York Lions

The York Lions is the official name for the athletic varsity teams that represent York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports and, where applicable, in the east division. The Lions' logo features a red lion from the school's logo with the university's colours, red and white.

York Lions
University	York University
Association	U Sports
Conference	Ontario University Athletics
Athletic director	Alex Dominato
Location	Toronto, Ontario
Varsity teams	19 (9 men's, 10 women's)
Football stadium	York Lions Stadium
Basketball arena	Tait McKenzie Centre
Ice hockey arena	Canlan Ice Sports – York
Soccer stadium	York Lions Stadium
Tennis venue	Sobeys Stadium
Outdoor track and field venue	Toronto Track and Field Centre
Volleyball arena	Tait McKenzie Centre
Field hockey venue	Alumni Field
Rugby venue	Alumni Field
Mascot	Lion
Nickname	Lions
Colours	Red, White, and Black
Website	yorkulions.ca

York's former teams were known as the York Yeomen and York Yeowomen, but changed their name to the gender-neutral Lions in 2003.^[1]

Varsity teams

Men's sports	Women's sports
Basketball	Basketball
Cross Country	Cross Country
Football	Field hockey
Ice Hockey	Ice Hockey
Soccer	Rugby
Tennis	Soccer
Track and field	Tennis
Volleyball	Track and field
Wrestling	Volleyball
	Wrestling

Football

Main article: York Lions football

The York Lions football team has been in operation since 1968 and currently compete in the 11-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program is one of two in U Sports football to have never won a conference championship. Dexter Janke has been the team's head coach since January 22, 2024.^[2]

Men's ice hockey

Men's road playoff game vs. Windsor Lancers February 16, 2012.

The York Lions men's ice hockey team competes in the 20-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The team has won three national championships in 1985, 1988, and 1989.^[3] The program has also yielded seven Queen's Cup conference championships, most recently in 2017.^[3] The team's head coach has been Russ Herrington since 2017.

Women's ice hockey

Main article: York Lions women's ice hockey

The York Lions women's ice hockey team competes in the 13-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The team's head coach is Dan Church, who has been in that position since 2004 and is the longest-serving active head coach at York. The team was won three McCaw Cup conference championships, coming in 1983, 1987, and 1997.^[3][4]

Men's soccer

The York Lions men's soccer team has won five U Sports national championships and seven OUA conference championships.^[3] Since the hiring of head coach Carmine Isacco in 2007, the Lions have won six of these conference championships (2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018) and four national championships (2008, 2010, 2014, 2015). The Lions' 2008 U Sports championship was York's first national championship in any sport in 18 years, and their first soccer championship since 1977.^[5] Playing for the Lions, in 2010 Alon Badat was named a U Sports Championship All Star, and the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West Rookie of the Year, and in 2011 he was a First-Team OUA All-Star.^[6][7] The team currently competes in the 18-team Ontario University Athletics conference.

Women's soccer

The York Lions women's soccer team currently competes in the 19-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program has had four conference championship winners, coming in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2019.^[3] Carmine Isacco has been the team's head coach since 2012.^[8]

Men's volleyball

The York Lions men's volleyball team currently competes in the 13-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program has featured 13 conference championship winners, most recently in 2005.^[3] The highest that the team has finished in the national championship tournament was a second-place finish in 1974.^[9][10] Jordan Taylor was named the team's head coach on July 21, 2023.^[11]

Women's volleyball

The York Lions women's volleyball team currently competes in the 14-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The program has had a school-record 15 conference championships with the most recent occurring 2009.^[3] In the national championship tournament, the Lions have won five bronze medals, most recently in 1991.^[12] The team has been led by head coach Jennifer Neilson since 2018.^[13]

Facilities

York Lions Stadium

Alumni Field

Venue	Sport(s)	Ref.
York Lions Stadium	Football Soccer	[14][15][16]
Alumni Field	Field hockey Rugby	[17][18]
Tait McKenzie Centre	Basketball Volleyball Wrestling	[19]
Canlan Sports[n 1]	Ice hockey	[20]
Mayfair Clubs[n 1]	Tennis	[21][22]
Toronto Track and Field Centre	Track and field	[23]

Notes

1. Not owned by the university.

International competition

This is an incomplete list

• Kelsey Webster, Ice Hockey, 2009 Winter Universiade,^[24]
• Courtney Unruh, Ice Hockey, 2011 Winter Universiade,
• Kelsey Webster, Ice Hockey, 2011 Winter Universiade,
• Kiri Langford, Ice Hockey, 2011 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships – Division IV,
• Autumn Mills: Baseball, 2015 Pan American Games,
• Brittany Crew, Track and Field, 2017 Summer Universiade (Won gold with a best throw of 18.34 meters)^[25]
• Melissa Humana-Paredes, Volleyball, 2018 Commonwealth Games , 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships

Awards and honours

• Lauren Golding, U Sports Athlete of the Month, January 2020^[26]

Athletes of the Year

This is an incomplete list

Year	Female Athlete	Sport	Male Athlete	Sport	Ref.
2009–10	Heather Hamilton	Track & Field	Tyrone Halstead	Track & Field	[27]
2010–11	Effie Petrou	Field Hockey	Adrian Pena	Soccer	[28]
2011–12	Melissa Humana-Paredes	Volleyball	Dontae Richards-Kwok	Track & Field	[29]
2012–13	Cynthia Appiah	Track & Field	David McKay	Track & Field	[30]
2013–14	Khamica Bingham	Track & Field	Dontae Richards-Kwok	Track & Field	[31]
2014–15	Brittany Crew	Track & Field	Jarek Whiteman	Soccer	[32]
2015–16	Brittany Crew	Track & Field	Michael Cox	Soccer	[33]
2016–17	Holly Pitters	Track & Field	Jonathan Lao	Soccer	[34]
2017–18	Holly Pitters	Track & Field	Kayden Johnson	Track & Field Football	[35]
2018–19	Brittany Crew	Track & Field	Pierce Lepage	Track & Field	[36]
2019–20	Teni Odetoyinbo	Soccer	Daniel Gleason	Track & Field	[37]
2020–21	Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021–22	Leah Jones	Track & Field	Dieu Merci Yuma	Soccer	[38]
2022–23	Jotam Chouhan	Soccer	Soji Olatoye	Soccer	[39]