UBC Thunderbirds women's ice hockey explained
| Team Name: | UBC Thunderbirds |
| Team Link: | |
| University: | University of British Columbia |
| Sex: | women's |
| Conference: | Canada West Universities Athletic Association |
| Conference Short: | Canada West |
| Governing Body: | U Sports |
| Location: | Vancouver |
| Coach: | Graham Thomas |
| Coach Year: | Since 2012-13 |
| Assistant Coaches: | Mike Sommer |
| Arena: | Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre |
| Colour1: | Blue |
| Colour2: | Gold |
| Hex1: | 02053C |
| Hex2: | F4A71B |
| Usportstourneys: | 2013, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023 |
| Conference Tournament: | 2013, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023 |
The UBC Thunderbirds women's ice hockey program represent the University of British Columbia in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association. The Thunderbirds have won six conference championships in U Sports women's ice hockey, most recently in 2024, and have made six national championship appearances.
History
Recent season-by-season record
| Won U Sports Championship | Lost U Sports Championship | Conference Champions | League Leader | |
| Year | Coach | | | | | | | | | Conference Tournament |
| 2009–10 | Nancy Wilson | 8 | – | 15 | 1 | 48 | 67 | 17 | 5th | Did not qualify |
| 2010–11 | Jen Rawson | 7 | – | 16 | 1 | 56 | 92 | 11 | 6th | Did not qualify |
| 2011–12 | Jen Rawson | 1 | – | 21 | 2 | 22 | 112 | 4 | 7th | Did not qualify |
| 2012–13 | Graham Thomas | 17 | – | 7 | 4 | 72 | 63 | 38 | 3rd | Canada West champions
Defeated Calgary Dinos |
| 2013–14 | Graham Thomas | 20 | – | 6 | 2 | 81 | 57 | 42 | 3rd | Canada West semi-finals
Lost vs Saskatchewan Huskies |
| 2014–15 | Graham Thomas | 17 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 81 | 53 | 57 | 2nd | Canada West semi-finals
Lost vs Manitoba Bisons |
| 2015–16 | Graham Thomas | 13 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 69 | 53 | 48 | 2nd | Canada West champions
Defeated Manitoba Bisons |
| 2016–17 | Graham Thomas | 20 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 86 | 45 | 67 | 1st | Canada West champions
Defeated Alberta Pandas |
| 2017–18 | Graham Thomas | 16 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 60 | 41 | 56 | 3rd | Canada West semi-finals
Lost vs Saskatchewan Huskies |
| 2018–19 | Graham Thomas | 16 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 61 | 35 | 55 | 3rd | Canada West semi-finals
Lost vs Manitoba Bisons |
| 2019–20 | Graham Thomas | 9 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 41 | 59 | 34 | 6th | Canada West semi-finals
Lost vs Alberta Pandas |
| 2020–21 | Graham Thomas | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[1] |
| 2021–22 | Graham Thomas | 14 | – | 6 | 0 | 62 | 22 | 28 | 2nd | Canada West champions
Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies |
| 2022–23 | Graham Thomas | 24 | – | 2 | 2 | 97 | 35 | 50 | 1st | Canada West champions
Defeated Mount Royal Cougars |
| 2023-34 | Graham Thomas | 24 | – | 4 | – | 111 | 33 | 51 | 1st | Canada West champions
Defeated Alberta Pandas | |
[2] [3] Team captains
Thunderbirds in pro hockey
| = CWHL All-Star | | = NWHL All-Star | | = Clarkson Cup Champion | | = Isobel Cup Champion | |
| Player | Position | Team(s) | League(s) | Years | Titles |
| Haleigh Callison | Defense | OSC Eisladies Berlin
Toronto Furies | EWHL
CWHL | 3 | |
| Sarah Casorso | Defense | EHV Sabres Wien
Buffalo Beauts
Aisulu Almaty Loan | EWHL
NWHL
EWHL | 5 | |
| Hannah Clayton-Carroll | Forward | Gothenburg HC | SDHL | 1 | |
| Danielle Dube | Goaltender | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 1 | |
| Mathea Fischer[4] | Forward | Djurgardens IF | | 1 | |
| Kelly Murray | Defense | Calgary Inferno | CWHL | | 2019 Clarkson Cup |
| Forward | Buffalo Beauts
Metropolitan Riveters
SK Gorny Ukhta
Hvidovre | NWHL
Russia
EWHL | 5 | 2018 Isobel Cup |
| Rebecca Unrau | Forward | Karlskrona HK | Sweden Division 1 | 1 | |
| Cassandra Vilgrain | Forward | Brynäs IF Dam | | 1 | |
|
International
- Melinda Choy : 2009 Winter Universiade[5]
- Christi Capozzi : 2013 Winter Universiade[6]
- Tatiana Rafter, Forward, : 2013 Winter Universiade
- Kelly Murray, Defense, : 2017 Winter Universiade[7]
Awards and honours
- Graham Thomas, 2012-13 U Sports Coach of the Year[8]
All-Canadians
- First Team
- Haleigh Callison, 2005-06 First-Team All-Canadian
- Sarah Casorso, 2013-14 First-Team All-Canadian
- Tatiana Rafter, 2013-14 USports First Team All-Canadian
- Sarah Casorso, 2014-15 USports First-Team All-Canadian
- Kelly Murray, 2016-17 USports First Team All-Canadian
- Tory Micklash, 2018-19 USports First Team All-Canadian
- Second Team
- Lucie Fortin, 2003-04 Second-Team All-Canadian
- Danielle Dube, 2012-13 Second-Team All-Canadian
- Cassandra Vilgrain, 2016-17 USports Second Team All-Canadian
U Sports All-Rookie
- Melinda Choy, 2006-07 USports All-Rookie Team
- Rayna Cruickshank, 2009-10 USports All-Rookie Team
- Mairead Best, 2016-17 USports All-Rookie Team [9]
- Rylind MacKinnon, 2018-19 USports All-Rookie Team
Canada West Awards
- Tatiana Rafter, 2013-14 Canada West Player of the Year
Canada West All-Stars
- 1997-98, Michelle Johansson
- 1998-99, Laura Bennion
- First Team
- Lucie Fortin, 2003-04 Canada West First-Team All-Star
- Julia Staszewski, 2004-05 Canada West First-Team All-Star
- Haleigh Callison, 2005-06 Canada West First-Team All-Star
- Danielle Dube, 2012-13 Canada West First-Team All-Star[10]
- Kelly Murray, 2016-17 Canada West First-Team All-Star
- Cassandra Vilgrain, 2016-17 Canada West First-Team All-Star
- Celine Tardif, 2017-18 Canada West First-Team All-Stars[11]
- Second Team
- Lucie Fortin, 2002-03 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
- Teryne Russell, 2004-05 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
- Christi Capozzi, 2012-13 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
- Tatiana Rafter, 2012-13 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
- Kelly Murray, 2015-16 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
- Rebecca Unrau, 2015-16 Canada West Second-Team All-Star
- Hannah Clayton-Carroll, 2017-18 Canada West Second-Team All-Stars
Canada West All-Rookie
- Mathea Fischer, 2015-16 Canada West All-Rookie Team [12]
- Mairead Bast, 2016-17 Canada West All-Rookie Team [13]
- Tory Micklash, 2016-17 Canada West All-Rookie Team
- Shay-Lee McConnell, 2017-18 Canada West All-Rookie Team [14]
- Ireland Perrott, 2017-18 Canada West All-Rookie Team
- Rylind MacKinnon, 2018-19 Canada West All-Rookie Team
- Ashley McFadden, 2018-19 Canada West All-Rookie Team
- Kennesha Miswaggon, 2019-20 Canada West All-Rookie Team
UBC Awards
- 2012-13 Du Vivier Team of the Year Award
- 2014-15: Lauren Logush - UBC Thunderbirds Female Rookie of the Year
- 2015-16 Danielle Dube: May Brown Trophy - Graduating Female Athlete of the Year[15]
- 2019-20 TAC Buzz Moore Leadership Award: Mikayla Ogrodniczuk Co-winner
- Laura Bennion: UBC Hall of Fame Inductees (Builder's Category)
Kay Brearley Service Award (Community Service)
- 2019 Kay Brearley Service Award: Shiayli Toni [16]
- 2020 Kay Brearley Service Award : Mikayla Ogrodniczuk [17]
Carolyn Dobie-Smith Award (Student-Trainer Award)
- 2019 Carolyn Dobie-Smith Award: Walee Malik Co-Winner
- 2020 Carolyn Dobie-Smith Award: Luisa Ribeiro
Notes and References
- Web site: U Sports unable to offer national championships in winter 2021 . October 15, 2020 . usports.ca . U Sports.
- Web site: Women's hockey standings . March 25, 2023 . usports.ca . U Sports.
- Web site: Standings . March 13, 2022 . leaguestat.com . Canada West Universities Athletic Association.
- News: Two T-Birds alumnae begin professional careers in Sweden. September 16, 2020 . May 12, 2021 . en.
- News: CAN Announces Women's Ice Hockey Team for Harbin. fisu.net. January 9, 2009 . May 4, 2021 . en.
- News: Tbirds help Canada win gold at 2013 Winter Universiade. ubc.ca. 2013-12-13. 2021-05-04. en.
- News: 2017 Winter Universiade: Canadian women’s hockey team announced. canadawest.org . 2016-10-07. 2021-05-20. en.
- News: McGill’s Daoust named player of the year. presto-en.usports.ca. March 6, 2013. June 7, 2021. en.
- News: U SPORTS Women’s Hockey: StFX’s Bujold named Player of the Year. usports.ca. 2017-03-15. 2021-04-26. en.
- News: 2012-13 Canada West women's hockey major awards and all-stars announced. universitysport.prestosports.com. February 27, 2013 . May 4, 2021 . en.
- News: WHKY: Top three dominate all-star and all-rookie voting. canadawest.org. Evan Daum, Canada West Communications. February 21, 2018. May 12, 2021. en.
- News: Four T-Birds honoured among best in Canada West. gothunderbirds.ca. February 29, 2016. May 12, 2021. en.
- News: Vilgrain, Murray, Bast and Micklash honoured by Canada West. gothunderbirds.ca. February 28, 2017. May 12, 2021. en.
- News: WHKY: Top three dominate all-star and all-rookie voting. canadawest.org. Evan Daum, Canada West Communications. February 21, 2018. May 12, 2021. en.
- News: UBC's best honoured at 95th annual Big Block Awards and Sports Hall of Fame Banquet. Aaron Martin (Sports Media and Information Assistant). gothunderbirds.ca. April 4, 2016 . May 4, 2021 . en.
- News: Thunderbirds celebrate 2019 Big Block Awards Banquet. gothunderbirds.ca. 2019-04-03. 2021-04-16. en.
- News: Best of blue & gold celebrated at virtual Big Block Awards . gothunderbirds.ca. 2020-04-20. 2021-04-16. en.
