The men’s hockey team celebrates after winning the 2018 Homecoming game

By Adam Kalab

On April 12th, 2021, Laurentian University cut its varsity swim teams as well as both men’s and women’s hockey teams through the CCAA procedure. 

The news was confirmed on Wednesday by the university. 

Provost and Vice-President Marie Josee Berger said in an email “I regretfully inform you that Women’s and Men’s Varsity Swimming and Hockey programs will be discontinued, effective April 30, 2021.”

“Laurentian University has had a rich history of competition in both sports and I would like to thank the student-athletes and coaches for their commitment and dedication to the University’s success in varsity sports over many years,” she said. 

Berger also said that Laurentian will continue “to pursue athletic success” through remaining Varsity programs, including Women’s and Men’s Basketball, Soccer, Cross Country Running, Indoor Track, Golf, Nordic Skiing, Curling, Rowing and men’s Baseball.

Mackenzie Savard, a fourth-year goaltender for the men’s team and Outdoor Adventure Leadership (ADVL) student, said he probably wouldn’t have chosen to attend Laurentian if there wasn’t a hockey team. 

“It’s impossible to imagine what university would have been like without hockey.”

Savard said that playing hockey while at Laurentian shaped him into who he is today and that he learned multiple valuable skills from his experience on the team. 

“Being a varsity athlete at Laurentian gave me a sense of pride, leadership, and ownership,” Savard said. 

“Myself and all my teammates knew we weren’t just playing for ourselves and our team, we were playing to represent our school and everyone that attends Laurentian every single time we stepped on the ice.”

Homecoming tradition gains momentum 

Men’s hockey was cut after the 1999-2000 season but was brought back in 2013-14. That same year, the women’s hockey team made its debut.

Both teams played in the Ontario University Athletics Association (OUA). 

Since Laurentian does not have a football team, a major highlight for the hockey teams was the unofficial “Homecoming” event that was created for the men’s hockey home opener against the Waterloo Warriors in October 2017. 

In 2018, both the men’s and women’s teams opened at home the same weekend and a record crowd of 600 fans watched the women’s team play a thrilling 3-2 overtime loss to the Ryerson Rams.

Women’s team captain and health promotion student, Annie Sheridan, said the game “was so loud you could barely hear the music playing in between whistles.” 

She said it was an important game for the women’s team. 

“Homecoming… provided us an opportunity to show everyone what we, as women’s hockey players, had to offer. A skilled, exciting, and memorable hockey game,” said Sheridan.  

In 2019, over 500 fans came out to support the men’s team as they beat the Queen’s Gaels 4-1. 

Savard said, “it was such a blast knowing we had the support from all our peers during the big homecoming games and throughout the seasons I was there.” 

Laurentian hockey history

Despite basketball being a Laurentian favourite, Voyageurs hockey was still popular in the Sudbury community. Both teams would regularly draw crowds between 100-300 supporters. 

Events like Homecoming and playoff games showed the spirit and passion of the community.

Sheridan said, “I was so proud of not only my team for playing a hard fought game but for all the fans that came out to support us by showing us true pride and tradition.” 

The next major milestone would’ve been the first playoff series win. 

Neither team had won a playoff series, but both had several good chances. The men’s team qualified for the playoffs in 5 consecutive years from 2015-2019. 

The women’s team had back-to-back playoff appearances in 2016 and 2017. 

Despite qualifying as a low seed, the Voyageurs took the top-ranked Guelph Gryphons and Nipissing Lakers to the brink of elimination.

The women’s team had an all-time regular season record of 63-84-21, while the men went 61-114-19.