Over the past 100 years, University of Toronto women have captured countless intercollegiate titles, fought and won hard battles for women’s equality, informed the coaching world, and made it to the top of the Olympic podium. As International Women’s Day celebrates its centennial, we celebrate the bold and brave women who have made U of T intercollegiate athletics what it is today.
The official day of recognition has past (March 8), however, varsityblues.ca will continue to highlight and recognize outstanding women, who have made significant contributions to sport in this country and at this University.
Today we draw your attention to all three of the Varsity Blues BLG award winners. The BLG award honours the top CIS male and female athletes of the year based on their athletic accomplishment, outstanding sportsmanship, demonstrated leadership and academic excellence.
1996 - Justine Ellison (Basketball)
Over her five years at U of T, Ellison scored 924 points and played a key role as the Blues won two OWIAA (now OUA) gold medals and three silver medals, earning a trip to the CIAU (now CIS) championship each season. She was an impact player in the Blues two CIS silver medal finishes in 1993-94 and 1995-96.
Ellison was the OUA East division rookie of the year, a two-time OUA tournament all-star, a four-time OUA all-star and was named the East division’s most valuable player in 1995-96. She garnered both second team (1994-95) and first team (1995-96) CIS all-Canadian status and was twice named a CIS tournament all-star.
Ellison ended her intercollegiate career on a high note, scoring 91 points in three games at the 1996 CIS tournament and that season became only the second Varsity Blue to win the Nan Copp trophy for the CIS’s women’s basketball player of the year. She was named the 1996 Women’s T-Holders female athlete of the year and went on to become the first U of T athlete to win the prestigious Howard Mackie Award (now the BLG Award) as the CIS’s female athlete of the year award.
After graduation, Justine became a member of the Canadian team that won five of six games at the 1997 FISU games in Sicily, Italy, and then enjoyed a 10-year career playing professional basketball in Israel.
1998 - Foy Williams (Track & Field)
Foy made a lasting impression on track and field at the University of Toronto. Throughout her career with the Blues, she won CIAU gold medals in the 60m, 300m, 4x200m and 4x400m events. In 1997-98, Foy helped to establish a CIAU record in the 4x400m relay and was named U of T’s female athlete of the year as well as the CIAU’s top female athlete.
In 1997, Foy represented Canada at the World Univeristy Games in Sicily, where she placed sixth in the 400m and helped the relay team finish fourth in the 4x400m event.
2002 - Elizabeth Warden (Swimming)
Liz Warden led the University of Toronto women's team to three OUA championship titles. Warden was a four-time OUA all-star and CIS all-Canadian and was named the 2001-02 OUA and CIS swimmer of the year. As such, she went on to earn University of Toronto female athlete of the year honours and also became the third U of T student-athlete to win the BLG award as the CIS female athlete of the year.
Warden finished her five-year career undefeated in 23 OUA championship races.
As a 2004 Canadian Olympic team member, she placed 11th in the 400 IM. Warden also won a silver medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and was a multiple national champion. She also competed at the 1999 FISU Games and 2002 World Cup championships, where she medaled at both.
International Women’s Day Part 1: Helen Gurney & Abby Hoffman
International Women’s Day Part 2: Liz Hoffman & Angela Orton
