He was born in Irving, Texas but Austin Connelly also calls Nova Scotia home. The dual citizen made his debut on Team Canada in 2015 and now he will be one of the four members to represent Canada in golf at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games, July 16-19.

Connelly, the top ranked Canadian Amateur and ninth ranked amateur in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will enter the Games with an impressive 2015 resume to date. Earlier this year he captured the Jones Cup and was a finalist at the U.S. Four-Ball Championship. He has continued to build momentum off his 2014 season that was highlighted by a win at the FJ Invitational, along with top three’s in the Argentine Amateur, Tailhade Cup, Jones Cup, Junior PGA Championship and Ping Invitational. Connelly was also part of the team that took home top honours at the 2014 Tailhade Cup. In addition, Connelly was part of two winning American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Wyndham Cup Teams and has also been named a two-time AJGA Junior Rolex All-American.

At just 19-years of age, the Pan Am competition will be one of the biggest events he has played in. Something he will be able to take with him as he begins his career as a member of the University of Arkansas golf team this fall.

However, this will not be the first time Connelly has participated in an international team event. In 2014 he was a member of the U.S. Jr. Ryder Cup team that won the event in Scotland. That experience will be crucial for Connelly as he hopes to help propel Canada to gold.

Don’t miss your chance to see the up and coming Connelly and the rest of Team Canada at the Pan Am Games. For more information visit: http://www.toronto2015.org/golf

It was a hot day in Bromont, Que., for the final round of the CN Future Link Quebec Championship hosted by Golf Château-Bromont. Alyssa Getty and Jason (Chan Young) Chung fired off the day’s low rounds in their respective divisions to capture the 2015 CN Future Links Quebec Championship titles.

Before Alyssa Getty of Ruthven, Ont., teed off this morning, she was tied for fifth place and sat two strokes out of the lead. After nine holes, she found herself three back, but remained focus on the task at hand.

“My game plan was to be more aggressive today than I was the other two days and I definitely got some momentum going,” said Getty of her round today.

She played the back nine at even par, bouncing back with a birdie after a bogey on 14. Her par putt on 18 secured her third CN Future Links Championship victory in two years, including back-to-back wins at this event. Earlier this season, Getty captured the CN Future Links Ontario Championship.

Getty added that there was a little extra pressure coming into this tournament as the defending champion, but she stayed calm with her sights set on the victory. “It’s crazy. I’m so excited, especially since it’s my last year of junior golf and playing well in the CN Future Links Championships has been one of my goals. I’m really happy about having won this week and at CN Future Links Ontario this season.”

Getty’s score of 2-over 74, was the lowest in the Junior Girls division on Sunday. Her 224 total for the competition put her one stroke ahead of runner-up Sarah-Ève Rhéaume. The 36-hole co-leader and Québec City, Que. native made the turn this morning with a 1-over 37, but could not hold on for the win. She concluded the tournament with a 5-over-par round of 77.

Finishing T3 at 228 were Noémie Paré of Victoriaville, Que., and Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., who carded rounds of 78 and 79, respectively.

In the Junior Boys division, Jason (Chan Young) Chung posted the low round for the second consecutive day. The Thornhill, Ont., native’s final round of 6-under 66 earned him the CN Future Links Junior Boys Quebec title with a three-day score of 11-under 205.

“It’s very surreal, I haven’t won in a couple of years,” shared Chung of the win today. “It’s really been a good past few days and I feel I’ve finally broke through with my game. It is a boost of confidence that I can hopefully take into the next couple of tournaments I will be playing. I’d like to think of it as a new chapter because I’ve never gone this low.”

Chung noted that his game plan coming into the final round was to focus on hitting fairways and greens to set him up for as many birdie chances as possible. He was able to follow though, notching eight birdies on the day. He credited his work around the greens for the victory. “I made most, if not all, of my putts from inside eight feet, so I think that’s what made the difference today.”

Finishing two strokes back in second place was Charles-Éric Bélanger with a final round 67. The Québec City, Que., product made a determined attempt to catch the leader, notching four birdies on the front nine for a 3-under 33 before adding three consecutive birdies on holes 13, 14 and 15. Third-place finisher Maxime Laoun matched Bélanger’s front nine score of 33 and went on to sign for a final round 4-under 68. The Montréal, Que., native finished the competition at 209.

Jason (Chan Young) Chung will return to the province of Quebec from August 3-6 to compete in the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Also receiving exemptions into the field were the five runners-up from this competition determined in a playoff.

Similarly, Alyssa Getty and the five finishers and ties in the Junior Girls division of the CN Future Links Quebec Championship were awarded direct entry into the field at the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship to be contested from August 4-7 at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask. Alyssa Getty has also earned entry into a 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour event.

The CN Future Links Championships are a series of six tournaments presented by Golf Canada in partnership with CN in support of the development of junior golf. The 2015 series’ first winners were Team Canada Development Squad members Trevor Ranton (Waterloo, Ont.) and Grace St-Germain (Ottawa, Ont.) who found the podium at the championship’s Pacific edition at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach, B.C. Ontarians Jack Simpson (Aurora, Ont.) and Alyssa Getty (Ruthven, Ont.) captured the Ontario titles in their home province at Pine Knot Golf & Country Club in Dorchester, Ont. At Cooke Municipal Golf Course in Prince Albert, Sask., Alexander Smith (Calgary, Alta.) and Development Squad member Alisha Lau (Richmond, B.C.) joined the winners circle at the Prairie Championship.

For full results from the 2015 CN Future Links Quebec Championship, please visit the tournament website here.

Elmira, Ontario’s Garrett Rank is coming off a great 2014 both personally and in his golf career. The 2014 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion and now NHL referee, gets to add another accomplishment in 2015 by being part of Team Canada’s golf squad for the Pan American Games, July 16-19.

The 27-year-old Rank has always had a close relationship between golf and hockey. Growing up he played both, including Jr. B hockey in his hometown. When he moved on to the University of Waterloo, he was a member of the Warriors golf and hockey teams. In 2010, he captured the Ontario University Athletics Golf Championship.

Rank is currently the second ranked Canadian Men’s Amateur and is 56th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. In addition to his Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship, he is coming off a win at the Ontario Mid-Amateur Championship, June 23-25.  He is also a past winner of the Toronto Star Men’s Amateur in 2011. In 2014, Rank was second at The Players Amateur Championship and third at the Monroe Invitational. He has also been runner up at the U.S. Men’s Mid-Amateur in 2012, runner up at the 2013 Canadian Mid-Amateur and Ontario Amateur and runner up in the 2009 Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship. Rank also represented Canada in 2011 during the Spirit International at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Texas.

This past winter, Rank made his NHL officiating debut on January 15 in Buffalo. Rank has also officiated AHL and OHL games along with the IIHF World Under 17 World Championships.

The Pan Am Games will not be the only time that Rank tees it up at a high-profile event this summer. Thanks to his win at the Canadian Mid-Amateur, he will be part of the field for the Canadian Open, July 20-26, at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville.  

Don’t miss your chance to see the inspirational Rank and the rest of Team Canada at the Pan Am Games. For more information visit: http://www.toronto2015.org/golf

TOTTENHAM— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship started with 16 of the best junior girls in the province on June 29 at the Woodington Lake Golf Course in Tottenham. After two days and four rounds, it was Team Ontario member and Richmond Hill native Monet Chun who outlasted the field to claim the 2015 championship over fellow Team Ontario member Ruthven’s Alyssa Getty.

The two started the final match back and fourth with Chun, from the Summit Golf & Country Club, taking an early lead only to see it vanish on the second hole as Getty, from the Kingsville Golf & Country Club, evened the match. Chun would regain the lead on the fourth hole after leaving an approach shot inches from the cup. She continued to increase her lead and was 3up at the turn. Chun added to her lead by winning the 10^th hole. She held her 4up advantage until the 14^th where she sank a birdie putt to win the hole and the match 5&4.

For Chun, 14, the win was her first provincial championship after numerous runner-ups in both the Investors Group Junior Spring Classic and Investors Group Junior Girls’ Championship. She spoke about what finally getting over the hump meant to her. “It is really exciting! After the many years I have been playing competitive golf, I am so happy that I finally won a provincial championship.”

Chun also talked about what it was like to grind through the field and face a fellow Team Ontario member in the finals. “It was really tiring and I’m pretty sure that it was for most players. My game was really good these past two days; I hit a lot of greens, which I think was the biggest difference. I wasn’t putting all that well over the two days so hitting those greens really helped me win. Playing with Alyssa put a lot of pressure on me. I know that she is a great player and it was a great experience getting to play with her.”

The road to the title began with Chun being seeded third. She defeated Alexandra Demko in the first round 4&3, then Team Ontario’s Diana McDonald 3&2 in the quarterfinals. She met another Team Ontario member in the semifinals in Chloe Currie, but had a great match and took it 7&6.

As for Getty, 18, she began as the number one seed. She knocked out Kristen Giles in the opening round 6&5, before beating Claire Hernandez in the quarterfinals 4&3. In the semis, she matched up with Alexandra Naumovski and won the match 3&2.

ABOUT THE ONTARIO JUNIOR GIRLS MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

The Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship has been contested since 1982. Female golfers under 19 years of age, before August 1, are eligible to compete. Seeding was determined by the results from the Investors Group Junior Girls’ Spring Classic, May 16-18 at Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo. Notable past champions include: Alena Sharp, Stefi Markovich, Christina Yoon, Elizabeth Tong and Grace St-Germain.

The GAO would like to thank all of the volunteers and the staff from the Woodington Lake Golf Club for all of their support in hosting the event and their support of junior golf. 

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Canadians from points far and wide encouraged to share their stories at: www.golfcanadagolf.ca and get involved all season long using #GolfCanadaGolf

(June 25, 2015) –With nearly 5.7 million Canadian golfers and 60 million golf rounds played annually, it’s no surprise golf is the number one participation sport in the country and the anchor for a newly launched initiative at GolfCanadaGolf.ca to herald the love of the game.

Earlier this spring, a collection of golf industry leaders gathered to create the Golf Canada Golf campaign to invite Canadians to share their stories and show their support for Canadian golf.  This upcoming Canada Day holiday, golfers from all points far and wide in Canada are encouraged to add their nostalgic story about the great game of golf with a special incentive; the most compelling submissions have the chance to be profiled during the upcoming RBC Canadian Open.

“The Golf Canada Golf campaign welcomes Canadian golfers from all corners of Canada, walks of life and ages and stages to share their personal stories and special connections to the game,” shared Gavin Roth, Chief Commercial Officer with Golf Canada.

Since its spring launch, the campaign has logged more than 100 story profiles to www.golfcanadagolf.ca, more than 10,000 story views and over 1.75 million impressions through social media.  Stories have been shared from regions across Canada and the hashtag #golfcanadagolf has been gaining momentum in the weeks since the campaign launched.

As part of the campaign to profile the game of golf, a custom website – www.golfcanadagolf.ca – was developed to feature a mix of stories, from professionally filmed feature segments to personal submissions by golfers with a unique story to share.

“We’re excited that Canadian celebrities, like former Toronto Maple Leaf Wendel Clark and Canada’s top-ranked player on the Women’s World Ranking Brooke Henderson have joined in to support the campaign, in addition to a number of feature stories that were filmed to launch the campaign,” added Roth.  “Canadian LPGA Tour player Alena Sharp also shares her story – a tribute to the impact her dad had on her golfing career – as part of the campaign’s family focus.”

The site also features a social media hub that curates stories using the hashtag #golfcanadagolf as well as resources for golfers looking to find a course, connect with a PGA of Canada professional or learn more about junior golf programs in their community.

Sharing golf’s story means celebrating the health, social, economic, competitive and charitable benefits of the game in Canada.  A snapshot of the Canadian golf landscape reveals an industry that is worth more than $14.3 billion annually to the Canadian economy, numbers that reinforce the massive financial, charitable, social, tourism and environmental impact golf has in communities across Canada.

In addition, Canadian golf facilities are a channel for major charitable giving with close to 37,000 events at Canadian courses helping to raise more than $533 million annually for worthwhile causes.

The Golf Canada Golf campaign was developed and executed in partnership with BrandFire Marketing Group, a full-service agency based in Toronto that in 2014 was named among Profit 500’s Fastest Growing Companies in Canada.

The campaign will extend throughout the 2015 season, inviting golfers and sport enthusiasts to share and celebrate the many stories that make the game of golf special in Canada.

KITCHENER, ON— Heading into the final round, Elmira’s Garrett Rank held a two-shot lead at the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Investors Group Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener. By the end of the day, Rank remained at the top of the leaderboard and claimed his first Ontario Men’s Mid Amateur title.

The 27-year-old Rank finished the round three-under (70) to bring his tournament total to seven-under (74-68-70-212). Despite finding trouble during the round, Rank was able to hit recovery after recovery to win. Last year, Rank won the Canadian Mid-Amateur but said following it up with the provincial title was still a great feeling.

“It feels good! Any time you can win a tournament and put yourself in a winning position it feels really good,” said Rank.

Rank went on to talk about how the weather earlier in the week didn’t affect his overall tournament. “I almost blew away on Tuesday, it was that windy! I just knew that everyone had to play in it and I just played my way through it. I knew if I could keep my score around par I would be near the lead. In the second and third rounds I made some key putts. I didn’t make everything but I was really solid. I took advantage of my good iron shots and made birdies and some good par saves.”

Despite some tough shots during his final round, Rank was able to recover well, something that he said helped him win. “There were a few times today where there could have been some big swings but I managed to save a couple bogeys. I just tried to keep the momentum moving in the right direction and eventually made some late birdies.”

For Rank, he will now turn his attention to representing Canada at the Pan American Games, July 16-19 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, and the RBC Canadian Open, July 23-26 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville.

Earning the silver medal was Toronto’s Kevin Fawcett. The Toronto Golf Club member shot an even-par final round (73) to finish the tournament at two-under (71-73-73-217).

Picking up the bronze medal was New Hamburg’s Josh Hunke. Hunke, from Deer Ridge Golf Club, also ended the day at even par bringing his three-day total to one-under (72-73-73-218).

Rank, Fawcett and Hunke were all named as the members of Team Ontario for the inter-provincial competition at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur, Aug. 25-28 in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

Capturing the Mid-Masters (40+) trophy was Woodstock’s Drew Symons. Symons, the 2012 Mid-Amateur Champion and Craigowan Golf & Country Club member, ended the day one-under (72) and finished in a tie for fourth overall at even for the tournament (73-74-72-219).

For full tournament information and the final leaderboard see the tournament site at: http://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao15/event/gao1516/index.htm

The top 41 finishers in the event earned entry into the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

ABOUT THE INVESTORS GROUP ONTARIO MEN’S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

The Investors Group Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur championship is a 54-hole competition featuring Ontario’s best golfers age 25 and older that have gained entry into the event through one of nine qualifying tournaments or through an exemption. Competitors age 40 and over also compete for the Ontario Men’s Mid-Master division trophy. Contested annually since 1993, past champions of the event include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame members Stu Hamilton and Kelly Roberts, Dave Bunker, Graham Hill and Drew Symons.

The GAO would like to thank all of the volunteers and staff from the Westmount Golf & Country Club for all of their support in hosting the event. Thanks also to Investors Group as title sponsor and for their support of golf in Ontario.

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PORT CARLING— Not only did defending champion Dave Bunker need to battle a very worthy opponent, Quinn Vilneff, in the finals of the Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship, but he also had to battle the elements to claim his fourth title.

The tournament, held at the Lake Joseph Club in Port Carling, wrapped up on June 12 after six rounds of matches that began on June 9. What began as 64 players came down to Bunker, from the Brampton Golf Club and Vilneff, from the Essex Golf & Country Club.

The final round was a soggy affair with rain falling on the competitors throughout the round. Woodbridge’s Bunker held a lead as they began the back nine, but Vilneff made Bunker work for it, forcing him to attempt a four-foot putt on the 14th hole, which the 50-year-old Bunker missed. That brought Amherstburg’s Vilneff back to all square. The 23-year-old Vilneff would get up and down on the 15th to take the lead. After the pair were even on the 16th, Bunker squared the match on the 17th hole, setting up a winner take all situation on the 18th. Both players played the hole similarly with their tee and approach shots. They both found the green in two and both had an eight-foot putt for birdie. After Vilneff pushed his right, Bunker stepped up and drained his to win his second straight and fourth Ontario Match Play title.

“I knew the weather was going to be bad today and the bugs, but you just have to try and focus the best you can,” said Bunker about the conditions. “It is a long week and you need to be prepared to play lots of holes if you go far. I just got fortunate that things went my way. I got some good breaks and that’s what you need to make it to the final match.”

Bunker added that he wasn’t thinking about repeating as champion. “I wasn’t thinking too much about last year or repeating. It was more about how each match went. How I played each hole and how I was going to play the next.”

The road to the finals, for Bunker, included wins over Connor Denning (6&5), Cole Kent (3&2), Jordan Gregoris (2&1), Raymond Oh (1up) and Jeff Crowe (4&3). As for Vilneff he defeated Arjun Walia (6&4), Greg Mullins (7&5), Charles Corner (3&2), Nicholas Ross (1up) and Luke Moser (5&3).

Bunker will now take the momentum from this win and turn his attention to the U.S. Senior Open, June 25-28, in Sacramento, California after he qualified on June 1.

About the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship

Established in 1986, the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship is contested annually and features 64 of Ontario’s best amateur golfers that have qualified through one of five qualifying tournaments held earlier this season, or who have gained an exemption into the event.  Notable former champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Ian Leggatt, David Hearn and David Byrne.

The Golf Association of Ontario would like to thank Clublink and The Lake Joseph Club for their continued support of the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship.

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St. Kitts Becomes vTour Presenting Sponsor as 2015 Series Officially Begins 

UXBRIDGE— The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) is proud to announce the addition of a new partner: the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. St. Kitts will become the presenting partner and grand prize supplier of the GAO’s vTour series, which officially begins its kickoff event today. The three-year agreement also includes the launch of the GAO-sanctioned St. Kitts Two-Ball Shootout which will makes its debut December 5-12, 2015.

The GAO’s vTour was launched in 2012 and is a series of online tournaments where golfers compete in events with other golfers across the province at their course and time of choice. These net events are focused on rewarding participation rather than performance.  In 2015, the GAO will welcome St. Kitts as the presenting partner for the six scheduled events, which will see approximately 6,000 golfers participate beginning June 10.

“It is a pleasure to welcome the St. Kitts Tourism Authority as the presenting partner of the GAO’s vTour series,” said Mike Kelly, GAO Interim Executive Director. “St. Kitts is a top Caribbean destination who, like the GAO, share a passion for golf and enhancing participants experience in the sport like our unique vTour series.”

The St. Kitts Two-Ball Shootout will feature two-person teams competing in a 54-hole gross and net better-ball competition at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club.  The seven-day package ($3336 based on double occupancy) includes round-trip airfare, seven nights at the Marriott Resort, one practice round with cart, three tournament rounds with cart, daily breakfast and lunch, four receptions/dinners, access to on site casino, transfers from resort to golf course, airport transfers in St. Kitts, use of practice facilities and access to resort activities.

“The St. Kitts Tourism Authority is excited to partner with the Golf Association of Ontario in the creation of this new event,” said Hon. Lindsay F. P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce, St. Kitts and Nevis. “St. Kitts is rapidly becoming the premier golf destination in the Caribbean with the opening of new golf courses and luxury resorts. This partnership will allow us to tell our story and highlight golf travel opportunities for the GAO’s membership base, which represents the heart of the eastern Canada golf market.

“The strength of this partnership truly is the opportunity for GAO members to experience all that St. Kitts has to offer. This exceptional golf event and vacation package will no doubt be the highlight of the year for all involved,” added Kelly.

MARKHAM— The Pan American Games are just over a month away. Countries are finalizing their rosters, so what better time to take a look at the golf course that will be the centre of attention: Angus Glen.

Angus Glen Golf Club, South Course, will play host to the golf competition July 16-19. The course itself is no stranger to hosting high profile events. Since it’s creation in 1995, by Ontario Golf Hall of Famer, architect Doug Carrick, it has played host to a pair of Canadian Open’s in 2002 and 2007.  In addition, the club’s North Course has hosted the LPGA Canadian Open and the Telus Skins Game.  Most recently, the South Course hosted the 2014 World Junior Girls Championship, something that Angus Glen Head professional Terry Kim says helped the club prepare for the upcoming Games. “Thanks to the World Junior Girls Championship, we saw that there are lots of good golfers everywhere. It was definitely a smaller scale, but the positive feedback we received from the different country coaches went along way in our preparations.”

When the competition begins, the course will be showcasing a number of changes made thanks to a revitalization project done by designer Martin Ebert, something Kim is quite excited about. “I think the defining characteristics will be quite different with the changes. All of the greens have been resurfaced, the bunkers were redone with top-technology drainage, three holes (3,11 and 14) received major changes and all feel new and a bunker was added on 18 to make the finish even tighter.”

The project began five years ago with nearly a $6-millon investment from the owners. So far the course has received many positive reviews.

What will make things challenging for players will be the course’s fescue, which should be fully grown in by the time of the competition. “The added fescue is big,” said Kim. “Players at the World Junior Girls Championship really enjoyed it then. With the length of the course, getting off the tee safely will be key to the players succeeding. The fescue will require punch outs, so if they can avoid that and read the subtle breaks on the green they should be in good shape.”

Kim says that the toughest stretch for players will be the start of the back nine, holes 10 through 13. “It is a tough stretch but if players can get through these four, they have a good chance to score well on the final five.”

He outlines how 10 is a tough uphill hole, 11 requires a player to shape their second shot well, 12 is a long par-3 with narrow green and 13 has a blind tee shot, all of which will act as the challenges. Yet as the players finish on 18 they will have the full attention of spectators thanks to the hole’s stadium seating.

In terms of set up, Kim says that the course will be set up similar to how it was for the World Junior Girls Championship, with increased length off the tees. “Players will need to plan their shots. It is a fair course so they should be able to score well, but I think we will see both good and bad scores.”

With all of the changes and preparations that the course has put in to get ready for the Games, Angus Glen should prove to be an excellent site for the competition. “Everything so far has been great with the course this season and we are eager to showcase Angus Glen on the world stage,” said Kim.

The first round of the golf competition begins on July 16 with the medals being presented on July 19. For more information or to purchase tickets see: http://www.toronto2015.org/golf

TORONTO—Former Varsity Blues athletic director, and current member of the board of directors for Golf Canada, Liz Hoffman received the prestigious Thomas R. Loudon award as part of the 2015 U of T Sports Hall of Fame ceremony on Thursday night at the new Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

The Loudon award is presented to a person associated with the University of Toronto for outstanding services in the advancement of athletics. Hoffman retired from U of T in 2010 after 39 years of outstanding service, leadership and mentorship of University of Toronto athletics.

Hoffman has been a driving force behind the growth of intercollegiate competition in Canada. She has paved the way in many areas of university sport – as an athlete, as a coach, an instructor and as an administrator. As the director of athletics, she served on the board of directors of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) during three different decades (1982-86, 1993-97, 2003-07), including being its president (1995-97), and has been a U of T delegate to Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its predecessors since 1977, including terms as president (1980-84) and past president (2003-07).  She built a tremendous coaching team at U of T, where under her leadership the Varsity Blues claimed 17 national titles and 126 provincial team championships.

The night opened with Dean Ira Jacobs presenting award to Hoffman. Jacobs saluted Hoffman’s decades of service and the lasting impact her initiatives made on sport at U of T. “Under Liz’s watch, University of Toronto developed gender and sport equity policies that were firsts in interuniversity sport in Canada,” Jacobs told the crowd. “Her initiatives shaped the co-curricular athletics and recreation experiences of countless—literally thousands of—U of T students on all three campuses.”

Hoffman received a standing ovation from the crowd as she came to the mic. For Hoffman, the honour was very much a family affair—literally, with her husband Rick and sons Mark and Matt at her side—and metaphorically, returning “home” to her Blues stomping groups. “We will always be part of the Varsity Blues family. I thank you for this honour; I will always treasure it; we will always treasure it.”

The emotional reflections and humble acceptance speeches continued as 10 athletes, three teams and four builders were welcomed into the U of T Sports Hall of Fame. While a decades-old tradition, this particular induction represented a new era with a series of firsts—this was the first time celebrating inductions at the Golding Centre for High Performance Sport. The Faculty also unveiled its interactive digital display, honouring every individual, team and builder inducted into the U of T Sports Hall of Fame. The ceremony also included the University’s first induction of a para athlete: Joanne Berdan.