The York Lions women's ice hockey team represents York University in Toronto, Ontario in the sport of ice hockey in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports. The York Lions have won three OUA championships in their program history while making one appearance in the U Sports women's ice hockey championship tournament since its inception in 1998.
History On February 11, 2000, the Ontario University Athletics women's ice hockey program saw its longest game take place. The University of Toronto's Rhonda Mitchell scored on a 35-foot slap shot. It was the 5:07 mark of the eighth period and the Varsity Blues defeated York University. Although the victory allowed the U of T to advance to the OUA gold medal game, it was the longest in the history of Canadian women's hockey (since broken). The game lasted over five hours and ten minutes. York's player of the game was goaltender Debra Ferguson, as she valiantly made 63 saves over 125 minutes.
On February 5, 2011, two Lions players, forward Courtney Unruh and defender Kelsey Webster (and assistant coach Stacey Colarossi) were part of the Team Canada roster that captured gold at the 2011 Winter Universiade title as Canada defeated Finland 4–1 in the gold-medal final. Autumn Mills was the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) nominee for the 2011 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Marion Hillard Award.
After seven years of finishing out of the playoffs, the 2019–20 Lions team finished with a record and a third-place finish in the OUA. The Lions swept both the Waterloo Warriors and Nipissing Lakers in the OUA playoffs before losing the McCaw Cup championship to the Toronto Varsity Blues in a sudden death 1–3 loss. Because the Lions were an OUA finalist, the team qualified for the U Sports women's ice hockey championship for the first time in program history in 2020. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the tournament was cancelled on the day that the Lions were scheduled to play against the McGill Martlets in the opening round game. The 2020–21 season was cancelled due to the pandemic and the Lions finished last in their division following their return to play in 2021–22.
Recent results Year Standing Postseason2003–04 22 2 – 1 19 – 5 4th in OUA East Did not qualify for playoffs2004–05 22 1 – 2 19 0 4 4th in OUA East Did not qualify for playoffs2005–06 24 6 – 8 10 0 20 7th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2006–07 24 9 – 1 14 0 19 7th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2007–08 27 11 – 4 11 1 27 6th in OUA Lost OUA Quarter-Final vs. Guelph 2008–09 27 15 – 0 12 0 30 4th in OUA Lost OUA Quarter-Final vs. Brock 2009–10 27 13 4 – 9 1 45 3rd in OUA Lost OUA Quarter-Final vs. Windsor 2010–11 27 7 4 – 16 0 22 7th in OUA Lost OUA Quarter-Final vs. Brock 2011–12 26 12 1 – 12 1 28 6th in OUA Won OUA Quarter-Final vs. Queen's Lost OUA Semi-Final vs. Western 2012–13 26 6 2 – 15 3 22 9th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2013–14 24 4 2 – 16 2 16 11th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2014–15 24 11 – – 10 3 25 10th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2015–16 24 8 1 – 11 4 27 10th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2016–17 24 6 0 – 15 3 20 12th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2017–18 24 8 0 – 14 2 28 10th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2018–19 24 8 3 – 12 1 31 9th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2019–20 24 14 0 – 8 2 44 3rd in OUA Won OUA Quarter-Final vs. Waterloo Won OUA Semi-Final vs. Nipissing Lost OUA Championship vs. TorontoU Sports championship cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2020–21 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021–22 17 3 1 – 12 1 12 11th in OUA Did not qualify for playoffs2022–23 27 7 2 – 18 0 12 6th in OUA East Did not qualify for playoffs2023–24 28 8 1 – 17 2 44 4th in OUA East Won OUA Quarter-Final vs. Nipissing Lost OUA Semi-Final vs. Waterloo 2024–25 26 7 4 – 13 2 31 5th in OUA West Won OUA West Play-In vs. Windsor 5–3Lost OUA Quarter-Final vs. Guelph 2025–26 26 6 2 – 16 2 24 6th in OUA West Did not qualify for playoffs
International contests Season Date Opponent Score 2009–10October 3, 2009Chinese Olympic hockey team1–42009–10October 4, 2009Chinese Olympic hockey team2–6
Season team scoring champion 2025-26Alexa Giantsopoulos 26 6 7 13182024-25 Alexa Giantsopoulos24 8 1321 162023-24 Alexa Giantsopoulos 2810 6 16142022-23 Brooke Anderson 246 5 1182021-22 Courtney Gardiner 175 7 12162019-20 Taylor Davison 244 16 20282018-19 Erin Locke 149 11 200
Lions in pro hockey = CWHL All-Star = NWHL All-Star= Clarkson Cup Champion= Isobel Cup Champion Player Position Team League AccomplishmentsKristen Barbara Defense Markham ThunderPWHPA GTAToronto SixMetropolitan Riveters CWHLPWHPANWHL 2018 Clarkson Cup championMandy ColeForward Brampton Thunder CWHL Allyson FoxForward Brampton Thunder (2007–2012) CWHL Participated in the 2010 Clarkson CupCourtney Gardiner Forward Toronto SixPHFWon 2023 Isobel Cup Kerri PalmerDefense Brampton Thunder CWHL Kelsey WebsterDefense Strathmore Rockies (2009–10)Calgary Inferno (2011–2016) WWHLCWHL Won the 2016 Clarkson Cup with the Calgary Inferno
Lions selected in the CWHL Draft Player Year Position Team SelectionCourtney Unruh 2010 CWHL Draft Forward Brampton Thunder #29Allyson Fox 2010 Forward Brampton Thunder #38Michelle Daniels2010 Defense Brampton Thunder #47Kelsey Webster2010 Defense Brampton Thunder #53Mandy Cole 2010 Forward Brampton Thunder #59Kerri Palmer2010 Defense Brampton Thunder #77Kristen Barbara 2016 CWHL Draft Defense Brampton Thunder #28
Lions selected in the NWHL Draft Taylor Davison made U Sports history, becoming the highest drafted player from a U Sports team to be taken in the NWHL Draft. As a side note, Davison's selection was announced by Angela James.
Player Year Team SelectionErin Locke2020 NWHL Draft Toronto Six #15Taylor Davison2021 NWHL Draft Toronto Six #5
Awards and honours Team MVP This is an incomplete list 2009–10: Kelsey Webster 2010–11: Courtney Unruh 2011–12: Lisa Stathopulos 2012–13: Lisa Stathopulos 2013–14: Megan Lee 2014–15: Lisa Stathopulos 2015–16: Megan Lee 2016–17: Erin Locke 2017–18: Erin Locke 2018–19: Erin Locke 2019–20:
School honours Autumn Mills, York University female athlete of the week for the period ending Jan. 30, 2011. 2011 York Lions Athletics Bryce M. Taylor Award: Autumn Mills 2012 York Lions Athletics Female Rookie of the Year, Kristen Barbara 2015 Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy: Lisa Stathopulos 2016 Roar Cup 2021 Sport Council Award: Lauren Dubie (co-winner with rugby player Lauren Walter)
Lions Legacy Awards 2015 Lions Legacy Awards: Kiri Langford Co-winner 2016 Lions Legacy Awards: Megan Lee 2017 Lions Legacy Awards: Rianna Langford and Amy Locke (co-winner with soccer player Marilyn Grammenopoulos and track & field competitor Muad Issa) 2019 Lions Legacy Awards: Jenna Gray (co-winner with volleyball player Cadence Currie and track & field athlete Bailey Francis) 2021 Lions Legacy Awards: Kaleb Dahlgren and Lauren Dubie (co-winner with soccer player Teni Odetoyinbo)
U Sports honours Kelsey Webster, 2010 All-CIS Second Team Kristen Barbara, CIS All-Rookie Team (2011–12)
OUA honours Lisa Stathopulos, OUA Most Valuable Player (2014–15)
Erin Locke, OUA Marion Hilliard Award (2019–20)
Ava Ricker-Singh, OUA Marion Hilliard Award (2024–25)
Abby Hicks, 2025-26 OUA West Champion of EDI (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Award
Abby Hicks, 2025-26 OUA West Marion Hilliard Award
OUA in-season Autumn Mills, Pioneer Petroleums Ontario University Athletics (OUA) female athlete of the week for the period ending Jan. 30, 2011.
OUA All-Stars First Team Marnie Barow, First Team (1990–91) Marnie Barow, Second Team (1991–92) Marnie Barow, First Team (1992–93) Michelle Clayton, First Team (1993–94) Michelle Clayton, First Team (1995–96) Taylor Davison, First Team (2019–20) Allyson Fox, First Team (1996–97) Debra Ferguson, First Team (1996–97) Sari Krooks, First Team (1996–97) Sari Krooks, First Team (1999–2000) Katie Quinn, First Team (1995–96) Melanie Roach, First Team (1998–99) Melanie Roach, First Team (1999–2000) Kelsey Webster, 2010 All-OUA First Team
Second Team Heather Balbraith, Second Team (1996–97) Michelle Campbell, Second Team (1989–90) Michelle Clayton, Second Team (1994–95) Allyson Fox, Second Team (1995–96) Allyson Fox, Second Team (1997–98) Collette Good, Second Team (1997–98) Karent Kett, Second Team (1998–99) Katie Quinn, Second Team (1993–94) Katie Quinn, Second Team (1994–95) Shanley White, Second Team (1997–98)
Postseason awards Debra Ferguson, Player of the Game, OWIAA Final (February 25, 1997) Debra Ferguson, Player of the Game, OUA Semifinal (February 11, 2000) Collette Good, Player of the Game, OWIAA Semi-final (February 24, 1997)
International In April 2011, Lions player Kiri Langford was a member of the New Zealand national team that won the gold medal at the 2011 IIHF World Women's Championship Division IV competition in Reykjavik, Iceland. During the month of August 2011, it was announced that Lions head coach Dan Church would also serve as the head coach during the 2011–12 Canada women's national ice hockey team.
Player Event ResultCourtney Unruh 2011 Winter Universiade GoldKelsey Webster 2009 Winter UniversiadeGoldKelsey Webster 2011 Winter UniversiadeGold
Dan Church Head Coach : 2009 Winter Universiade
References
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