Hall of Fame
It’s not often that a team can go an entire season without a single loss. Yet that’s exactly what the 1985-86 Varsity Blues women’s basketball team did, winning all five exhibition tournaments, all league games, beating every Canadian opponent and finishing the season with an astounding 32 wins and 0 losses. They ended the season by defeating the defending champs, Victoria Vikettes, 68-63 to win the CIAU championship.
Every win was a result of incredible teamwork, but special honours went to three players. Patricia Melville was the Nan Coop Award winner as CIAU player of the year, a first team All-Canadian and the U of T female athlete of the year, Angela Orton was CIAU Tournament MVP and an All-Canadian, and Theresa Burns was an OWIAA All-Star. Melville (1998) and Orton (1999) have previously earned individual induction to the Sports Hall of Fame.
Also on the team were Lynn Schulze, Anna Brozic, Mary Ann Kowal, Sandy Clubb, Peggy Blumenthal, Nicki Berswick, Julaine Sandrin, Samantha Reed, Leslie MacLean and Anne-Marie Bottineau. Head coach Michele Belanger was assisted by Tom O’Brien and Natalie Vukovich.
