The accumulated members of the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 women’s field hockey teams, which won back-to-back CIS national championships in 1998 and 1999, will enter the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in the Team category.
1998-2000 women’s field hockey
The Thunderbirds field hockey team during this two-year period posted identical records of 14-1-1 in each season on route to CIS Championship victories in 1998 and 1999. Goaltender Ann Harada was named a First-Team All Canadian and a CIS Championship all-star in 1999. Jennifer Dowdeswell was named to both the 1998 and 1999 CIS Championship all-star teams, and coach Hash Kanjee was honoured as 1998 CIS Coach of the Year. Remarkably, a total of seven team members from these two seasons represented Canada in international competition (Laura Balakshin, Kim Buker, Ann Harada, Stephanie Hume, Lesley Magnus, Mo O’Connor, Emily Menzies).
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VANCOUVER – The 2014 class of inductees into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame will be comprised of five of the most extraordinary athletes in the history of the varsity program, two of its most successful teams and the student-founder of the Thunderbirds women’s ice hockey team.
The April 1 induction promises to be a big night for UBC football with the induction of former linebacker and punter Kevin Konar in the Athlete category and the 1986 Vanier Cup Champion Thunderbirds in the Team category.
The night will also serve as a reminder of UBC’s contributions to Canadian Olympic teams, with 2000 Olympic Swim Team member and 1998 World Championships and Commonwealth Games double medalist Mark Versfeld entering the Hall of Fame along with rower Laryssa Biesenthal, who won eight international medals after graduating from UBC in 1995, including bronze medals at both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.
Tammy Crawford, the 1993 CIS women’s soccer Most Valuable Player and former national team member, will also enter the Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 along with rugby legend Robert “Ro” Hindson. Hindson played at UBC from 1972 to 1976 and went on to a lengthy international career that saw him make 31 appearances for Canada, including the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
The inaugural UBC Sports Hall of Fame induction was held in 1993. Since that time a total of 86 former athletes, 24 teams and 33 builders of sport have been inducted for accomplishments dating as far back as the early 1920s.
Submitted by Tara Hovanes – Congrats to three Oliver-SOSS grades Heather Smith (Long) our daughter and Dallas Plensky and Lesley Magnus. UBC Hall of Fame Inductees.
