Saint Mary's Huskies football

The Saint Mary's Huskies football team represents Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Huskies have been the most successful in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference of U Sports football, reaching the Vanier Cup championship game nine times and winning three times (1973, 2001, 2002), both marks being the highest in the AUS. The program also has the most Jewett Trophy conference championships, winning 24 times in 32 appearances.

Saint Mary's Huskies
Saint Mary's Huskies logo
First season1956
Athletic directorScott Gray
Head coachSteve Sumarah
9th year, 40–22  (.645)
Other staffScott Annand (assistant head coach, defensive line)

Gavin Lake (defensive coordinator)

Mark Nelson (special teams coordinator, linebackers)
Home stadiumHuskies Stadium
Year built1970
Stadium capacity1100[1]
Stadium surfaceFieldTurf
LocationHalifax, Nova Scotia
LeagueU Sports
ConferenceAUS (1999 - present)
Past associationsAUAA (1974-1998)
All-time record252–157 (.616)
Postseason record– 
Titles
Vanier Cups3
1973, 2001, 2002
Uteck Bowls2
2003, 2007
Churchill Bowls1
2002
Atlantic Bowls7
1964, 1973, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2001
Jewett Trophies24
1964, 1965, 1968, 1971,
1972, 1973, 1974, 1987,
1988, 1989, 1990, 1992
1993, 1994, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Hec Crighton winners4
Chris Flynn (3), Erik Glavic
ColoursMaroon, White, and Black
     
OutfitterAdidas
Websitesmuhuskies.ca

They would become the third university to win back-to-back championships (2001 & 2002) and the first of three universities to appear in at least three consecutive championship tournaments (2001–2003). The second being the Saskatchewan Huskies (2004–2006) and the third being the Laval Rouge et Or (2010–2013). As of 2024, the Huskies are the last AUS team to have both appeared in a Vanier Cup (2007) and to have won a Vanier Cup (2002).

The Hec Crighton Trophy was awarded four times to Saint Mary's Huskies players; three times to Chris Flynn (1988, 1989, 1990) and once to Erik Glavic in 2007. Flynn is the only player to have won the league MVP award three times and in 2011, he became the first player inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame based solely on a university career.[2]

Recent coaching history

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Steve Sumarah was the head coach of the Huskies for six seasons from 2006 to 2011 and had his teams achieve four first-place finishes, along with one Vanier Cup appearance in 2007. He was fired on Dec. 5, 2011.[3] Perry Marchese was hired as his replacement on February 17, 2012.[4] Marchese had a record of 8-24 over four seasons and was replaced with James Colzie III in 2016. Colzie led the Huskies to an 17-20 record over five seasons and resigned from the Huskies in April 2022.[5] Sumarah returned as head coach on June 8, 2022.[6]

Season results since 1998

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SeasonGamesWonLostOTLPCTPFPAStandingPlayoffs
199884400.5001531613rd in AUAAOut of playoffs
199987100.8752761311st in AUSDefeated Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 25-24
Defeated Waterloo Warriors in Atlantic Bowl 21-14
Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in 35th Vanier Cup 14-10
200088001.000324661st in AUSDefeated Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 38-18
Lost to Regina Rams in Atlantic Bowl 40-36
200188001.000480351st in AUSDefeated Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 38-7
Defeated Laval Rouge et Or in Atlantic Bowl 48-8
Defeated Manitoba Bisons in 37th Vanier Cup 42-16
200286200.7503131101st in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 63-14
Defeated McMaster Marauders in Churchill Bowl 36-25
Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in 38th Vanier Cup 33-21
200387100.8753381281st in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 36-12
Defeated Simon Fraser Clan in Uteck Bowl 60-9
Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in 39th Vanier Cup 14-7
200485300.6252151311st in AUSDefeated Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 24-7
Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in Mitchell Bowl 31-16
200584400.5002251753rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 47-29
20068440.5001891302nd in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 24-6
Lost to Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 32-24
20078710.8753521711st in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 25-24
Defeated Laval Rouge et Or in Uteck Bowl 24-2
Lost to Manitoba Bisons in 43rd Vanier Cup
20088710.8752591681st in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 29-27
Lost to Western Ontario Mustangs in Mitchell Bowl 28-12
20098710.8752661191st in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 31-22
Lost to Calgary Dinos in Uteck Bowl 38-14
20108530.6252281241st in AUSDefeated Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 37-8
Lost to Calgary Dinos in Mitchell Bowl 35-8
20118620.7502961302nd in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 25-2
Lost to Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 39-20
20128350.3751891262nd in AUSDefeated Mount Allison Mounties in semi-final 49-11
Lost to Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 17-9
20138530.6251281342nd in AUSLost to Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 20-17
20148080.000592824th in AUSOut of playoffs
20158080.000722814th in AUSOut of playoffs
20168260.2501262394th in AUSOut of playoffs
20178530.6252091492nd in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 16-15
Lost to Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 45-38[7]
20188710.8751881411st in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 33-9
20198350.3751591904th in AUSOut of playoffs
2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
20216150.167581315th in AUSOut of playoffs
2022[A]7340.4291161594th in AUSOut of playoffs
20238260.2501152524th in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 36-20

[8][9]

^ A. The September 24, 2022 Bishop's at Saint Mary's game was cancelled due to weather and the October 29, 2022 Saint Mary's at Bishop's game was worth four points with both teams playing seven games in 2022.[10]

Championships

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National Championships

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Semi-final championships

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  • Champions: 1964, 1973, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2001
  • Runner-up: 1968, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1987, 1989, 1993, 1994, 2000

Conference Championships

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Loney Bowl

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The Huskies have also been victorious in the Loney Bowl Conference Championship a record 24 times with their last coming in the 2010 season.[11]

National award winners

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Huskies in the CFL

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As of the start of the 2024 CFL season, six former Huskies players are on CFL teams' rosters:

[12]

References

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