Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association

The Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) is an association of men's field lacrosse teams connected with several universities in Ontario and Quebec. Teams compete in the fall with league playoffs typically in early November.

Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association

Current season, competition or edition: 2022 CUFLA season
Sport	Lacrosse
Founded	1985
President	David Fenicky (2014- present)
No. of teams	14
Country	Canada
Most recent champion(s)	Western Mustangs (2023)
Official website	cufla.ca

History

Founded in 1985, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association, or the "CUFLA," was originally known as the Ontario University Field Lacrosse Association (OUFLA) and, as the name suggests, was entirely Ontario-based. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, OUFLA expanded to include more teams across Ontario.

Having grown to 10 teams in 2002, OUFLA changed its name to the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association to reflect the additions of McGill University and Bishop's University, both located in Quebec.

The league expanded to 12 teams in 2007 with the additions of Trent (Peterborough) and Laurentian (Sudbury) universities. With these additions the league split into two divisions (east and west) based on geographic location of member schools.

Concordia University in Montreal became the 13th member, the third in Quebec, in 2012.

As it celebrates its 30th year in 2014, the CUFLA has expanded again to 15 teams with the addition of Nipissing University and the University of Ottawa.^[1] This ongoing growth bodes well for the continued expansion of men's field lacrosse at various universities across Canada.

Concordia University left after the 2015 season, leaving the league with 14 teams.

Teams

Guelph goalie in 2014

School	Location	Head Coach
Bishop's Gaiters	Lennoxville, Quebec	Drew Pollock
Brock Badgers	St. Catharines, Ontario	Tim Luey
Carleton Ravens	Ottawa, Ontario	Jeremy Strong
Guelph Gryphons	Guelph, Ontario	Sam Kosakowski
Laurentian Voyageurs	Sudbury, Ontario	George Sheppard
McGill Redbirds	Montreal, Quebec	Nicolas Soubry
McMaster Marauders	Hamilton, Ontario	Jason Tallevi
Nipissing Lakers	North Bay, Ontario	Jason Rudge
Ottawa Gee-Gees	Ottawa, Ontario	Brett Perras
Queen's Golden Gaels	Kingston, Ontario	Connor Kearnan
Toronto Varsity Blues	Toronto, Ontario	Jon Moore
Trent Excalibur	Peterborough, Ontario	Mark Farthing
Western Mustangs	London, Ontario	Chris Standish
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks	Waterloo, Ontario	Clancy Almas

McMaster Lacrosse Players at Alumni Field, Hamilton Ontario. September 2024

Western player in 2014

Former

• Concordia University – Montreal, Quebec
• Waterloo Warriors – Waterloo, Ontario
• Windsor Lancers – Windsor, Ontario
• York Yeomen – Toronto, Ontario

Champions

The Baggataway Cup is the Canadian university field lacrosse championship, awarded annually to the winner of the post-season tournament by the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association. The Baggataway Cup tournament is typically held the second weekend in November, and is hosted by one of the member schools.

Guelph Defender in 2014

Year	Champion	Finalist	Score
1985	Western Mustangs
1986	Brock Badgers
1987	McMaster Marauders
1988	Western Mustangs
1989	Brock Badgers
1990	Brock Badgers
1991	Brock Badgers
1992	Brock Badgers
1993	Brock Badgers
1994	Brock Badgers
1995	Guelph Gryphons
1996	Brock Badgers	Guelph Gryphons
1997	Brock Badgers	Guelph Gryphons
1998	Brock Badgers	Guelph Gryphons	8-6
1999	Brock Badgers	Western Mustangs
2000	Guelph Gryphons	Brock Badgers	13-11
2001	Western Mustangs	Brock Badgers	12-10[2]
2002	Brock Badgers	Bishop's Gaiters	9-8, 3OT
2003	Brock Badgers	Bishop's Gaiters	10-5
2004	Brock Badgers	Bishop's Gaiters	10-9
2005	Brock Badgers	Guelph Gryphons	14-7
2006	Brock Badgers	Bishop's Gaiters	11-8
2007	Brock Badgers	Guelph Gryphons	13-10
2008	Guelph Gryphons	McGill Redmen	14-9
2009	Brock Badgers	McMaster Marauders	12-11[3]
2010	McMaster Marauders	Brock Badgers	11-10[4]
2011	Bishop's Gaiters	Brock Badgers	11-6[5]
2012	McGill Redmen	Western Mustangs	7-6, 2OT[6]
2013	Guelph Gryphons	McGill Redmen	14-11[7]
2014	Guelph Gryphons	McGill Redmen	15-12
2015	McGill Redmen	Western Mustangs	15-11[8]
2016	Western Mustangs	Trent Excalibur	11-7
2017	Western Mustangs	Brock Badgers	16-14, 2OT
2018	Western Mustangs	Brock Badgers	9-8, 2OT
2019	Western Mustangs	Trent Excalibur	8-5
2021	Brock Badgers	Guelph Gryphons	10-9, OT
2022	Trent Excalibur	Brock Badgers	12-3
2023	Western Mustangs	McGill Redbirds	7-4
2024	Western Mustangs	Queens Gaels	11-3

McMaster and Nipissing players Alumni Field, Hamilton Ontario. 2023

Western goalie Zach Grace (2014)

Team	Championships	Most recent
Brock University	19	2021
Western University	9	2024
University of Guelph	5	2014
McGill University	2	2015
McMaster University	2	2010
Bishop's University	1	2011
Trent University	1	2022

Executive

Guelph player in 2014

The operations of CUFLA are handled by an executive that reports regularly to the team presidents, typically at annual general meetings. Currently, the executive is composed of a commissioner, two assistant commissioners, a treasurer, a director of communications, a high school liaison and a referee-in-chief.^[9]

• Scott Fox - Commissioner
• Tom Bileski - Deputy Commissioner
• Chris Lesanko - Asst. Commissioner
• Mark Walker - Treasurer
• Michael Drake - Referee in Chief
• Stephen Stamp - Director of Communications
• Jim Price - High School Liaison

Player eligibility

Only current students registered at their respective universities with a full course load are deemed eligible to play in CUFLA competitions. Players who have played professional field lacrosse (such as Major League Lacrosse) are prohibited from playing in CUFLA.

However, players who play professional box lacrosse (such as the National Lacrosse League) are eligible to play. Throughout the years, the league has seen many current and former NLL players scattered throughout various teams.

Alumni

Many current and former players have met with a great deal of success representing their countries or playing professional lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse.

Player	Alma Mater	National Lacrosse League	Major League Lacrosse	International Competition
Kevin Brownell	University of Western Ontario	Buffalo Bandits	None	None
Pat Campbell	Brock University	Calgary Roughnecks, Edmonton Rush, Toronto Rock	None	None
Mike Carnegie	University of Western Ontario	Calgary Roughnecks	None	Team Canada
Angus Dineley	University of Toronto	New York Titans/Orlando Titans, Philadelphia Wings	None	Team Canada
Colin Doyle	Wilfrid Laurier University	Ontario Raiders/Toronto Rock, San Jose Stealth	Toronto Nationals	Team Canada
Andrew Dowdell	University of Western Ontario	Calgary Roughnecks	None	Team Nederland
Jesse Gamble	University of Western Ontario	Toronto Rock	None	Team Canada
Bill Greer	University of Western Ontario	Toronto Rock, Edmonton Rush, Rochester Knighthawks, New York Saints, Arizona Sting, Columbus Landsharks	None	Team Canada
Greg Harnett	Bishop's University	Calgary Roughnecks	None	None
Jon Harnett	University of Guelph	Boston Blazers	None	None
Tom Hawke	University of Guelph	Rochester Knighthawks	None	None
Steve Hoar	University of Toronto	Toronto Rock	Toronto Nationals	Team Canada
Rowan Kelly	University of Western Ontario	Colorado Mammoth	None	None
Carter Livingstone	University of Toronto	Boston Blazers, Chicago Shamrox, Rochester Knighthawks	None	None
Randy Mearns	University of Western Ontario	Rochester Knighthawks, Buffalo Bandits	None	Team Canada
Jamie McKeracher	University of Western Ontario	Anaheim	None	None
Ken Millin	Brock University	Toronto Rock, Rochester Knighthawks	None	None
Ryan Phillips	University of Western Ontario	Rochester Knighthawks	None	None
Creighton Reid	University of Toronto (Practice Squad)	Toronto Rock, Colorado Mammoth	None	None
Reid Reinholdt	University of Western Ontario	Toronto Rock	None	None
Matt Spanger	University of Western Ontario	New England Black Wolves	None	None
Chris Standish	University of Western Ontario	Washington Power	None	None
Scott Stapleford	University of Western Ontario	Colorado Mammoth, Toronto Rock, Portland Lumberjacks	None	Team USA
Mike Temple	University of Western Ontario	Rochester Knighthawks	None	None
Scott Tinning	University of Western Ontario	Edmonton Rush	None	None
Sean Thomson	University of Guelph	Philadelphia Wings, Minnesota Swarm	None	None
Jay Thorimbert	University of Guelph	Buffalo Bandits, Boston Blazers, Minnesota Swarm	None	None
Doug Utting	University of Western Ontario	Rochester Knighthawks	None	Team Israel
Josh Wasson	Trent University	Chicago Shamrox, Toronto Rock	None	None
Shawn Williams	Brock University	Toronto Rock, Rochester Knighthawks, Edmonton Rush, Buffalo Bandits	None	Team Canada
Casey Zaph	University of Toronto	Rochester Knighthawks	None	None
Latrell Harris	Brock University	Toronto Rock	None	Team Canada

Media coverage

Media coverage of CUFLA has grown in recent years, with local and student newspapers devoting several articles to CUFLA's game results. Several lacrosse websites (Lacrosse All Stars, Inside Lacrosse, The Lacrosse News,Lacrosse Bucket , etc.) and magazines have taken notice and included CUFLA in their ongoing coverage of the world of lacrosse.