to tie it up before Mike Guimond tipped home his second of the game to give Waterloo the 6-5 win and their first and only University Cup.
#3 - Three straight titles for men's swimming/diving team
The men's swimming and diving program went on a tear in the late 70's winning three straight titles from 1977 to 1979. With their first championship banner in '77, Waterloo ended a four year reign by the Toronto Varsity Blues beating them by a mere 6.5 team points; 269 to 362.5.
In 1978, they became the first ever Warriors program to win consecutive national titles, this time winning by a bigger margin, 335-286 over the second place Blues. Dave Heinbuch led the way with one gold and two silvers while teammates Ron Campbell and Brian Harvey were also key parts of the national title which took park at the Etobicoke Olympium.
In 1979, the Warriors closed out the decade with their third straight title beating rivals Toronto once again by a score of 304-285. Rookie swimmer Alan Swanston won two gold medals while helping the relay teams earn crucial team points. Steve Brown and Ron Campbell were also big factors in Waterloo's third national title.
#4 - Two Yates Cups in three years
The late 90's quickly turned into the glory years for the Warriors football program with Dave 'Tuffy' Knight at the helm. Knight joined the Warriors in 1988 and began to build the program to an elite stats in Canadian University Football. In his final season with the Warriors, Knight led the Waterloo to their first ever Yates Cup win in 1997 defeating the Western Mustangs 30-10 before a silent crowd of 4,500 in London. Second all-time leading rusher, Jarret Smith powered the Warriors to victory with 150 rushing yards while kicker Arek Bigos had 18 points in the victory.
In 1998 Coach Chris Triantafilou took over the program and continued right where Tuffy Knight left the program, leading the black and gold to a 7-1 record. They would go on to lose the Yates Cup Finals in dramatic fashion, 47-41 to Western.
The following season, Waterloo got their revenge, defeating Western 35-21 in the conference semifinals, setting up the first ever all-Waterloo Yates Cup Final. For the second time in three years, the Warriors captured the OUA crown, topping cross-town rivals Laurier 32-20 at University Stadium in front of 6,000 fans to capture the 1999 Yates Cup.
All-time passing leader Ryan Wilkinson led the way in the air with 197 passing yards while all-time rushing leader Mike Bradley accumulated 196 running yards to lead Waterloo to their second Yates Cup title.
#5 - Athenas win 1976 swimming/diving national championship
#6 - Department rallies around Warriors logo
In June of 1999, the Department of Athletics and Recreation amalgamated the Athenas and Warriors to become the Warriors. With the change both men's and women's varsity teams began competition under one logo. It was a very important part in establishing the Warrior brand as the focus of Waterloo athletics and made it clear to all members of the campus community that 'We Are Warriors!'
#7 - Men's Curling sweeps 2013 OUA and CIS titles
The number seven all-time varsity moment goes to the 2012-13 men's curling team who captured both the OUA and U SPORTS (CIS) titles and is the most recent national title won by a Warrior team.
The Warriors used a 3-point seventh end to defeat the Alberta Golden Bears 7-5 in the CIS/CCA Curling Championship gold medal match. With the win the Warriors secured their first ever CIS curling title and Waterloo's eighth national championship in school history. The victory was a rematch of the 2012 final which saw the Warriors come out on by a score of 7-1.
Skip Jake Walker and vice Edward Cyr were both named CIS all-Canadians after putting on clinics in the national championship game against the Golden Bears. Walker finished with a 93 shooting percentage while Cyr operated at 90 percent. Second Jordan Moreau was just as strong with a shot percentage of 80 while lead thrower James Freeman rounded out Waterloo's strong performance with a 75 shooting percentage.
Waterloo's OUA title was just as exciting as the black and gold used a 5-point fifth end to power past the Trent Excalibur by a score of 7-4 to win the provincial banner. It was Waterloo's second straight OUA title, led by Walker.
Waterloo went 5-1 in the round robin before slipping past Carleton 5-4 in the semifinal match.
The team was honoured at the 2013 year end Banquet while Jake Walker was named the male athlete of the year the following year (2014).
#8 - Athena Cross Country shock the nation with national title
"One team, Two Goals" was the motto of the 1996 Athena cross-country team, coached by the legendary Brent McFarlane. After going the entire season unranked, the Athena's would go to have incredible performances at both the Ontario Women's Interuniversity Athletic Association (OWIAA) and Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) Championships. It was a truly inspiring and unheralded performance by the women and coach McFarlane (who was named both the OWIAA and CIAU coach of the year that season) had nothing but praise for this group of runners.
"The 1996 team was an amazing group of strong, gutsy, focused and humble women who were truly 'one team," said McFarlane of the 1996 championship team. "What we accomplished together was the reason you compete in (and coach) sport. To take hold of that moment when you pull together the united efforts of a team for the chance to succeed and live that once impossible dream is an incredible feeling. Coaching this unranked and relatively unknown team to an upset provincial and national title was my greatest coaching accomplishment and joy. I was never so proud of a team."
Senior runner Sarah Dillabaugh was the 'silent leader' of the Athena attack and won the gold medal at the provincial championship race in Kingston, running the 5km course in a time of 17:11, a new course record at the time. Dillabaugh would then go on to win silver at the CIAU Championship in Montreal, on a wet and muddy day, finishing the 5km course with a time of 17:57.
Another senior runner on the squad, Judith LeRoy followed Dillabaugh in both races, claiming the bronze medal in Kingston and finished with an very impressive fifth place in Montreal, a key position in helping the Athena's claim the national title.
Kim Langton was another senior runner who played an integral part in winning the title finishing 10th at the OWIAA Championship and 13th at the CIAU finals.
All three of the senior runners, Dillabaugh, Leroy and Langton were named OWIAA all-stars and CIAU all-Canadians.
#9 - Men's Golf wins three straight OUA Championships (2014-2016)
It's been quite the run for the men's golf team and it isn't over yet. The Warriors have won the last three OUA Championships, including Waterloo's 100th provincial title in 2015.
In 2014, the Warriors won the title by four strokes over second place Ottawa and were led by Gajan Sivabalasingham who fired a two day total of 144 (2-over par) to claim his first of two individual titles. The team dedicated the season and their championship trophy to the late Jack Pearse who passed away one year prior to the 2014 season.
The following year (2015), Waterloo was again on top of the OUA golf scene, this time absolutely dominating the rest of the field, winning the championship tournament by an unprecedented 19 strokes over second place Toronto at the Oshawa Golf Club. It was Waterloo's sixth straight team gold that year. Sivabalasingham was once again the front runner for the black and gold and was the only player in the red with a two day total of 143 (1-under par). David French also had an incredible two rounds, winning the silver medal just four strokes back of Sivabalasingham with his total score of 147.
Waterloo's third and most recent championship (2016) was their most difficult but rewarding title. After finishing day one, six strokes back in sixth place the Warriors made a charge on day two and came all the way back to win their third straight title, the first time an OUA school had completed the three-peat since 1962. Waterloo finished with a team total of 573, six strokes ahead of Western for top spot. David French and captain Jake Adams led the comeback with second round scores of 3-under and 2-under respectively. French won his second straight individual silver medal while Adams finished fourth overall.
The title was Waterloo's 11th in the history of their program while Dave Hollinger was named the coach of the year for the third straight time and his seventh overall.
#10 - Waterloo Warriors Band establish as "One of the Bands" in Canada (1966)
Founded in 1966 by the immortal David Greenberg, Chief Centurion Number I, the Warriors Band has become the dominant musical force at Waterloo sporting events. The Band grew, under the auspices of the UW Athletic Department, from four to fifty members in its first year alone.
An infusion of capital in 1980 under the tenure of Steve Hayman, CCWB IX, enabled the purchase of enough instruments to keep almost everyone happy. In addition, regular (informal) practices were instituted which has expanded the group's repertoire to a two-digit number of pieces.
The Band even got a letter written back to them from the office of the Queen after congratulating Princess Diana and Prince Charles on their marriage and asked if they could be the performing band at their wedding celebration.
Here's a look at the response:
The Warriors Band continues to exist to this day, run by students, and continues to be a staple at varsity games.
