Hall of Fame
At the friendly confines of Varsity Arena, the University of Toronto Women's Hockey Team clinched the 1924-25 Intercollegiate League Championship with a 2-0 victory over Queen's Golden Gaels.
After dropping the series opener 3-2, the Varsity Blues rallied on home ice to claim the two-game championship by a 4-3 score. And what better way to celebrate the victory than to quote the exact words printed the in The Globe the following day.
"Marion Hilliard, captain and defense player, was outstanding for Toronto. Miss Hilliard is a player of ability, both on defense and on the attack. She scored one of her team's goals last night. Eileen Ditchburn, centre player for the Blue and White, was also prominent. She scored the other U of T goal."
In addition to the Intercollegiate Championship, the team also captured the Ladies Ontario Hockey championship by defeating all contenders they faced throughout the championship. According to Marie Parkes, Director of Women's Athletics for U of T at the time, noted, "This is recognized as the most skilful hockey team that ever represented the University of Toronto."
The 1924-25 Varsity Blues roster included Thora McIlroy (Goal), Marjorie Ross (Defence), Molly Donaldson (Defence), Doris Ross (Forward), Marion Hilliard (Forward), Olive Mews (Forward), Alice Taylor (Substitutes), Marjorie Fenwick (Substitutes), Eileen Ditchburn (Substitutes), J.G. Campbell (Coach), Florence Hargreaves (Manager).
This victory in the roaring twenties was certainly the start of something special for women's hockey at the University of Toronto. The pioneering sprit shown by these student athletes on the ice was translated into their post university lives by fulfilling prominent roles in the education, legal, social services and volunteer community.
