The Regina Rams represent the University of Regina, located in Regina, Saskatchewan, in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Rams joined U Sports in 1999 and have competed in the Canada West Conference since then.[1] The program has won two U Sports football conference championships, in 2000 and 2024, and the team has made one appearance in the Vanier Cup championship game.
| Regina Rams | |
|---|---|
 Regina Rams logo | |
| First season | 1954 |
| Athletic director | Lisa Robertson |
| Head coach | Mark McConkey 4th year, 10–20–0 (.333) |
| Other staff | Mark McConkey (OC) Sheldon Gray (DC) |
| Home stadium | Mosaic Stadium |
| Year built | 2016 |
| Stadium capacity | 33,000 |
| Stadium surface | FieldTurf |
| Location | Regina, Saskatchewan |
| League | U Sports |
| Conference | Canada West (1999 – present) |
| Past associations | MSJFL (1954–1975) CJFL (1976–1998) |
| All-time record | 84–113–1 (.427) |
| Postseason record | 9–16 (.360) |
| Titles | |
| Vanier Cups | 0 |
| Atlantic Bowls | 1 2000 |
| Canadian Bowls | 15 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 |
| Hardy Cups | 2 2000, 2024 |
| Hec Crighton winners | 1 Noah Picton |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
| Colours | Green and Gold |
| Outfitter | Nike |
| Rivals | Saskatchewan Huskies |
| Website | reginarams.com |
The Rams nickname is used by the university's football team only; all of the other teams at the school are named the Regina Cougars.
Club history
editThe Regina Rams were formed in 1954 when two junior football teams, the Bombers and the Dales, merged into one football club. The Rams participated in the Man-Sask Junior Football League until 1976, when they joined with junior teams from Alberta to form the Prairie Football Conference. The club would participate in the CJFL until 1998, winning ten Canadian Junior Football Championships along the way.[1]
In 1999, after competing for 45 years in junior football (Canadian Junior Football League), the Regina Rams became a member of the Canada West Conference of the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (CIAU), later Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and now U Sports. The University of Regina came to community partnership agreement with the CJFL team that made the transfer possible. Rather than change their name to Regina Cougars, the football team continued to use the moniker "Rams." In only their second year of playing in the CIAU, the Rams won the Canada West Conference championship and then the Atlantic Bowl. They then went on their way to the Vanier Cup where they lost 42–39 to Marcel Bellefeuille's Ottawa Gee-Gees in the 36th Vanier Cup.[1][2]
Frank McCrystal was the head coach of the Rams from their inception in the CIS until 2014. He took the reins of the team in 1984, making 2014 his 31st season as head coach of the Rams and his 16th in the CIS. In 2007, after leading his team to a 6–2 regular season record and an appearance in the Hardy Cup game, McCrystal was named Canadian Interuniversity Sport Coach of the Year and received the 2007 Frank Tindall Trophy.[3][4]
The Rams played the inaugural sporting event at Mosaic Stadium on October 1, 2016, hosting the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.[5][6] At the end of the 2016 season, quarterback Noah Picton became the first Rams player to win the Hec Crighton Trophy after completing 224 passes out of 323 attempts for 3,186 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.[7][8] That was also the first season that the Rams finished in first place in the Canada West regular season.
CIAU/CIS/U Sports Regular Season Results
edit| Season | Games | Won | Lost | OTL | PCT | PF | PA | Standing | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 8 | 0 | 8 | - | 0.000 | 121 | 309 | 6th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2000 | 8 | 4 | 4 | - | 0.500 | 218 | 281 | 3rd in CW | Defeated Calgary Dinos in semi-final 33–32 Defeated Manitoba Bisons in Hardy Cup 25–22 Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Atlantic Bowl 40–36 Lost to Ottawa Gee-Gees in 36th Vanier Cup 42–39 |
| 2001 | 8 | 5 | 3 | - | 0.625 | 278 | 208 | 2nd in CW | Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 58–31 Lost to Manitoba Bisons in Hardy Cup 23–17 |
| 2002 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0.625 | 169 | 153 | 3rd in CW | Defeated Calgary Dinos in semi-final 39–17 Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in Hardy Cup 44–28 |
| 2003 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.563 | 248 | 246 | 3rd in CW | Lost to Simon Fraser Clan in semi-final 53–46 |
| 2004 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0.000 | 116 | 268 | 7th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2005 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0.375 | 188 | 276 | 5th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2006 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0.500 | 278 | 256 | 4th in CW | Lost to Manitoba Bisons in semi-final 44–29 |
| 2007 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 0.750 | 257 | 195 | 2nd in CW | Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 19–13 Lost to Manitoba Bisons in Hardy Cup 48–5 |
| 2008 | 8 | 5 | 3 | - | 0.250 | 163 | 179 | 3rd in CW | Lost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 24–17 |
| 2009 | 8 | 3 | 5 | - | 0.375 | 174 | 224 | 4th in CW | Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 53–23 |
| 2010 | 8 | 5 | 3 | - | 0.625 | 281 | 181 | 3rd in CW | Lost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 40–33 |
| 2011 | 8 | 5 | 3 | - | 0.625 | 123 | 154 | 3rd in CW | Lost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 16–4 |
| 2012 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 0.750 | 214 | 160 | 2nd in CW | Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 31–9 Lost to Calgary Dinos in Hardy Cup 38–14 |
| 2013 | 8 | 2 | 6 | - | 0.250 | 224 | 279 | 5th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2014 | 8 | 3 | 5 | - | 0.375 | 239 | 294 | 4th in CW | Lost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 56–0 |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 | 8 | - | 0.000 | 177 | 339 | 6th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2016 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | 0.750 | 277 | 218 | 1st in CW | Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 40-34 |
| 2017 | 8 | 4 | 4 | - | 0.500 | 259 | 283 | 3rd in CW | Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 28-21 |
| 2018 | 8 | 1 | 7* | - | 0.125 | 107 | 217 | 6th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2019 | 8 | 3 | 5 | - | 0.375 | 211 | 189 | 5th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||||||
| 2021 | 6 | 1 | 5 | - | 0.167 | 58 | 131 | 6th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2022 | 8 | 5 | 3 | - | 0.625 | 195 | 159 | 2nd in CW | Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 28-14 |
| 2023 | 8 | 1 | 7 | - | 0.125 | 155 | 268 | 6th in CW | Out of Playoffs |
| 2024 | 8 | 3 | 5 | - | 0.375 | 157 | 177 | 4th in CW | Defeated Manitoba Bisons in semi-final 28–25 Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in Hardy Cup 19–14 Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in Mitchell Bowl 17–14 |
- (*)The Rams forfeited three wins in 2018 due to use of an ineligible player. Those games were then awarded as 1-0 wins to Alberta, UBC, and Manitoba.[11]
National U Sports Postseason Results
edit| Year | Game | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Atlantic Bowl | Saint Mary's | W 40-36
L 39-42 |
| 2024 | Mitchell Bowl | Laval | L 14-17 |
Regina is 1–1 in national semi-final games and 0–1 in the Vanier Cup.
Head coaches
edit| Name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Toar Springstein | 1954–1955 | |
| Bill Ciz | 1956–1958 | |
| Bert Iannone | 1959–1962 | |
| Paul Anderson | 1962–1963 | |
| Bill Ciz | 1964 | |
| Gordon Currie | 1965–1976 | |
| Mel Fissel | 1977 | |
| Gerry Zbytnuik | 1978–1980 | |
| Frank McCrystal | 1981–2014 | |
| Mike Gibson | 2015 | |
| Steve Bryce | 2016–2019 | |
| Mark McConkey | 2020–present |
Regina Rams in the professional ranks
editAs of the end of the 2024 CFL season, six former Rams players were on CFL teams' rosters:
- Jaxon Ford, Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Jorgen Hus, Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Mitchell Picton, Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Tanner Schmekel, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Richard Sindani, Toronto Argonauts
- Ryder Varga, BC Lions
References
edit- ^ a b c "About the Rams". Regina Rams. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ^ http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/fball/2010-11/files/vanier_cup_history Vanier Cup History
- ^ "C.I.S. & CJFL Update". 2007. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013.
- ^ http://www.reginacougars.com/coaches.aspx?rc=180&path=football 2010 Football Coaching Staff, Frank McCrystal
- ^ "Three events to test out new Mosaic Stadium". Regina Leader-Post. Postmedia Network. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
- ^ "It's like a 'major league' venue: Test run of new Mosaic Stadium wins praise". CBC News. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ^ "Regina Rams QB Noah Picton wins Hec Crighton Award". CBC News. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ^ "Regina Rams career leaders". Regina Rams. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Canada West Football History - ^ "Football Standings". Canada West. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
- ^ 2018 U Sports Regina schedule
- ^ "Players". Canadian Football League. Retrieved November 21, 2024.