York Lions women's ice hockey

York Lions women's ice hockey
University	York University
Conference	OUA
Head coach	Dan Church Since 2004-05 season
Arena	Canlan Ice Sports York Capacity: 1,200
Location	Toronto, Ontario
Colors	Red, Black, and White
U Sports Tournament appearances
2020
Conference Tournament championships
1983, 1987, 1997

The York Lions women's ice hockey team represent York University and compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference.

History

On February 25, 1997, a little-known rule denies the Toronto Lady Blues hockey program their second consecutive title. The OWIAA gold medal game in Waterloo, Ontario resulted in a controversial finish. Lady Blues player Jayna Hefford scored 23 seconds into overtime in the OWIAA gold medal game against the York Yeowomen at Waterloo Memorial Arena. The Lady Blues believed they had claimed the provincial championship.

OWIAA league rules indicated that the first five-minute overtime session in a playoff game must be played in its entirety (as a regular period). It was advised that the game would continue after Hefford's goal. York University (known as the Yeowomen at the time) tied the game with 1:47 left in the first overtime. Sari Krooks broke in on the right wing and scored on Keely Brown.

A second overtime period began and this overtime period was classified as sudden death. York skater Shanley White took advantage of a Lady Blues clearing error. She scored on the error and York prevailed by a 3-2 mark in double overtime to claim the OWIAA gold medal. The Lady Blues loss ended the Blues' undefeated season, and gave York its first championship in 10 years.

The two played a scoreless opening period, but the Lady Blues scored ten seconds into the second period when Hefford passed to linemate Laura Schuler, and beat goalie Debra Ferguson. York tied the game 26 seconds into the third period which led into overtime. Despite winning the silver medal, the Lady Blues ended its regular season with a 13-0-2 record. In the semifinal, the Lady Blues defeated the Guelph Gryphons by a 4-1 tally. In that game, Laura Schuler had a hat trick, while Hefford added three assists.

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. 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.

Natasha Demianiw, Autumn Mills and Jennifer Petkovics were honoured on January 23, 2011 as the graduating seniors from the Lions

Year by year

OUA Women's

Season	League	GP	W	L	T	OL	GF	GA	Pts	Finish	Tournament	Nationals
1997-98	OUA-Women	15	5	5	5	-	27	31	15	4th	Lost Semifinals	N/A
1998-99	OUA-Women	20	5	10	5	-	39	56	15	4th	Lost Final	N/A
1999-00	OUA-Women	20	0	7	3	-	66	55	23	4th	Lost Semifinals	N/A
2000-01	OUA-Women	22	7	13	2	-	48	72	16	3rd East	Lost Semifinals	N/A
2001-02	OUA-Women	20	7	13	0	-	48	77	14	3rd East	Lost Quarterfinals	N/A
2002-03	OUA-Women	22	7	14	1	-	46	86	15	3rd East	Lost Quarterfinals	N/A
2003-04	OUA-Women	22								4th East	Did not qualify	N/A
2004-05	OUA-Women	22	1	19	2	0	17	95	4	4th East	Did not qualify	N/A
2005-06	OUA-Women	24	6	10	8	0			20	7th	Did not qualify	N/A
2006-07	OUA-Women	24	9	14	1	0			19	7th	Did not qualify	N/A
Season	League	GP	W	OW	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts	Finish	Tournament	Nationals
2007-08	OUA-Women	27	10	-	11	1	70	75	25	6th	Lost Quarterfinals	N/A
2008-09	OUA-Women	27	15	-	12	0	77	66	30	4th	Lost Quarterfinals	N/A
2009-10	OUA-Women	27	13	4	9	1	78	61	48	3rd	Lost Quarterfinals	N/A
2010-11	OUA-Women	27	7	4	16	0	58	83	22	7th	Lost Quarterfinals	N/A
2011-12	OUA-Women	26	12	1	12	1	69	74	27	6th	Lost Semifinals	N/A
2012-13	OUA-Women	26	6	2	15	3	51	78	19	9th	Did not qualify	N/A
2013-14	OUA-Women	24	4	2	16	2	47	80	14	11th	Did not qualify	N/A
2014-15	OUA-Women	24	11	-	10	3	54	59	25	10th	Did not qualify	N/A
2015-16	OUA-Women	24	5	4	11	4	45	59	27	10th	Did not qualify	N/A
2016-17	OUA-Women	24	4	2	14	4	45	71	20	12th	Did not qualify	N/A
2017-18	OUA-Women	24	8	0	12	4	40	65	28	10th	Did not qualify	N/A
2018-19	OUA-Women	24	8	3	12	1	55	63	31	9th	Did not qualify	N/A
2019-20	OUA-Women	24	14	0	8	2	65	46	44	3rd	Finalist	Event Cancelled prior to team playing
2020-21	OUA-Women	Season cancelled October 15th due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22	OUA-Women	17	3	1	12	1	28	57	12	6th East	Did not qualify	N/A
2022-23	OUA-Women	27	7	2	18	0	41	74	25	6th East	Did not qualify	N/A
2023-24	OUA-Women	28	8	1	17	2	48	71	28	4th East	Lost Semifinals	N/A

International

• April 4, 2011: Kiri Langford was a member of the New Zealand national team that won the gold medal at the 2011 IIHF World Women’s Championship Div. IV in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Lions in pro hockey

Player	Position	Team	League	Accomplishments
Mandy Cole	Forward	Brampton Thunder	CWHL
Allyson Fox ||Forward|| Brampton Thunder || CWHL ||Participated in the 2010 Clarkson Cup
Kerri Palmer	Defense	Brampton Thunder	CWHL
Kelsey Webster	Defense	Strathmore Rockies (2009-10)	WWHL

Lions selected in the CWHL Draft

The following were selected in the 2010 CWHL Draft.

Player	Position	Team	Selection
Courtney Unruh	Forward	Brampton Thunder	#29
Allyson Fox	Forward	Brampton Thunder	#38
Michelle Daniels	Forward	Brampton Thunder	#47
Mandy Cole	Forward	Brampton Thunder	#59
Kerri Palmer	Defense	Brampton Thunder	#77

Awards and honors

School honors

• Autumn Mills, York University female athlete of the week for the period ending Jan. 30, 2011.

CIS honors

• Kelsey Webster, 2010 All-CIS Second team selection

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

• Marnie Barow, First Team (1990-91)

• Marnie Barow, Second Team (1991-92)

• Marnie Barow, First Team (1992-93)

• Heather Balbraith, Second Team (1996-97)

• Michelle Campbell, Second Team (1989-90)

• Michelle Clayton, First Team (1993-94)

• Michelle Clayton, Second Team (1994-95)

• Michelle Clayton, First Team (1995-96)

• Allyson Fox, Second Team (1995-96)

• Allyson Fox, First Team (1996-97)

• Allyson Fox, Second Team (1997-98)

• Debra Ferguson, First Team (1996-97)

• Collette Good, Second Team (1997-98)

• Karent Kett, Second Team (1998-99)

• Sari Krooks, First Team (1996-97)

• Sari Krooks, First Team (1999-2000)

• Katie Quinn, Second Team (1993-94)

• Katie Quinn, Second Team (1994-95)

• Katie Quinn, First Team (1995-96)

• Melanie Roach, First Team (1998-99)

• Melanie Roach, First Team (1999-2000)

• 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)

• Autumn Mills, , Runner-up, 2011 Marion Hilliard Award

• Collette Good, Player of the Game, OWIAA Semi-final (February 24, 1997)

Other

• Chloe Milano, Player of the Game, Game 2 of 2010 Theresa Humes Tournament
• Katie Starke 2008 Miss Teen Canada World, she was eligible to play from 2009 to 2013 but did not appear in any games because of a severe concussion in a York University pre-season game.